Description
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford/ Cambridgeshire
9th of October , 2024 13:00
1933 Rolls-Royce 20/ 25 Sedanca de Ville
Estimate £38, 000 - £32, 000
Registration No: BPA 375
Chassis No: GGA 68
MOT: Exempt
Park Ward Sedanca de Ville coachwork with division
55, 917 recorded miles plus long-term family ownership since 1980
Collection of invoices, old MOTs and tax discs
Supplied new to Lieutenant Colonel S. S. G Cohen
Understood to have had low ownership and subject to a re-wire in 2009
Said to be a 'well-maintained' example with matching chassis and engine number
Rolls-Royce introduced the 20/ 25 in 1929 as a successor to the outgoing 20hp model. Although the newcomer was primarily aimed at owner drivers, many examples were nevertheless sold to customers with chauffeurs. The four-speed manual gearbox featured the manufacturer's traditional right-hand change and was equipped with synchromesh on the top two ratios from 1932 onwards. The substantial chassis sported rigid axles front and rear, suspended on semi-elliptic leaf springs. The four-wheeled braking was mechanically servo-assisted. Power came from an enlarged version of the straight-six OHV unit used in the 20hp. Now displacing 3, 699cc, it made for swifter acceleration and a higher top speed of up to 75mph. The increased capacity of some 570cc gave useful extra power and allowed coachbuilders of the day to experiment and offer more intricate body styles without impeding performance.
As before, the choice of bodywork for each 20/ 25 was to the taste of each individual customer, and Freestone & Webb, Gurney Nutting, Park Ward, Thrupp & Maberly, Mulliner and Hooper were among the many coachbuilders selected to clothe these fine motorcars. Usefully faster than its 20hp predecessor, the model remained in production until 1936 by which time some 3, 827 had been sold, making it the company’s best-selling model between the wars.
A notably elegant example with Park Ward Sedanca de Ville coachwork and division, chassis GGA 68 was supplied new to Lieutenant Colonel S. S. G Cohen and has been in long-term family ownership since 1980. Understood to have had low previous ownership the Rolls-Royce displays 55, 917 miles and is said to be a 'well-maintained' example that was the subject of a re-wire in 2009. Benefitting from matching chassis and engine number, GGA 68 is offered with buff logbook, collection of invoices, old MOTs plus tax discs and a current V5C document.
