Until World War II, all Rolls-Royces had been supplied in chassis form and then sent to a commissioned coachbuilder, according to buyers' requests, to have bodywork fitted. Ernest Hives, MD of the firm since Royce's death, realised that this could not continue, and the Silver Dawn of 1949 was the first Rolls-Royce to be supplied with a fully factory-fitted pressed steel body. The Silver Dawn, with a 4257cc straight-six engine, proved popular both in the UK and the USA, though the custom-built Silver Wraith models continued right up until 1959, and the bespoke, top-of-the-range eight-cylinder Phantom IV, built only for royalty and heads of state, was sold between 1950 and 1956; just 18 of these were made. The Silver Cloud (1955) was a little more accessible; this featured the 4887cc engine and was capable of 106mph.
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| Silver Cloud |
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Silver Cloud II (1959) showcased an all-new engine, the 185bhp, 113mph 6230cc V8, and came with automatic transmission as standard. It also formed the basis of the Phantom V, made between 1959-68 and - thanks to a lifting on the restrictions of ownership - loved by Sixties celebrities such as John Lennon, who had his custom-painted in psychedelic patterns. Silver Cloud III (1962) had twin headlamps, larger carburettors and a higher compression ratio giving 200bhp, and was capable of 117mph, but the most significant model of the 1960s was the Silver Shadow, launched in 1965.
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| Silver Shadow II |
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The 220bhp, 115mph Silver Shadow was the first Rolls-Royce to feature monocoque (unitary) construction, rather than being built on a separate chassis. Priced from £6,556, it was around £900 more expensive than the Silver Cloud, but it was a lot more technically complex and more advanced, with electrically-operated gear changes, electric windows and seat adjustment, air conditioning and heating. The Silver Shadow and restyled Shadow II (1977) went on to become the best-selling Rolls-Royces ever, with 34,611 sold between 1965 and 1981. The range also formed the basis of the special-order Phantom VI (1968-91), and the elegant two-door Silver Shadow coupe (1966), designed by coachbuilders HJ Mulliner and Park Ward, both now wholly owned by Rolls-Royce and combined into a single operation based in Willesden. The coupe (£9,849) was followed in 1968 by a convertible, priced at £11,511; both these models were renamed Corniche in 1971.
