1968 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Saloon

With the introduction of the Silver Shadow, Rolls-Royce brought its body/chassis engineering up-to-date by switching to unitary construction, while retaining all the traditions and hallmarks of a traditional hand-crafted product. The suspension system was an all-independent setup and the Shadows featured power-operated four-wheel disc brakes. The existing 6.2-liter V8 continued in the Shadows until it was enlarged to 6750cc in 1970. A GM400 automatic transmission and air conditioning were offered as standard equipment.

This Silver Shadow was built before the need to conform to the USA's safety laws. It was first registered on June 1st of 1968 in France and has had just four owners from new. The first owner was Antenor Patino, who owned luxurious properties in Paris, France and Lisbon, Portugal. He was the son of Simon Patiño, the Bolivian industrialist who was ranked among the world's wealthiest men at the time of his death in 1947.

Following Patino's death in New York in 1982, the Silver Shadow was purchased by Marcel Diennet who took the car to Beverly Hills, California. In 1999 the Shadow was acquired by the third owner, Pierre Corbin, a resident of Paris and Normandy, France. Mr. Corbin owned the car until 2005 when it was acquired by the current (fifth) owner, a resident of the South of France. The car is finished in Masons' Black with original beige leather interior, and features special wood trim.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at Bonhams Auction in Monaco. It had an estimated value of $16,000 - $22,000. Bidding failed to satisfy the vehicle's reserve and it would leave the auction unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2013