Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Review: Generations, Specs and Which One to Buy
Overview of the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost cabrio (1906–1926): one generation, 40–82 hp, manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, and the version worth choosing.
The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is a cabrio produced from 1906 to 1926, with engine outputs ranging from 40 to 82 hp. All versions pair a manual gearbox with rear-wheel drive. It suits collectors and enthusiasts of early motoring who want an open-body Rolls-Royce from the brand's founding era rather than a modern daily driver.
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost generations
1 generation (1906–1926)
The first and only generation of the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost ran for two decades, from 1906 to 1926, exclusively as a cabrio. Power outputs span 40 to 82 hp across 2 modifications, and every variant uses a manual transmission with rear-wheel drive. The notable version is the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 7.4 MT, which develops 82 hp from a 7428 cc engine — the top of the model's power range and the mass-market choice within the lineup.
A twenty-year production run is remarkable by any standard, and it means cars badged as Silver Ghost can differ substantially in age even within the single generation. The 7428 cc displacement places the 7.4 MT among large-engined cars of its period, while the 82 hp output reflects the engineering norms of the 1900s–1920s rather than modern figures.
Which Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost to buy
- 7.4 MT (1 generation): the mass version of the lineup, with 82 hp from its 7428 cc engine — the highest output in the model's 40–82 hp range, combined with the manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive shared by all versions.
Buying used here means buying a car that is at minimum a century old, since production ended in 1926. With only one generation and 2 modifications, the selection question is simple: the mechanical layout — manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, cabrio body — is the same across the range, so the choice comes down to the specific engine output, with the 82 hp 7.4 MT sitting at the top of the spread and the entry versions starting at 40 hp.
The absence of body-style or drivetrain variety works in a buyer's favor: there is no risk of picking the wrong configuration, because the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was offered one way — as a rear-wheel-drive manual cabrio — for its entire 1906–1926 run. The meaningful difference between the 2 modifications is power, and the 7.4 MT holds the advantage there with its 82 hp.