1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I

Wearing a design by J.P. Blatchley, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and its sibling, the Bentley S model, was introduced in 1955 and replaced the Silver Dawn and the R-Type. In the front were the traditional grill and headlights followed by a more modern and integrated look throughout. The cars were built on a separate chassis so custom-bodied cars could be built for those who were seeking additional personalization and customization. The body was formed from steel, with lightweight aluminum panels for the hood, doors, and trunk lid. It had an independent front suspension and an inline six-cylinder engine. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 13.5 seconds and top speed was just above 100 mph. The engine was carried over from the pre-war Silver Wraith and this would be the final model before the V8 engine was installed in the proceeding Silver Cloud II. While the engine was carried over from the pre-war era, it was considered smoother than the V8 that followed in the Silver Cloud II. Early Silver Cloud I engine compression ratio was 6.6:1, but later Silver Cloud I models, and all models built for the North American market were built with an 8:1 ratio. The General Motors Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, now standard with the Silver Cloud, was extremely reliable, well built, and was married to a servo-boost system to enhance braking.

Drophead coupes remained extremely popular on the Silver Cloud chassis, usually crafted by H.J. Mulliner of Chiswick, West London, who fitted several convertible designs. Cost and efficiency reasons led to the replacement of this attractive design, late in the production of the Silver Cloud I, with the so-called 'Drophead Coupe Adaptation,' modified from factory saloon body panels. This would be the standard method of construction for most Mulliner Drophead Coupes through to the end of the Silver Cloud series in 1965.

Another prominent coachbuilder was James Young Ltd. of Bromley, Kent, who was established in 1863, survived for 104 years, and was renowned for its distinctive, instantly recognizable detailing, which included graceful body moldings and unique door handles. After it was acquired by prominent London dealer Jack Barclay in 1937, the firm worked almost exclusively on Bentley and Rolls-Royce chassis. It would survive and produce fine designs until 1967.

As the trend moved away from true custom coachwork to reworked factory bodies, one could still acquire a handmade body, from the wooden frame up, by skilled artisans in the traditional manner.

Production of the Silver Cloud continued until it was replaced in 1959 with the Silver Cloud II. A total of 2,417 examples were produced. 121 were the long-wheelbase version that had been introduced in September of 1957.

The Silver Cloud was a very successful car for Rolls-Royce, with greater production and a longer lifespan than any model that preceded it. It remains a quintessential Rolls-Royce, with a degree of style that only this marque can offer, and enough power to be used on modern roads.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2019