Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
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Styled by John P. Blatchley, the Silver Cloud replaced the Silver Dawn in 1955 and is regarded as one of the most beautiful Rolls-Royce saloons. It used a separate chassis (allowing coachbuilt convertibles and coupes alongside the standard Pressed Steel body) and was assembled at Crewe.
The Cloud I (1955–1958) carried a 4.9-litre inline-six; the Cloud II (1959–1962) introduced Rolls-Royce's new 6.2-litre V8; and the Cloud III (1963–1966) refined the V8 and adopted quad headlamps. As part of GM-style range rationalisation it was sold near-identically as the Bentley S1/S2/S3, differing essentially only in grille and badging. About 7,372 were built across the three series.
Generations
Silver Cloud I · Cloud I
The original; 4.9-litre inline-six, Blatchley styling, sold alongside the Bentley S1.
1956 Photo: “1956 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud I Saloon (46008773805).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1957 Photo: “Bonhams - The Paris Sale 2012 - Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Drophead Coupé - 1957 - 001.jpg” by Charles Robinson Sykes / Wikimedia Commons — Public domain
Silver Cloud II · Cloud II
Introduced Rolls-Royce's new 6.2-litre V8; mechanically a big step over the six-cylinder Cloud I.
1960 Photo: “Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II (1960) (52873908517).jpg” by Charles from Port Chester, New York / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1961 Photo: “Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II Drophead Coupé (1961) (55082846596).jpg” by Charles from Port Chester, New York / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0
1962 Photo: “1962 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II Saloon (26431954041).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Silver Cloud III · Cloud III
Refined V8 with quad headlamps and a lower bonnet line; the last separate-chassis Rolls-Royce saloon before the Silver Shadow.
1963 Photo: “1963 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III Saloon (22517078638).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1964 Photo: “1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III Saloon (32711395230).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1965 Photo: “1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III.jpg” by Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Body styles
- Saloon
- Coupe
- Convertible
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