Rolls-Royce will hold an exclusive exhibition, ‘The Great Eight Phantoms’, in London later this month to showcase all the Rolls-Royce Phantom models ever made. They just announced that the third Phantom to join the exhibition will be Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Phantom II Continental, following The Fred Astaire Phantom I and the Phantom III of British Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein.

At the end of 1932 Malcolm Campbell was a six time Grand Prix winner and land speed world record breaker, but he still wanted to go further with his record-breaking vehicle ‘Blue Bird’ and equipped it with a 36.5-litre Rolls-Royce R aero engine that generated 2,300 hp. The following year he set a new world land speed record of 438 km/h at Daytona Beach, Florida with the Rolls-Royce engine and he celebrated by getting a Phantom II Continental, registration AGO 1.

The short-wheelbase Phantom II Continental was “Powerful, docile, delightfully easy to control and a thoroughbred” commented the Motor magazine at the time. It was bodied by coachbuilders Barker as a standardised touring saloon but Campbell added his touches via bespoke modifications. These included a wireless set, fire extinguisher, spotlight, an exhaust pipe nine-inches longer than the norm, a klaxon horn, a Bosch horn and a siren, while the pale blue was an obvious colour for the exterior.

The exhibition will take place at the Bonham international flagship saleroom and galleries in New Bond Street, London from July 29 to August 2.