Description
Chapter 1: The model After 15 years of faithful service, the Silver Shadow had to be replaced. A delicate mission to succeed the one that will have "democratised" the indestructible Rolls-Royce brand, as the first Rolls-Royce to be driven by oneself, and not by a chauffeur, as in the past. It was also a true icon of the sixties, the great and the good of this world having had a (one or more) Silver Shadow. Its replacement, type "SZ", is christened Silver Spirit (or Spur for the long-wheelbase variant), and was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show 1980 edition. With lines drawn with a ruler, very much in the spirit of its era, it makes a radical break with the curves of its forebear. In terms of its dimensions, very imposing for the European market (an S-Class of the time measures only 495 cm, almost 30 cm less!), and its high build quality (anything that shines is made of metal, often delicately polished stainless steel), the newcomer retains a presence worthy of the marque, and which competition, if any, is unable to match. With a stratospheric price near one million francs, i. e. almost three Mercedes 500 SELs, it operates in spheres accessible to very few, reserving the greatest exclusivity for its very wealthy owner. The gossip of the time would say that it adds nothing better than the Silver Shadow II. It is true that, from a technical point of view, and unlike the Silver Shadow in its day, it evolves only very little. No doubt this is mainly due to poor management by the marketing men, because in reality the Silver Shadow II served as a test-bed for all the technical evolutions proposed by the Spirit. In no particular order, let us mention rack-and-pinion steering, a more economical carburettion system (!), and above all a completely new hydraulic system fed with mineral fluid. It has the advantage of being less aggressive on components, and also allows the establishment of a true hydro-pneumatic rear suspension, whereas the Silver Shadow used only traditional damping, completed by a level-correction device. In the end, although the novelty effect is somewhat diluted, the production of these technical novelties on the Silver Shadow II allowed them to be validated, and thus to produce a new model which from the outset will not suffer from design flaws. The new bodywork, however, brings a real change in the on-board sensation. The glass surfaces are increased compared with the Shadow, and the greater width of the cabin generously benefits tall individuals. Lacking the means to develop a new model, Rolls-Royce did everything to make the "SZ" last 18 years. Across four generations (80/ 89, 89/ 93, 94/ 95 and 96/ 98), 9, 657 Silver Spirit were produced, and 9, 163 Silver Spur. Chapter 2: The history of this Silver Spirit We were contacted in the summer of 2024 to purchase this example as part of an estate. The deal was quickly sealed, the contender having serious arguments: first-generation Silver Spirit, remarkably preserved, and endowed with a rare colour combination. After some research, we determined that it was delivered new in France, and had only 4 owners in 41 years. Following a refurbishment, it was immediately sold to one of our regular clients. After 1½ years and 3, 000 miles, we have just taken it back, our client having fallen for a new marvel. Chapter 3: X-rays Remarkably preserved, this Silver Spirit presents an original condition to which only a well cared-for example can claim. It is free of rust, and we have found no trace of an accident. When we first bought it in 2024, it had hardly been driven since 2012. We therefore carried out major works, the detail of which will be communicated to the next purchaser, in order to put the car back on the road without fearing reliability. Since then, more than 3, 000 miles have been travelled in complete serenity. We have just carried out a full dismantling of the upholstery to perform a light pigmentation. The hides being in perfect condition, the result is sublime. Carpets and woodwork are in perfect condition, the high‑wool overmats are present. All equipment is functional, the window lifts have been revised and improved in order to address the well-known sluggishness of the old Rolls-Royces. On the road, one finds the plush comfort typical of the early generations of Silver Spirit. The seats and suspension will continue to firm up as the evolutions progress. Nestled in the deep armchairs, one takes immense pleasure guiding the small Bakelite steering wheel with the fingertips, rocked by the muffled but always discreet rumble of the six...
