10 Things You Never Knew about Rolls Royce Silver Cloud
In its time, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud was the core model of Rolls-Royce’s product range. However, its timing meant that it played a pivotal role in changing the perception of the Rolls-Royce brand, which is something that continues to have profound consequences in the present day. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud:
1. Replaced the Silver Dawn
Of course,the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud wasn’t the first core model in Rolls-Royce’s product range. For example, its predecessor was the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn, which was manufactured from 1949 to 1955. It is interesting to note that the Silver Dawn was the first Rolls-Royce model to come with a factory-built body.
2. Replaced By the Silver Shadow
Later on, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud was replaced in turn by the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, which started up in 1965 but continued to be manufactured until 1980. Even now, it is still the Rolls-Royce model with the biggest combined production volume.
3. Could Have a Custom Body
The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud was built body-on-frame. As a result, it was possible for it to have a custom body. There were those who made use of this particular option, but for the most part, most of the customers went with the standard body that was manufactured by a British car body manufacturer that was bought out in 1965.
4. Sold for £5,000
Manufactured between 1955 and 1966, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud went for around £5000. This might not seem like strange, but it is important to remember that there has been a fair amount of inflation since the 1950s and 1960s. To get a better idea of the value of £5000, please note that it was the same amount of money needed to buy a 12-bedroom house in England. In other words, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud was very, very expensive even though its initial sales figure might not seem so in the present day.
5. Sold to Celebrities
It is interesting to note that a number of celebrities bought their own Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. For example, Elvis bought one in 1960, which was in addition to other Rolls-Royce cars that he had bought. Likewise, both Frank Sinatra and John Lennon are known to have bought Rolls-Royce Silver Clouds as well. Unsurprisingly, these purchasing choices had an interesting impact on the choices of other consumers in the luxury car market.
6. Changed the Brand of Rolls-Royce
Before the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, Rolls-Royce was seen as a manufacturer of luxury cars for English aristocrats. The purchasing choices of a number of celebrities produced a change in the perception of the Rolls-Royce brand, with the result that it picked up new potential customers. This was a huge boon because gaining access to new segments of luxury car consumers opened up a lot of new possibilities for the luxury car manufacturer. Something that continues to have an important impact in the present day.
7. There Were Three Models
In total, there were three models of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. Very conveniently, these three models were called the Silver Cloud I, the Silver Cloud II, and the Silver Cloud III. Naturally, each successive model was a refined version of its predecessor, having incorporated improvements based upon the lessons learned from those models.
8. Silver Cloud II Saw Few External Changes
For the most part, the Silver Cloud II saw few external changes. However, its internals were a separate matter, as shown by how it had a new engine. With that said, while the Silver Cloud II offered better performance than its predecessor, it suffered in that its ride wasn’t as smooth.
9. Silver Cloud III Saw Wider Range of Changes
Meanwhile, the Silver Cloud III saw a wider range of changes. For example, its external dimensions saw some adjustments, while its interior actually saw a remodeling. On top of this, there were even engine improvements that were made.
10. Rolls-Royce Refused to Reveal Engine Output
With that said, it is amusing to note that Rolls-Royce refused to reveal the overall power output for their engines. This remained the case even when it made changes to the engine of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, which presumably provoked an interesting reaction on the parts of interested individuals in those days.
