One-Off Four-Eyed Humpback Wagon Is An Italian Rolls-Royce You’ve Never Heard Of

Long before the current days of automakers hosting in-house boutique design packages and bespoke styling options, you took your lame stock production car to a coachbuilder for true customization and personalization. That’s what many owners did with their Rolls-Royce limousines back when coachbuilders were more of a wider market in the 1940s, and still somewhat in the 1950s. Back then, you didn’t just order a Phantom in a special finish with some unique embroidery. Almost everyone who could afford a Rolls would create their own masterpiece.

One Italian coachbuilder back in the day, known as Vignale (the very same that Ford bought and took the name for its European luxury models), took an American’s request for a more modern take on the classic Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith model very seriously back in 1954, transforming it into something resembling an American station wagon for a truly unique and one-of-a-kind package. Now, it’s up for auction from RM Sotheby’s next week, and you can own a neat piece of history.

British And Italian Brought Together By Someone From Jersey

The auction listing notes that this commissioned vehicle was the idea of American inventor Joseph J. Mascuch of New Jersey, who tasked Alfredo Vignale in Italy with the job of creating a one-off limousine that’s closer to a wagon.

The exterior mods include two additional headlamps for a total of four now worked into all-new sheetmetal, a unique Spirit of Ecstasy in the kneeling position (apparently so the driver could see better), and you can’t miss the raked-back rear roofline that leads to a new retractable rear window and undoubtedly better headroom.

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Inside the bespoke Silver Wraith is a telephone package for the rear passenger, a gold-plated champagne cooler under the seating, a television in the rear row, and contrasted black leather front seating and gray rear seating. Both rows feature lovely wood inlays and fold-down armrests in the seats. It’s a fairly tasteful interior, well-matched with a bright silver exterior paint job and white-wall tires.

Under the hood is a unique painted 4.9-liter straight-six engine block in green finish, with chrome-plated engine piping as well. It should be good for around 178 horsepower when in working order, linked to an automatic transmission.

It’s Not Cheap, And The Asking Price Is Just The Start Of The Expense

Unfortunately, the listing does report that the RR will require mechanical recommissioning before you should drive it again. Right now, it is tabulated to go for between €120,000 and €150,000, or $135,000 to $180,000 as part of the Milan auction in Italy on May 22. Not bad for a non-starter.

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As far as online research shows, it’s the only Rolls-Royce ever touched by Vignale, who rather had a taste for more Italian models, naturally.

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Source: RM Sotheby’s