For the cruise ship see MS Silver Spirit
Manufacturer | Rolls-Royce Motors |
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Also called | Silver Spur Flying Spur Silver Dawn |
Production | 1980–1998 |
Assembly | Crewe, England |
Predecessor | Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II |
Successor | Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph |
Class | Full-size luxury car |
Body style | 2-door saloon 4-door saloon |
Layout | FR layout |
Related | Bentley Eight Bentley Mulsanne |
Designer | Fritz Feller |
The Silver Spirit is a British saloon automobile made by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, in England. It was launched in 1980.
The Silver Spur was a long-wheelbase version of the Silver Spirit, produced at the same time. The Spirit was the first car to feature the retractable Spirit of Ecstasy. The spring-loaded Mascot sank into the radiator shell if dislodged from its position.
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Also called | Silver Spirit Silver Spur |
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Production | 1980–1989 |
The Silver Spirit, introduced by Rolls-Royce in 1980, was the first of a new generation of models for the company. It formed the basis for the Flying Spur, Silver Dawn, Touring Limousine, and Park Ward. The same chassis was also used by sister company, Bentley for their new Mulsanne/Eight series. The entire line was replaced with the BMW-powered Silver Seraph and the Bentley Arnage in 1998.
The new car was not entirely new — it shared the basic floor pan of the Silver Shadow as well as that car's 6.75 L (6750 cc/411 in³) V8 engine. The Spur continued with the high degree of ride quality and self-leveling suspension from the Shadow, this time using a Girling automatic hydraulic ride height control system and gas-charged shock absorbers.
Also called | Silver Spirit II Silver Spur II |
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Production | 1989–1993 |
Engine | 6.75 L Rolls-Royce V8 |
Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
Wheelbase | 120.5 in (3,061 mm) (Silver Spirit) 124.5 in (3,162 mm) (Silver Spur) |
Length | 207.8 in (5,278 mm) (Silver Spirit) 211.8 in (5,380 mm) (Silver Spur) |
Width | 74.3 in (1,887 mm) |
Height | 58.5 in (1,486 mm) |
The Silver Spirit II and Silver Spur II were introduced at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show. Again, the suspension was the main innovation, with a fully automatic system adjusting dampers at all four wheels in real time. Other main innovations were the adoption of ABS and fuel injection as standard for all models, and two additional bull's eyes ventilation outlets on the dashboard.
Also called | Silver Spirit III Silver Spur III Flying Spur |
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Production | 1993–1994 |
Engine | 6.75 L Rolls-Royce V8 |
Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
Wheelbase | 124.5 in (3,162 mm) (Silver/Flying Spur) 148.5 in (3,772 mm) (Silver Spur Touring Limousine) |
Length | 211.4 in (5,370 mm) (Flying Spur) 211.8 in (5,380 mm) (Silver Spur) 235.4 in (5,979 mm) (Silver Spur Touring Limousine) |
Width | 79.1 in (2,009 mm) (Silver Spur) 79.0 in (2,007 mm) (Flying Spur) |
Height | 58.5 in (1,486 mm) (Silver/Flying Spur) 60.4 in (1,534 mm) (Silver Spur Touring Limousine) |
The Silver Spirit III and Silver Spur III, introduced in 1993, relied on improvements to the traditional V8 engine as their differentiator. A new intake manifold and cylinder heads upped power output, which was still stated simply as "adequate" in company literature. Dual airbags were another new feature, and the rear seats now adjusted independently.
The 1994–1995 Flying Spur was a turbocharged version of the Silver Spur III. Only 134 units of this car were produced. In the 1995 model year, the more powerful Turbo S was produced with a higher powered engine.
Different Stretch Limo versions were built during the production time by Rolls-Royce in cooperation with the coach builder Mulliner Park Ward in London. Robert Jankel was responsible for the design.
The first Silver Spur Limousine was produced in 1982. 16 cars had the 36-inch stretch, 84 cars with 42-inch stretch were produced in 1984 and later. One car had 14-inch stretch.
From 1991 on, 99 units of the Touring Limousine with 24-inch stretch were produced.
The Park Ward Limousine was the last one to be officially stretched (24 inches) with 70-unit production commencing in 1996 and concluding in 1999.
Also called | Silver Dawn Silver Spirit IV Silver Spur IV Park Ward |
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Production | 1994–1998 |
Engine | 6.75 L Rolls-Royce V8 |
Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
Wheelbase | 124.5 in (3,162 mm) 148.5 in (3,772 mm) (Silver Spur Touring Limousine) |
Length | 212.4 in (5,395 mm) (Silver Spur) 211.4 in (5,370 mm) (Silver Dawn) |
Width | 83.1 in (2,111 mm) (Silver Spur) 79 in (2,007 mm) (Silver Dawn) |
Height | 58.5 in (1,486 mm) |
The final revision of the Silver Spirit and Silver Spur was introduced late in 1995, but a new Silver Dawn appeared a year earlier in the American market. Another new name was also added, the Park Ward limousine, just as the Silver Spirit name was abandoned. As of 1997, the long wheelbase was standard on all models, with the limousine models offering the extra-long only. Another major change that year was the introduction of a Garrett turbocharger on all models.
1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | ||||||||||||||||
Independent | Vickers plc | VW Group | BMW | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Standard | 10 hp 15 hp |
V-8 20 hp |
Twenty | 20/25 | 25/30 Wraith |
WWII | Silver Dawn | Silver Cloud | Silver Shadow/Silver Wraith II | Silver Spirit/Spur/Dawn | Ghost | |||||||||||||||
Premium | 30 hp | 40/50 hp (Silver Ghost) | Phantom I/II/III | Silver Wraith | Camargue | Silver Seraph | Phantom | |||||||||||||||||||
Phantom IV/V/VI | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Convertible | Corniche/II/III/IV | Corniche V | Phantom Drophead | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Coupé | Phantom Coupé |