Nuptials give you wings

Freestone & Webb’s ‘Honeymoon Express’ project would turn out to be one of its last. With Rolls-Royce and other key clients moving away from separate bodies and on to monocoque construction, the London-based coachbuilder was soon absorbed into H.R. Owen. But in its twilight hour, the highly regarded outfit produced this pretty drophead, with a prominent pair of tailfins dominating the design form. This was clearly influenced by their popularity in the States at the time, but the fact that F&W crafted wingtips for the Spitfire during the War might also have played a role in their inclusion.

Last-minute Dutch courage

The extra luggage space was welcome for obvious reasons, but also tucked out of view was not only a spare wheel and toolkit for the practically minded gentleman, but also his-and-hers ashtrays and an extra-large vanity mirror in the passenger-side cubby box. Unusual for the time, the fabric roof folded down hydraulically beneath the rear deck, completely out of sight. A pair of cocktail cabinets could also be found behind the newlyweds’ seats – for when you were safely parked up at your destination, of course. Ultimately, only three ‘Honeymoon Express’ bodies were created by Freestone & Webb – two Rolls-Royces and one Bentley – and with the other two locked into a private collection, this rare Roller seems to be a romantic proposal indeed. It’s currently vying for the affections of both the jury and the public at the 2016 Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza.

Photos: Vantage Motorworks