A one-of-a-kind Rolls-Royce has surfaced for sale in Germany, boasting a powerplant unlike anything found in an ordinary road car. Built on a 1930 Rolls-Royce chassis, this custom creation is powered by a 27-liter Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 engine — the same type that propelled Spitfires and Hurricanes through the skies of World War II. With roughly 1,000 horsepower, it’s one of the most outrageous examples of engineering excess ever to wear the Spirit of Ecstasy.
According to its history, the car was constructed more than 50 years ago, making it among the earliest known examples of a Merlin-powered road vehicle. Despite its age, it remains both operational and road-registered in the United Kingdom. The bodywork is entirely bespoke, styled to accommodate the immense engine and its cooling demands, while still retaining elements of 1930s Rolls-Royce elegance.
Performance figures border on the absurd. Reports claim the car can reach 120 km/h in first gear and 220 km/h in second, with a theoretical top speed near 350 km/h. Few, if any, have attempted to verify that final figure, and for good reason — controlling an aircraft engine on four wheels is as intimidating as it sounds.
The Merlin engine itself represents a cornerstone of British engineering. First developed in the early 1930s, it powered legendary aircraft including the Spitfire, Lancaster, Mosquito, and even the American-built P-51 Mustang. More than 160,000 were produced, and after the war, surplus units found new life in tanks, boats, and, occasionally, wild custom cars like this.
With its near-open exhaust, 12-cylinder roar, and towering displacement, this Merlin-powered Rolls-Royce stands as an extraordinary blend of aviation and automotive history. It’s less a car than a living artifact — a rolling tribute to the raw ingenuity and audacity of mid-century engineering.
