Follow UK investment immigration and listen to British stories: "Among the world's automobiles, only Rolls-Royce can be called aristocratic." In the spring of 1904, Henry Royce, the son of a miller, met Charles Rolls, who came from an aristocratic background, on a train. The two hit it off immediately and decided to co-found the Rolls-Royce company to produce high-end British automobiles. They named the car Rolls-Royce; the trademark consists of two overlapping red Rs, symbolizing that they are part of each other, reflecting the harmonious and compatible relationship between the two men.
The other traditional emblem of Rolls-Royce, the classic "Spirit of Ecstasy" statue, appeared in 1911. Designed by artist Charles Sykes, it is said that the inspiration came from an ancient Greek goddess statue in the art corridor of the Louvre Museum in Paris. The "Spirit of Ecstasy," draped in light gauze, is graceful and charming; its unveiling ceremony was no less grand than the launch of the first Rolls-Royce car. The then-general manager, Claude Johnson, wrote: "She is a goddess of unparalleled elegance, representing the noble ideals of humanity and the ecstatic soul of life, viewing the journey as the supreme enjoyment."
A "Spirit of Ecstasy" requires manual mold casting, at least 8 rounds of manual polishing, and 64 minutes of machine grinding to be born. In fact, every statue, after final manual refinement, is slightly different and is a unique work of art. The "Spirit of Ecstasy" was originally silver-white, but later, some owners used pure gold to showcase their prestigious status. Indeed, only a golden statue can represent the incomparable luxury of Rolls-Royce: the wood grain in every Rolls-Royce is unique and individually archived, so that if any damage occurs in the future, it can be repaired and restored to its original state.
As Johnson said: "When the 'Spirit of Ecstasy' descended upon Rolls-Royce, the whole world was immersed in fresh air and the beautiful musical melody of vibrating wings." The magnificent Rolls-Royce conquered the hearts of heads of state and aristocrats around the world, including the British Royal Family, and is also known as the "Car of Kings." It also has strict requirements regarding the identity and background of its buyers; the American superstar "Elvis Presley" only qualified to purchase a standard Rolls-Royce after multiple efforts.
In the spring of 1904, Henry Royce, the son of a miller, and Charles Rolls, who came from an aristocratic background, met by chance. Neither of them expected at the time that this accidental encounter would lead two geniuses to join hands to create a famous car and a legend.
Henry Royce was born in 1863. Because his family was not wealthy, he worked as an apprentice at a railway company in his teens. By the age of 19, he had become an engineer at an electrical company. He was a perfectionist in everything and was adept at expressing his thoughts through Victorian-style aphorisms. He often said: "Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing." He also said: "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble."
In 1903, Royce bought his second French Decauville car. However, this car frequently broke down, which greatly disappointed Royce, and he vowed to design a 2-cylinder engine car himself. In 1904, the first car entirely designed and manufactured by Royce drove out of his factory gates.
Charles Rolls was born in 1877 into a British aristocratic family. While studying at Cambridge, he bought a Peugeot car. By the time he graduated from Cambridge University, he was already an expert driver. He was the first to complete a 1,000-mile reliability test, and in 1903, he set a world speed record of 150 km/h in Dublin driving an 80HP car.
In 1902, Rolls began his car business, and his "Rolls Company" soon became one of the most powerful car dealerships in the UK. However, Rolls always wanted to associate his name with high-quality cars. It wasn't until 1904, when he saw the 2-cylinder engine car produced by Royce in Manchester, that he was deeply shocked. The car started with a button, ran very smoothly and quietly, and did not break down frequently like the cars of that time. Rolls immediately realized that this was the high-quality car he wanted. He immediately borrowed this car from Royce to London and introduced it to his partner, Claude Johnson. They secretly rejoiced in their hearts: Mr. Royce was the mechanical genius they had discovered who would dominate the world. In December 1904, the first Royce car was exhibited at the Paris Motor Show, causing a huge sensation. Subsequently, a historic agreement was signed in the UK, making the Rolls company the only company with the right to sell Royce cars in the UK, and the Royce car was officially renamed "Rolls-Royce."
The noble quality of Rolls-Royce comes from its superb quality. Its founder, Henry Royce, once said: "The price of a car will be forgotten, but the quality of the car will last."
On July 12, 1910, Rolls unfortunately died in a plane crash, and Royce passed away on April 22, 1933, due to overwork. Their successors changed the red double R on the front of the car, which represented the two men's names, to black to show mourning.
The success of Rolls-Royce stems from its adherence to the traditional British art of car manufacturing: refined, enduring, and meticulous. Therefore, it is incredible that since 1904, more than 60% of Rolls-Royce cars are still in good working condition.
The most distinctive feature of Rolls-Royce is its extensive use of manual labor. In the UK, where labor costs are quite high, this inevitably leads to high production costs, which is one of the reasons for the staggering price of Rolls-Royce.
To this day, Rolls-Royce engines are still entirely handmade. Even more amazing is that the radiator grille on the front of a Rolls-Royce is completed entirely by skilled workers using their hands and eyes, without any measuring tools. A single radiator takes one worker an entire day to manufacture, and then it requires another 5 hours of processing and polishing.