1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II Long-Wheelbase Saloon
Coachwork by Park Ward Ltd
Registration no. 764 YAE (see text)
Chassis no. LCA30
Engine no. LLA29A

Introduced early in 1955, the all-new Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and Bentley S-Type were conceived as replacements for the ageing Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn and Bentley R-Type. The duo sported sleeker bodywork on a new box-section separate chassis - Rolls-Royce eschewing unitary construction for the time being - incorporating improved brakes and suspension, the latter featuring electrically controlled damping. Enlargement to 4,887cc and the adoption of a six-port cylinder head boosted the - traditionally undisclosed - power output of the dependable inlet-over-exhaust six-cylinder engine. Automatic transmission was now standard and power-assisted steering an option. Catering for the stately limousine market in the 1950s, Rolls-Royce offered the royalty and heads of state-only Phantom IV and the generally available, if somewhat dated, Silver Wraith. Following the introduction of the Silver Cloud and Bentley S-Type, a long-wheelbase version of this more modern design was made available, with bodies closely based on the factory's standard offering. Four inches longer in the wheelbase than the standard saloon and usually fitted out with an internal division, these bodyshells were extended by Rolls-Royce's in-house coachbuilder Park Ward (soon to become H J Mulliner, Park Ward) at its London works and finished off at the factory in Crewe. These long-wheelbase models continued after the introduction of the new 6,230cc aluminium-alloy V8 engine on the 'Cloud II/S2 in the autumn of 1959, offering a less expensive alternative to the newly introduced Phantom V. Only 299 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and 57 Bentley S2 long-wheelbase saloons were made before the introduction of the Silver Cloud III. According to the factory chassis card, this Silver Cloud II long-wheelbase saloon was delivered new to a Miss Helen Higginbotham in Buckinghamshire. Previously belonging to Benneton in Italy, the car was restored in 1988 and received an excellent re-spray some 20 years ago. Originally the colour scheme was black, the vendor choosing a lighter wine metallic for the re-spray. The Rolls-Royce has been on permanent display at the Strøjer Collection in Denmark since then and has not been used on the road. It runs very well but obviously needs a service and re-commissioning. The car is offered with German registration papers and some period brochures.