1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II

An increase in competition from faster rivals and the end of the company's six-cylinder lifespan spurred the replacement of the original Silver Cloud model with the Silver Cloud II. Beneath the bonnet was a 380 cubic-inch V8 engine built to a sophisticated design and employing numerous lightweight components. It was paired with a smooth-shifting automatic transmission and came with power-assisted steering, power brakes, whitewall tires, a radio, and updated climate-control systems.

Introduced in the autumn of 1959, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and Bentley S2 appeared externally unchanged from their 'Cloud and S-Type' predecessors. Both were ultimately very successful both at home and abroad, remaining in production until the autumn of 1962.

Before the onset of World War II, Rolls-Royce added an 'entry-level' model known as the Twenty to its lineup. The Twenty was intended as an 'owner-driver' vehicle while its larger Silver Ghost sibling was often built with the intent of being chauffeur driven. The Twenty was succeeded by the 20/25, the 25/30, and the Wraith during the 1930s, and following World War II, the company unveiled the Silver Wraith.

The Silver Wraith was soon joined by a top-of-the-line model called the Phantom IV, built for Heads of State, and the Silver Dawn, a full-size luxury car with factory coachwork. The Silver Wraith had a wheelbase that was seven inches longer than the Silver Dawn and was one of the final Rolls-Royce vehicles built as a 'chassis only' intended for bespoke coachwork. Most of the Silver Wraiths wore 'formal' limousine designs.

The Silver Cloud was introduced in the mid-1950s and served as an eventual replacement for both the Silver Dawn and Silver Wraith. It was designed to carry 'standard' body designs yet remained suitable for bespoke coachwork. Its chassis was a steel box-section platform that was welded together, with body-on-frame construction and an overall length of 212 inches and width of 75-inches. The turning circle was 41 feet and 8 inches. The suspension was independent at the front with coil springs while the rear used a semi-elliptical spring arrangement. The hydraulic brakes had Rolls-Royce mechanical servos with 11-inch drums, and twin brake master cylinders were added from April of 1956 forward. That same year, air conditioning and power steering were added to the list of options. Most of the bodies were built to a J.P. Blatchley design by the Pressed Steel Company. The body shell was formed from steel while the doors, bonnet, and boot lid were built from lightweight aluminum-based alloy.

The engine was a 4.9-liter six-cylinder unit with inlet over exhaust valves and offering approximately 155 horsepower at 4,000 RPM. The engine was paired with a four-speed General Motors-designed Hydramatic transmission. Twin SU carburetors were added in September of 1957, along with a long-wheelbase version which added four-additional inches to the length, resulting in improved leg space for the rear-seat passengers.

The Silver Cloud was introduced in 1955 and remained in production through 1958 with 2,238 examples built.

The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II

The Silver Cloud II was produced from 1959 through 1962 with 2,417 units built. The distinguishable feature of the Silver Cloud II, compared to its predecessor, was its 6.2-liter V8 engine, offering improvements in both horsepower and torque. Power steering was now standard and electrically operated windows were now optional. Both short- and long-wheelbase versions remained, measuring 123- and 127-inches respectively.

The new wet-lined eight-cylinder 6.2-liter (6,230cc) aluminum-alloy engine with two 1.75-inch SU carburetors and developing approximately 185 horsepower. The engine was both wider and shorter than the 'six' it replaced, and to accommodate the engine's dimensions, the steering box was relocated from inside to outside of the chassis frame being the most obvious alteration to the previous arrangements. It was paired with Rolls-Royce's own four-speed automatic transmission.

As well as the factory-bodied cars, bespoke creations from coachbuilders James Young and the now merged firm of H. J. Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd (now Rolls-Royce-owned) continued to be available on the 'Cloud II chassis. Since the factory did not offer a convertible or drophead coupe, a coach-built car remained the only option for Rolls-Royce clientele who preferred fresh air motoring. Available in both Rolls-Royce and Bentley forms, H. J. Mulliner's two-door drophead coupé (Design No. 7504) was the most popular, a total of 107 being built on the Cloud II/S2 standard-wheelbase chassis. H. J. Mulliner's convertible was priced some 30% above the standard Silver Cloud II four-door saloon, which was already one of the world's most expensive cars.

Minor improvements were made during the Silver Cloud II production lifespan, including updates to the ventilation system. Blue instrument lighting was added to the interior in 1961, along with a handbrake warning light and a combined indicator/headlamp flasher switch. In May of 1962, a redesigned rear light assembly was introduced, and in August of that year, single sealed-beam headlamps were added.

The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III

The third and final iteration of the Silver Cloud line was introduced in October of 1962 at the Paris Salon. Perhaps the most visual change was a four-headlamp (two on each side) layout replacing the previous single headlamp on each side. The engine received 2-inch SU carburetors, a compression increase to 9:1, and a nitride hardened crankshaft. Rolls-Royce announced that engine power output had increased by 'perhaps 7%.' The improvements to the engine and an overall weight reduction by a little over 100 kg (220 lbs) gave the Silver Cloud III a boost in performance over the previous model. The engine was paired with a GM-sourced Hydramatic used under license.

The Silver Cloud III wore both 'standard' and bespoke coachwork. Production lasted through 1966 with a total of 2,044 examples built. The total Silver Cloud production, from 1955 through 1966, was 7,372 units.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2022