The Peninsula Hong Kong has taken delivery of the largest ever single order of new Rolls-Royce Phantoms with the purchase of 14 extended wheelbase cars, all finished in signature Peninsula Green. The fleet was unveiled today, 14th December 2006, when keys to all 14 cars were presented to The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie, Chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited by Mr Ian Robertson, Chairman and Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Apart from a brief interlude, The Peninsula has used Rolls-Royce motor cars exclusively for its guests since 1970 and the new fleet -  the hotel’s eighth record-breaking order - forms part of a long-term partnership between the two companies. Each of the new cars has been hand-made at the Rolls-Royce factory in Goodwood and built under the company’s “bespoke” programme to meet the exacting needs of the hotel. In all, it took more than 350 hours to build each Phantom, with 25 Rolls-Royce designers and engineers attentively involved in the project.

Due to the size and complexity of the cars, The Peninsula’s Fleet Vehicle Manager and two of the hotel’s senior chauffeurs travelled to the UK for training at the Sir Henry Royce Training School, Rolls-Royce’s dedicated technical institute.

The Peninsula and Rolls-Royce have been associated in excellence for almost 40 years in a partnership that began with the hotel’s first order for seven Silver Shadows in 1970.  Over the years, the hotel has set records with each successive order: in 1976 when it purchased eight Silver Shadows; 1980 with an order for nine Silver Shadow IIs; 1987 when it took delivery of eight Silver Spirits; 1994 when the hotel welcomed nine Silver Spur IIIs and one vintage 1934 Phantom II (which remains today); 1995 with another nine Silver Spurs; another four in 1998, and yet another in 2004.

The grandest member of the fleet - a restored 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II - is just six years younger than The Peninsula itself, having made its debut on the stand of Messrs Barker & Co (Coachbuilders by Appointment to HM The King and HRH The Prince of Wales) at the London Motor Show in October 1934.
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