Vauxhall Prince Henry and Rolls Royce Phantom I up for grabs at Silverstone auction

Motoring enthusiasts have a chance to bid for a King’s former Rolls-Royce, the world’s first sports car and a classic vintage Jaguar at a special auction later this summer.

On 4 August, Silverstone Auctions is hosting The Dawn of Motoring Sale, with a slew of classic vintage vehicles up for grabs. 

These three unique and rare cars could fetch more than half a million pounds at the auction. Below, This is Money reveals the colourful stories behind each…

History: This 1911 Vauxhall Prince Henry motor is expected to fetch up to £350k

First sports car: 1911 Vauxhall Prince Henry 20HP £250k-£350k

This 112 year old C-Type Edwardian touring car has been restored to replicate the Works Russian Reliability Trial cars of 1911. 

The Vauxhall Prince Henry was an automobile manufactured from 1911 to 1914 by a British company, Vauxhall Motors Limited of Chalton, and widely recognised as the first sports car ever created. 

Sporting credentials: This Vauxhall is considered the first from a line of high-performance cars

This Vauxhall is considered the first from a line of high-performance cars which the sports cars of today echo. 

The company’s draughtsman, Laurence Pomeroy, redesigned the 20 HP Vauxhall motor, offering a higher-tuned, 3054cc 4-cylinder, monobloc engine. 

A few of these Vauxhalls were entered into the RAC 2,000-mile trials and enjoyed a strong performance during speed trials at Brooklands.

Royal Car: 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom I – £130k-£150k

Interested parties will need deep pockets, as the guide price for late King Mohammed V of Morocco’s Rolls-Royce stands at a top end of £150,000.

The 1925 Roll-Royce Phantom was prepared in Paris by renowned Rolls-Royce racer James Radley for the late King Mohammed V of Morocco. 

The Carrosserie-bodied Phantom has been subject to a recently finished, no expense spared, long-term restoration that started in 1985 and it is estimated to sell for between £130,000 to £150,000.

Royal connections: This 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom I could be yours on 4 August 

Mohammed V was Sultan of Morocco from 1927 to 1953. He was Sultan again upon his return from exile in 1955, and as King from 1957 to 1961. 

Sultan Muhammad V was a central figure in the independence movement in Morocco, or as it is also called: the Revolution of the King and the People. 

According to Silverstone Auctions, there are competing accounts of what Mohammed V did for the 250,000 Jewish community in Morocco during World War II. 

Though a subject of debate, most scholars, the auction house says, stress the benevolence of Mohammed V toward the those of Jewish faith during the Vichy era.

Mohammed reportedly refused to sign off on efforts by Vichy officials to deport the country’s Jews to their deaths in Nazi concentration camps in Europe. 

Divine: Supplied new by Henlys in late 1934, this SS1 is fresh from long-term ownership

The start of Jaguar: 1934 S.S. Cars Ltd. SS1 2.6-Litre Tourer – £50k-£60k

A forerunner of the Jaguar marque, S.S originally stood for the Swallow Sidecar & Coachbuilding Company, which had been founded in Blackpool by William Walmsley in 1922. 

Supplied new by Henlys in late 1934, this SS1 is fresh from long-term ownership and reportedly only needs some light recommissioning.

The SS1, launched in 1932, is a close-coupled coupe based on the Standard Ensign 16hp. 

The chassis and body were designed by Lyons. 

It has a long bonnet, small passenger compartment and helmet-type front wings imply the ultimate in high performance of the time and this is what ultimately created a blueprint for Jaguars of the future, combining sporting good looks with a better-than-average specification. 

So successful was Lyons’ new venture that production of Swallow-bodied cars ceased altogether in 1933, and SS Cars Limited was formed, initially as a subsidiary of the Swallow sidecar-building business.

The period interior is trimmed in burgundy leather with art deco ‘sunburst’ door cards and sports its original steering wheel and dashboard including the combined 100mph speedometer and 5000rpm tach. The guide price is between £50,000 to £60,000.

Silverstone Auctions’ Dawn of Motoring Sale on 4 August will be closely followed by its Classic Sale at Silverstone Festival on 25 and 26 August.

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk