Introduced in 1936, the Rolls-Royce 25/30 featured a 4.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine larger than its predecessor, the 20/25. Produced for just two years, the model was typically used for town driving and fitted with comfortable, luxurious, yet heavy saloon and cabriolet coachwork.

This unique and sporting creation first began life as a Rolls-Royce 25/30 Standard Touring Limousine by Park Ward and was delivered new to Jack Barclay’s dealership in London on 18 February 1937, according to a copy of its build sheet on file. When the Blitz began in late 1940 over the skies of the United Kingdom, the need for emergency vehicles escalated and it is believed the owners of this Rolls-Royce donated their car to be converted and put into service as an ambulance.

In the 1980s, restorer Gary Wales of California, known for his bespoke coachwork, acquired a pair of 25/30 ambulances, including this car, chassis GM07. Soon after the purchase, he removed the coachwork sitting atop both vehicles and restored each chassis as they would have appeared leaving the factory in the 1930s. In January 2011, Wales undertook a second project, this time creating the custom boattail coachwork seen on the car today. A stunning piece of design, the proportions came from repositioning the engine lower and more towards the center of the car, far behind the front axle, creating a long hood and improving the vehicle’s weight distribution. The fenders were fashioned in the style of French coachbuilder Labourdette and dramatically increase the car’s sporting appeal. While most of the bodywork is aluminum, the rear deck of the shapely boattail is mahogany wood, fashioned in the traditional style with the help of an antique boat expert.

A fascinating and elegant automobile with purported heroic war history, this Rolls-Royce Boattail Speedster will stand out in any collection with its stunning, bespoke coachwork.