Rolls-Royce

Silver Cloud II Drop Head Coupe

When Rolls-Royce was considering replacing the reliable Silver Dawn—which was still similar to its prewar models— they were just as keen not to alienate their generally conservative buyers as they were not to upset the independent coachbuilders, who relied on a car with a separate and sturdy chassis. Thus, the Silver Cloud, introduced in April 1955, adopted the classic design in which the body and chassis are separate.

Type of offer

Sales

Brand

Rolls-Royce

Model

Silver Cloud II Drop Head Coupe

Price in CHF

275'000

Mileage

52500

Cylinder

Displacement

6230

Power

200

Transmission type

Automatic transmission

However, the new car was, of course, intended to be significantly better, so closed box sections were used for the frame instead of the previous U-sections. The suspension and braking system were, of course, brought up to current standards, but the powertrain initially remained the proven 4.9-liter inline-six engine. At the end of 1959, this was replaced by the newly developed V8 with a displacement of 6.23 liters and approximately 200 PS—thus transforming the Silver Cloud into the Silver Cloud II. For this model as well, in addition to the factory body, various custom bodies could be ordered—including the so-called “Drop Head Coupe Conversion,” which, like the standard body, was built by H.J. Mulliner.

The Silver Cloud II offered here was ordered by the Garage de l’Athenée in Geneva on January 31, 1961, for a British resident of Lausanne, specifically with this body style. Originally ordered as a right-hand-drive vehicle, the decision was made to convert the Rolls-Royce to left-hand drive—the standard in Switzerland—before delivery. The paint scheme chosen was “steel blue” over “midnight blue,” combined with blue leather upholstery. Then the trail goes cold, and the elegant convertible was eventually sold to Germany. There, the car had a total of seven owners, the last of whom oversaw a faithful restoration in 2008/2009.

In 2013, the Silver Cloud was purchased by a Swiss enthusiast and returned to the country where it was originally delivered. On June 17, 2013, the car received its first registration as a classic car and has since been driven only about 7,000 kilometers. As the available documentation shows, maintenance has by no means been neglected, meaning the convertible is currently in very good overall condition. As one of only 52 Silver Cloud IIs with a Drop Head body built by H.J. Mulliner, this vehicle represents a rare opportunity to make a fitting addition to a Rolls-Royce collection. The most recent vehicle inspection as a classic car took place in September 2024.