The story of a unique Rolls-Royce Phantom II that began its life as a chauffeur-driven limousine in Bern, Switzerland, was later converted into a hotel bus, made its way through Germany and the USA, and eventually ended up as a delivery vehicle on a chicken farm in Australia before returning to Switzerland in 2023.

The idea for this extraordinary restoration project was born during the 20th anniversary of the BCCM (British Classic Car Meeting) in St. Moritz in 2012. We participated in the event with four couples and four cars. However, two of the vehicles broke down even before the start, so the rally had to be completed with the two remaining cars, each carrying four passengers. During the gala dinner that evening, it quickly became clear that this was the most fun rally we had ever done. That’s when the idea was born to look for an English automobile with eight seats. The very next day, I began searching for a British vintage car for eight people. Shortly thereafter, I came across a newspaper article featuring the Rolls-Royce bus in the USA.

The continued search there took another six years until we found the vehicle on a chicken farm near Melbourne. It took another six years of negotiations with the owner to purchase the vehicle and bring it back to Switzerland.

The first owner
The Rolls-Royce was first registered in 1931 in Bern as a Sedan de Ville. In 1933, Barker sold the car to Hermann Wilhelm Rüegg, owner of Rüegg W. & Cie. The Rüegg company had been in the stationery business since 1884 and was already in its third generation. A favorite destination of the Rüegg family was the Hotel Schweizerhof in Interlaken, where they stayed as guests at least once a year. In 1950, the grandfather sold the car to Theodor Wirth, owner of the Hotel Schweizerhof in Interlaken.

The second owner – Hotel Schweizerhof
In 1947, Theodor Wirth took over the Hotel Schweizerhof in the fourth generation together with his wife, Frieda Wirth-Uetz. At that time, guests were being chauffeured from the train station to the hotel in a Fiat bus. However, the bus was nearing the end of its service life and was no longer suitable for such an elegant hotel. So the offer from the long-time guests, the Rüegg family from Bern, to sell their Rolls-Royce Phantom II Sedan de Ville came at just the right time.

Of course, the vehicle still had to be modified to meet the hotel’s needs. It was decided to approach the nearby coachbuilding company Gebrüder Beutler & Co. On behalf of Theodor Wirth, a “nostalgic” body in the style of 1900–1910 was built, giving the bus its present appearance.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Beutler Carosserie experienced its peak, working closely with renowned automobile manufacturers such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Alfa Romeo. The company designed and built custom-made bodies for these vehicles, making them as unique as they were sought-after collector’s items.

Four more owners in Germany, America, and Australia
In 1975, following a devastating hotel fire and due to lack of use and engine damage, the Rolls-Royce was sold to Germany. After only a few years, the car changed hands multiple times and eventually ended up with a well-known collector and specialist near Los Angeles. Gary Kean (the last owner in Australia) recalls: «Jim Toole was known as an expert on vintage Rolls-Royces. He had a large collection of pre-war vehicles, some of which are displayed in the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. He also served as a judge at many concours events. Due to health issues with one of his legs, he liked using the bus to attend events. This way, he could rest inside it during the day. Often, the bus drew more attention than any of the concours cars.»

Restoration
At long last, the extensive restoration is now nearly complete. In keeping with the original concept, the vehicle has been fully renovated over the past two years and rebuilt as faithfully as possible to its original condition. Missing parts were replaced, and the passenger area was optimized for longer journeys. Since the bus had only been used to transport guests the short distance from Interlaken train station to the Hotel Schweizerhof, the side benches, designed to seat 12 passengers, were ideal for their original purpose, but not suitable for future use. The seating was reconfigured to six individual seats, offering better lateral support during travel.

Nothing stands in the way now of using the vehicle as a “rally car” for casual rallies, excursions, and trips with friends. Guest rides are also planned. The story of this unique vehicle is far from over, it will continue for many decades to come. In just a few years, the Rolls-Royce will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Who knows where the journey will lead…