---
title: Claude Johnson · HICONIUM
description: Claude Johnson in the HICONIUM register — 2 files carrying their credit.
canonical_url: https://hiconium.dev/people/claude-johnson
image: https://hiconium.dev/og/people/claude-johnson.png
---

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> On this page: [Public demonstration](#public-demonstration) · [Names as sales devices](#names-as-sales-devices) · [2 files carry this name](#2-files-carry-this-name)

People

# Claude Johnson

Commercial managing director of Rolls-Royce

| Label | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Born | Buckinghamshire, England, 1864 |
| Died | 1926 |
| Nationality | British |

The record

Rolls-Royce managing director credited with naming the Silver Ghost and promoting the 40/50 H.P. through reliability trials.

Johnson joined C.S. Rolls & Co. in 1903 after serving as secretary of the Automobile Club. When Rolls-Royce Limited was established in 1906, he became its Commercial Managing Director, with responsibility for sales and publicity.

In 1907 he named the twelfth 40/50 H.P., chassis 60551, the Silver Ghost and drove part of its reliability programme. Rolls-Royce regards him as the likely source of the Phantom name, while noting that no specific documentary evidence proves it.

### Public demonstration

Johnson used reliability trials and a near-15,000-mile endurance run to make the 40/50 H.P.'s performance publicly verifiable.

### Names as sales devices

He gave the silver-painted 40/50 H.P. its Silver Ghost name and recognised that product names could support the company's sales work.

The house

[![Rolls-Royce](https://hiconium.dev/images/marques/full/rollsroyce.svg)](https://hiconium.dev/manufacturers/rollsroyce)

Credited through Rolls-Royce.

In the register

## 2 files carry this name

- [Rolls-Royce Phantom I Managing director · Rolls-Royce 1925–1931 €380k 1925–1931 €380k Rating 84.0](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/rollsroyce/phantom-i)
- [Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Managing director and promoter · Rolls-Royce 1906–1926 €1.4M 1906–1926 €1.4M Rating 96.0](https://hiconium.dev/vehicles/rollsroyce/silver-ghost)

The files above are the register's own record of this name. [The people index](https://hiconium.dev/people) holds everyone the register credits.

Sources

- [press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com](https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/rolls-royce-motor-cars-pressclub/article/detail/T0445869EN/rolls-royce-makers-of-the-marque%E2%80%99%3A-claude-goodman-johnson?language=en)
- [press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com](https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/rolls-royce-motor-cars-pressclub/article/detail/T0447467EN?language=en)
- [rmsothebys.com](https://rmsothebys.com/stories/the-silver-ghost-100-years-of-excellence/)