The Edwardians

1. Mr Rolls and Mr Royce

In the early 20th century, the motor car was not only new but was looked upon somewhat askance by almost everyone as something that was unreliable and had little future. Frederick Royce from Birmingham had a different view. His company manufactured electric dynamos but his passion became the gasoline powered motor car. Throughout 1903–1904, he designed, built and tested his first 2-cylinder car. Its quality in terms of reliability and smooth running was unknown at the time. Meanwhile, Charles Rolls resides in London and shares Royce's passion for the automobile. The son of a Baron, Rolls is an adventurer who liked to test the limits of cars and later airplanes. An avid racer and balloonist, he'd had little difficulty selling Royce's vehicles once the two finally met in 1904 and together formed Rolls-Royce Ltd in 1906. Their emphasis on quality automobiles remains their hallmark today.