THE MARKETPLACE THE CARS THE BEGINNING
Stickingtrue to tradition, Rolls-Royce had enjoyed considerable success with three generations of the Silver Cloud – and Bentley S-series derivatives – throughout a decade-long production run. Launched in 1955, its separate-chassis layout enabled Britain’s dwindling number of specialist coachbuilders to offer their own bespoke versions. There was, of course, a touch of modernity about the Silver Cloud saloon’s aesthetics when it first went on sale, but car design was evolving rapidly by the start of the ’60s and Rolls-Royce’s chief stylist, John Blatchley, faced a dilemma when it came to creating a successor.
Even at the upper end of the newcar market, there was a noticeable shift in demand. There would always be wealthy buyers who wanted – and could afford – the ultimate in traditionalism and prestige, which explains why Rolls-Royce continued to enjoy steady demand for its 1959-on Phantom V limousine. But as the ’60s dawned, John Blatchley knew that a successor for the Silver Cloud family needed to cater for an emerging new breed of buyer – the owner-driver who didn’t employ a chauffeur. The newcomer needed to offer the kind of luxury that a Rolls-Royce always should, albeit in a slightly more compact and more manoeuvrable package.
Blatchley also knew that the way the car was built needed to change, as the world was moving away from the separate-chassis layouts of old.
The use of monocoque construction might have caused consternation among Britain’s traditional coachbuilders, but it was a must for any new Rolls-Royce that needed to bring extra sales and increased profits to the car-building side of the business. Adopting a modern monocoque layout would enable the new Rolls-Royce to be both lighter and smaller than the Silver Cloud, which in turn would have an effect on both performance and fuel economy. Furthermore, it would enable Rolls-Royce to build in larger numbers than before, with production of the newcomer’s bodyshell being outsourced to Cowley-based outfit Pressed Steel.
What became the Silver Shadow of 1965 wasn’t just modern in
