2004 Rolls-Royce Centenary Phantom Overview

Special Edition Rolls is Even More

Compared to some items we use on a regular basis, such as glass bottles (invented about 2,000 years ago) and the clock (invented between 1268 and 1360), the motorcar

Rolls-Royce, the grandest British motorcar company, is the most recent marque to join the centenarian club. (Photo: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars)

has only been around for 120 years or so. It's the result of German mechanical engineer Karl Benz who designed and built the world's first practical automobile in 1885, followed up by a plethora of boutique automakers building all manners of alternatively powered vehicles.

Of the early automakers that sputtered cars onto cobblestone and dirt roads, few have made it to the 100 year mark - among

To celebrate its 100th birthday, Rolls-Royce will be producing a limited edition Phantom dubbed the Centenary. (Photo: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars)

them Mercedes-Benz, Buick, Ford, and Oldsmobile (the latter which will soon be defunct). Rolls-Royce, one of the grandest motorcar builders in the world, first established in humble surroundings on Cooke Street in Manchester, England, is the most recent marque to join the centenarian club.

To celebrate this rarified anniversary, Rolls-Royce will be producing a limited edition of its new Phantom sedan. Christened "Centenary," this is the second new Rolls-Royce to be revealed in this special year. The first was a V16-powered convertible concept dubbed the 100 EX, the 100 also to celebrate the luxury brand's age, but the Centenary at least is headed for production.