Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud

Infobox Automobile


name =Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud
manufacturer =Rolls-Royce Ltd
production =1955–1966 7,372 produced
predecessor =Silver Dawn
successor =Silver Shadow
engine =4.9 L I6
6.2 L Rolls-Royce V8
transmission = 4-speed automatic
assembly = Crewe, England
layout = FR layout

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.__TOC__

ilver Cloud I

Infobox Automobile generation
name = Silver Cloud I


length = auto in|212|abbr=on
width = auto in|74.75|abbr=on
wheelbase = auto in|123|abbr=on (short wheel base)
height = auto in|64|abbr=on
engine = 4.9 L I6
body_style = 4-door saloon
production = 1955-1958
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 long, 1.90 m wide, and massed 1.95 tonnes. The engine was a 4.9 L six-cylinder unit with twin SU carburettors, the transmission a four-speed automatic. Brakes were hydraulic and assisted by the Rolls-Royce mechanical servo with auto in|11|abbr=on 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 auto in|4|abbr=on, was also made.

The British "Motor" magazine tested a standard wheel base factory bodied Series I in 1956 recording a top speed of convert|102.9|mph|km/h|abbr=on and acceleration from 0-convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on in 13.5 seconds and a fuel consumption of convert|14.5|mpgimp|L/100 km mpgus. The test car cost £5078 including taxes. cite journal | authorlink = Unsigned |title = The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud| journal =The Motor| volume = | pages = | date = January 18 1956]

ilver Cloud II

Infobox Automobile generation
name = Silver Cloud II


length = auto in|213|abbr=on
width = auto in|74.75|abbr=on
wheelbase = auto in|123|abbr=on (short wheel base)
height = auto in|64|abbr=on
engine = 6.2 L Rolls-Royce V8
body_style = 4-door saloon
2-door convertible
2-door coupé
production = 1959-1962
related = Bentley S2The 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, 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 convert|104.7|mph|km/h|abbr=on, acceleration from 0-convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on in 10.9 seconds and a fuel consumption of convert|13|mpgimp|L/100 km mpgus. The test car cost £6092 including taxes. cite journal | authorlink = Unsigned |title = The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II| journal =The Motor| volume = | pages = | date = May 18 1960]

ilver Cloud III

Infobox Automobile generation
name = Silver Cloud III


engine = 6.2 L Rolls-Royce V8
body_style = 4-door saloon
2-door convertible
2-door coupé
production = 1963-1966
related = Bentley S3The Silver Cloud III arrived in 1963. External dimensions were slightly tweaked, the interior remodelled, the weight reduced by a little over Auto kg|100|0 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, featured on the Mulliner Park Ward coachbuilt cars, of which only about 100 were made and one drop-head coupé was owned by Peter Sellers for four years, and another by Lucille Ball, among others.

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

References

External links

* [http://www.rrec.co.uk/website/public/thecars/The%20Silver%20Cloud%20Series/Specification,%20changes,%20production%20numbers.asp#_Rolls-Royce_Silver_Cloud_2 Production figure sources]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJYe7IuAxjw Video (RT 09:51) Review of 1958 Silver Cloud I.]