Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud

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Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud

Manufacturer	Rolls-Royce Ltd
Production	1955–1966 7,372 produced
Assembly	Crewe, England
Predecessor	Silver Dawn
Successor	Silver Shadow
Layout	FR layout
Engine(s)	4.9 L I6 6.2 L Rolls-Royce V8
Transmission(s)	4-speed automatic

The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud was the core model of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars range from April 1955 until March 1966. It replaced the Silver Dawn and was, in turn, replaced by the Silver Shadow.

As part of a range rationalisation it is very similar, apart from the radiator, to the Bentley S1.

The design was a major change from the pre-war models and the highly derivative Silver Dawn. The main design work was by J. P. Blatchley.

Contents 1 Silver Cloud I 2 Silver Cloud II 3 Silver Cloud III 4 Production 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Silver Cloud I

Silver Cloud I

Production	1955-1958
Body style(s)	4-door saloon
Engine(s)	4.9 L I6
Wheelbase	123 in (3124.2 mm) (short wheel base) [1]
Length	212 in (5384.8 mm) [1]
Width	74.75 in (1898.7 mm) [1]
Height	64 in (1625.6 mm) [1]
Related	Bentley S1

The chassis was a simple steel box section, welded together and very rigid. Construction was still split into chassis and pressed steel and aluminium coachwork (unibody construction did not arrive until the Silver Shadow). The car was 5.38 m (212 in) long, 1.90 m (75 in) wide, and massed 1.95 tonnes. The engine was a 155 hp / 4000 rpm 4.9 L six-cylinder unit with inlet over exhaust valves, twin SU carburettors, the transmission a four-speed automatic. Brakes were hydraulic and assisted by the Rolls-Royce mechanical servo with 11 in (279.4 mm) drums and suspension was independent coils at the front and semi-elliptic springs at the rear. Power steering became an option in 1956 along with air conditioning.

A long wheel base version, lengthened by 4 in (101.6 mm), was also made.

The British Motor magazine tested a standard wheel base factory bodied Series I in 1956 recording a top speed of 102.9 mph (165.6 km/h) and acceleration from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 13.5 seconds and a fuel consumption of 14.5 miles per imperial gallon (19.5 L/100 km; 12.1 mpg_-US). The test car cost £5078 including taxes. ^[1]

[edit] Silver Cloud II

Silver Cloud II

Production	1959-1962
Body style(s)	4-door saloon 2-door convertible 2-door coupé
Engine(s)	6.2 L Rolls-Royce V8
Wheelbase	123 in (3124.2 mm) (short wheel base) [1]
Length	213 in (5410.2 mm) [2]
Width	74.75 in (1898.7 mm) [2]
Height	64 in (1625.6 mm) [2]
Related	Bentley S2

The Silver Cloud II was introduced in 1959. Little changed externally but it now had a 6.2 L V8 engine, which pushed the weight to 2.11 tonnes. Performance was greatly improved and top speed was raised to 183 km/h (114 mph), but the main improvements were in acceleration and torque. Power steering became standard. Electrically operated windows were now available as an option

The Motor magazine tested a Series II in 1960. They recorded a top speed of 104.7 mph (168.5 km/h), acceleration from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 10.9 seconds and a fuel consumption of 13 miles per imperial gallon (22 L/100 km; 11 mpg_-US). The test car cost £6092 including taxes. ^[2]

[edit] Silver Cloud III

Silver Cloud III

Production	1963-1966
Body style(s)	4-door saloon 2-door convertible 2-door coupé
Engine(s)	6.2 L Rolls-Royce V8
Related	Bentley S3

The Silver Cloud III arrived in 1963. External dimensions were slightly tweaked, the interior remodelled, the weight reduced by a little over 100 kg (220 lb) and improvements to the engine boosted speed and performance slightly. The headlights were changed to a four-headlamp layout remarkably similar to that of the later Silver Shadow, a model which the company had been brainstorming since the late-1950s. Official Rolls-Royce documents indeed state the four-headlamp layout was introduced to prepare customers for the radically new, then-forthcoming Shadow.

A notable (but not particularly favoured among classic car circles) version of the Silver Cloud III is the "Chinese Eye", featured on the Mulliner Park Ward coachbuilt cars, of which only about 100 were made, including one drop-head coupé that was owned by Peter Sellers for four years, and another by Lucille Ball, among others.

1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III James Young Saloon

1964 Mulliner Park Ward

[edit] Production

• Silver Cloud: 2,238
• Silver Cloud Long Wheelbase: 85
• Silver Cloud special coachbuilder styles (convertibles, hearses, etc): 121

• Silver Cloud II: 2,417
• Silver Cloud II Long Wheelbase: 258
• Silver Cloud II coachbuilder styles (convertibles, hearses, etc): 107

• Sliver Cloud III: 2,044
• Silver Cloud III Long Wheelbase: 206
• Silver Cloud III coachbuilder styles (convertibles, hearses, etc): 328

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Production figure sources
• Video (RT 09:51) Review of 1958 Silver Cloud I.

v • d • e Rolls-Royce Motor Cars road car timeline
	1900s		1910s		1920s		1930s		1940s		1950s		1960s		1970s		1980s		1990s				2000s
	Independent																Vickers plc					VW Group		BMW
Standard	10 hp 15 hp	V-8 20 hp			Twenty		20/25	25/30 Wraith	WWII		Silver Dawn	Silver Cloud		Silver Shadow/Silver Wraith II			Silver Spirit/Spur/Dawn									Ghost
Premium	30 hp	40/50 hp (Silver Ghost)				Phantom I/II/III				Silver Wraith						Camargue						Silver Seraph		Phantom
											Phantom IV/V/VI
Convertible															Corniche/II/III/IV								Corniche V		Phantom Drophead
Coupe																									Phantom Coupé