Best of British: Rolls Royce

You could hardly have found a better fit to start a pioneering car business than Charles Rolls and Henry Royce.

Their historic meeting at the Midland Hotel in Manchester led to the creation of a firm renowned for luxury combined with engineering excellence.

Rolls was the face of the company and shaped the direction of the fledgling outfit; Royce was all about detail, he famously spent the night before his death sketching an idea for an adjustable shock absorber that went on to be used in Bentley cars.

From the very first Rolls Royce cars it was clear that they were in a different league to more run-of-the-mill brands – featuring innovative designs beautifully executed they quickly built reputations as quiet, reliable and highly desirable machines.