1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker Tourer

A grey 1914 Rolls-Royce 40/50 hp Silver Ghost Barker Tourer arriving at and leaving Cars and Coffee at Crystal Cove Shopping Center.

It sometimes takes only a single model for a car company to become known as one of the world's most prestigious marques. For Rolls-Royce, it was the 40/50 hp, which was labeled by the press as "the best car in the world". The Silver Ghost name, which was originally applied to a particular example of the 40/50 hp to emphasize its quietness, eventually stuck and has inspired the names of numerous Rolls-Royce models for over a hundred years.

There's something incredibly beautiful about huge, open pre-war cars like this. I associate this shade of grey with mdoern German luxury cars, but it actually works very well on this century-old British masterpiece. It's attractive and classy but also serious and even a bit daunting - perfectly fitting for the car's name.

Unlike driving a modern luxury car, driving a 120-year-old luxury car requires far more technical knowledge (look at all those gauges!) and even physical strength. By today's standards, this car certainly won't be spending much time outside the slow lane. But who the heck cares? Wherever you go, you'll easily out-class pretty much anyone around you. If I worked at a valet, I would move just about any new Rolls-Royce or Bentley aside to put this beauty in the spotlight - that is, assuming I can learn how to properly operate it!

Would you take this Silver Ghost over a modern Rolls-Royce? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!