1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I to auction with $202,000 estimate

A 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Playboy Roadster, previously driven by a cast of Hollywood stars, will feature at a major classic cars auction at Blenheim Palace, UK on July 14.

The beautiful machine, which has a £130,000 high estimate, was first owned by silent movie-era cowboy star Tom Mix.

Rolls-Royce Phantom I
The classic Rolls-Royce market is on the up in 2012

Bette Davies then took ownership for a brief period, before it entered the service of Warner Brothers and starred in films such as Giant and The FBI Story.

Classic Rollers are making significant strides at auction - a 1936 Rolls-Royce Phantom III 3-Position drop head coupe doubled its estimate to sell for a €1.1m ($1.4m) record for its type in May, while a "Corgi" 1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp "Silver Ghost" set a new £4.7m marque world record on June 29.

"We have some amazing and unique cars that will be on sale", said Chris Routledge, the managing director of Coys.

"We are proud to have this exceptionally handsome Phantom I with a glittering Hollywood history. This magnificent roadster, with rumble seat, is sure to be the star of any significant event," he added.

The 120-vehicle auction, taking place at Winston Churchill's ancestral home, will also feature a 1954 Rolls-Royce once owned by Dirk Bogarde.

A 1961 BMW Isetta, valued at £16,000, is one of several miniature cars that will also star.

The HAGI Top 50 Index, the Historic Auto Group's price index of leading classic cars, grew by 4.49% during June and is up 10.33% since the start of the year.

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