Manufacture of Rolls-Royce motor cars soon resumed in 1946 after World War II with production of the Silver Wraith, a time when the automotive industry was transitioning from wartime production back to civilian models. Rolls-Royce, known for its meticulous engineering and bespoke craftsmanship, designed the Silver Wraith to embody elegance, comfort, and performance. The Silver Wraith gained a reputation for being a state car, used by royalty and heads of state. Its reliability, combined with luxurious interiors and an imposing presence, made it a favourite among dignitaries. Notably, it was the car of choice for the British royal family and was also used by other royals and presidents worldwide.
One of the distinguishing features of the Silver Wraith was its robust separate chassis frame, which was intended to support a wide range of coachwork designs. The wheelbase was available in different lengths, a standard 127-inch option and the 133-inch-long wheelbase variant, providing flexibility in design. The Silver Wraith chassis were always fitted with handmade individually crafted coachwork. The war years had certainly taken their toll on the coach building industry in England, with many famous names ceasing to exist by the mid 1940’s. However, some of the most established companies did survive, such as H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward and Hooper who between them were responsible for designing and creating some exquisite designs, allowing for a high degree of personalization, catering to the specific tastes and requirements of their affluent clientele.
The Silver Wraith came with robust independent front suspension by a coil spring twin fulcrum arm system, a simplified development of the Phantom III and Wraith equipment. To the rear of the car was a live rear axle with orthodox semi-elliptic leaf springs. This setup provided an excellent balance between ride comfort and handling stability. Initially equipped with drum brakes on all four wheels, the braking system was enhanced over time to improve stopping power and safety.
The Silver Wraith was initially offered with the same engine dimensions as the pre-war Wraith and 4 ¼ Litre Bentley, but cylinder head design was entirely different, being cast in aluminium alloy and containing only the inlet valves; spent gases exhaust through valves in the cylinder block. The familiar delightful gear shift was retained with automatic transmission becoming an option from 1953 onwards. The automatic gearbox was effectively a refined and developed version of the General Motors design. The introduction of this innovation coincided with the widening of the cylinder bores to 3.625 inches. This allied to an unchanged stroke of 4.5 inches enlarged the engine capacity to 4566cc. The famous servo assisted braking system is partially hydraulic and the last cars have power assisted steering with a 4887cc engine.
A total of 1,886 Silver Wraiths were produced between 1946 and 1959 and were ordered by a diverse cross section of customers, including governments who purchased them for Presidential use. A number of cars were purchased by nobility and Royal families all over the world. The Silver Wraith also found favour amongst captains of industry as well as recognised stars in the entertainment world, making it a very successful return to motor car production for Rolls-Royce.
Thoughts from Frank Dale
The Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith remains a symbol of post-war luxury and craftsmanship, beginning a new and successful chapter for Rolls-Royce in the post war era. Its combination of bespoke coachbuilding, advanced engineering, and prestigious clientele solidified its status as an icon in motor car history. Today, the Silver Wraith is revered by collectors and automotive enthusiasts alike, representing a golden era of Rolls-Royce's commitment to excellence and personalized luxury. We have supplied and looked after countless Silver Wraiths over the years. One of my favourites was a 1956 model on the long wheelbase chassis, designed and built by Hooper for Nubar Gulbenkian (look him up if you aren’t familiar with him, he was quite a character) This particular car was a “Perspex Top Saloon” which we initially found in the basement of a nightclub in the south of France. After our purchase and the cars extraction and repatriation, plus its long-winded restoration, I had the job of delivering it to its new owner which we had supplied it to. The destination was the Intercontinental Hotel on Park Lane, at 6pm on a Friday night in December some years ago. The car also had a crystal Lalique mascot which illuminated from below with the flick of a switch under the dashboard. To say the car created quite a scene in west London that evening would be an understatement and it only enhanced my appreciation for this model. The long wheelbase models especially are quite something.