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1969 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow

The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow was Crewe's first 'modern' car, introduced at the Paris Salon in 1965, and employing unitary construction for the first time. (replacing the separate body and chassis construction). Its elegant shape was styled by John Blatchley and his talented team, and it broke new ground for the Crewe Company in several key areas, including the sophisticated fully independent suspension with an advanced self-leveling system, and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes (replacing drums). The high-pressure hydraulic system was licensed from Citroen, initially featuring self-leveling at both ends, but this was deleted from the front in 1969.

The Silver Shadow was completely new, with the only major components carried over from the Silver Cloud III were the all-aluminum 6.2-liter (6230cc) V8 and four-speed automatic transmission with fluid flywheel, the latter was replaced by GM's 400 three-speed unit in October 1968 while the engine was enlarged to 6.75-liters (6750cc) the following year. The company never divulged power output (although the 6230cc V8 was estimated to produce an estimated 172 horsepower), merely listed them as 'adequate.' Coupled with the superior aerodynamics, the Silver Shadow was was more than capable of cruising the motorway at speeds of up to 200 km/h.

The interiors cleverly combined traditional materials and Old World craftsmanship with modern fittings like electric windows. No fewer than eight individual Connolly hides were used to trim the interior of each car and the standard of finish on the upholstery, rich Wilton carpets, and burr walnut veneers were impeccable. Over twenty electric motors powered everything from the radio antenna to adjusting the individual front seats. In all markets except America where it was deemed necessary, air conditioning remained an option. A clever heating and ventilation system allowed occupants to remain comfortable at all times.

Build quality remained exceptional, with each car taking no less than twelve weeks to build from start to finish. Safety was also important, and seat belts were now standard equipment.

With the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, the company returned a profit on a new model for the first time in five decades, and thanks to a strong economy and demand, no less than 16,717 examples were built (including a small number of Bentley T-Series variants) before the revised Series II was introduced in 1977.

A two-door Saloon variant with coachwork by Mulliner Park Ward was made available from 1966, just 606 examples of which were produced before the model morphed into the Corniche in 1971. It is believed that 571 examples of the Mulliner built Coupe and 505 of the Convertible Coupe were built, along with 35 examples of a coupe built by James Young.

by Dan Vaughan

Rolls-Royce's most significant model since the Silver Ghost was the Silver Shadow which took 11 years to come to fruition and included many technical refinements. Under the code name Tibet, this model was the first Rolls-Royce to use monocoque or unitary construction.

The Silver Shadow was a huge technical leap forward from its predecessors. The car had every luxury option possible at the time. Gear change, windows, seat adjustment, fuel filler cap, aerial, air conditioning, and heating were all electrically operated. A hydraulic system with pumps operated from the camshaft was also a considerable advance, as were power-operated disc brakes and self-leveling independent suspension.

The Silver Shadow was launched in October 1965, priced at 6,556 pounds. This made it 900 pounds more expensive than the Cloud III, but in technical terms, the Silver Shadow was superior - easily the most superior model ever offered by Rolls-Royce up to that point.

Early cars were powered by the 6.23 liter V8, but in 1970 it was increased to 6.75 liters to compensate for increasingly tight and power-sapping emissions legislation.

The Silver Shadow II was introduced in 1977 and was an improved version of the previous model with changes in external appearance, particularly wrap-around black bumpers with an air dam underneath; handling was also improved. The long-wheelbase Silver Wraith II had four inches more rear legroom.

The Silver Shadow and Silver Shadow II were destined to become the best selling Rolls-Royce cars ever produced and they remain to this day a Great British icon.

by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd.

by Rolls-Royce

Responsible for achieving the largest production volume of any Rolls-Royce, the Silver Shadow was introduced in October of 1965 at the Paris Auto Show. The most successful model ever produced by Rolls-Royce, the Silver Shadow had a remarkable production rate of 16,717 units sold during its 12-year run. For such an expensive model, this was quite an achievement. This vehicle was to be the future of Rolls Royce Motors, a product of more than ten years of development, filling a gap between the Silver Cloud buyer and the new generation of Rolls owners. A luxurious vehicle produced in Great Britain, the Silver Shadow was the first Rolls-Royce to use a monocoque chassis.

The Silver Shadow had a more modern appearance in comparison to its predecessor, the Silver Cloud. The styling was a product of Crewe's in-house styling department, led by Jon P. Blatchley. Unitary construction, the absence of a separate frame resulted in more room for passengers, and easier access for luggage towing. It also featured much more practical updates that included disc brakes rather than drum brakes, and independent rear suspension with automatic level control instead of the previous live axle design of previous vehicles. The standard Silver Shadow had a wheelbase that measured at 5.17 meters in length.

During its first year of production, the Silver Shadow came at a base price of $19,700 and weighed 4,700 pounds. Two-door saloons were available from 1966 on, and a convertible was offered the following year.

From 1965 until 1969, the Silver Shadow had a 172 hp 6.2 L V8 and updated to a 189 hp 6.75 L V8 from 1970 to 1980. These powerplants were merged to a General Motors-sourced Turbo Hydramatic 400 transmission. Pre-1970 right-hand-drive models used the same 4-speed automatic gearbox as the Silver Cloud.

The Silver Shadow also featured an impressive high-pressure hydraulic system that was licensed from Citroën and showcased dual-circuit braking and hydraulic self-leveling suspension. In the beginning, both the front and rear of the vehicle were controlled by the leveling system. This was updated to only rear leveling as most of the work was done from this area.

The Silver Shadow II was introduced in 1977. A bridge between the Silver Spirit that eventually followed in 1981. This newest version included technological advancement modifications to the front suspension that improved handling remarkably, along with rack and pinion steering. The bumpers were also updated from chrome to alloy and rubber.

To counteract power-robbing and ever-growing stringent smog regulation, the 6750cc V8 engine was updated. The aluminum-silicon cylinder block with cast iron wet liners and aluminum alloy heads continued to remain on the engine.

In 1969 an optional longer wheelbase variant added an extra 4 inches to provide additional rear-seat legroom. Several of these models were fitted with a privacy glass divider. These models today are still sought after by collectors today. These models were eventually renamed the Silver Wraith II in 1977. Updated with an Everflex covered roof, different wheel covers and a rear opera-style window the Silver Wraith II was quite a popular vehicle.

by Jessican Donaldson