It was the company’s bestseller and the luxury brand’s darling. Silver Shadow II became a legend, helping the company to survive bankruptcy, and financial crisis, forever imprinting its name in the history of the iconic British brand.
Source: Classic Digest
Finishes from expensive leather and the most exquisite types of wood, technical equipment that excited the imagination of even the most excellent lover of luxury automobiles, the history, and the tradition of the British car industry. Yes, all this was about the legendary Silver Shadow, which became revolutionary for the Rolls Royce brand. However, even all these titles and indisputable advantages could be challenged without the government’s support, which saw the company not as a mere business but as a national treasure. In the early 70s, after the company went bankrupt, the government invested tremendous money to prevent the luxury brand from doom. In such a difficult period, when small manufacturers survived only by becoming part of large corporations, Rolls-Royce held out with honor, leaving us legendary models, one of which was an iconic Silver Shadow II.
Source: Totally That Stupid
More than a hundred years of history and traditions of the famous British luxury automaker made it a proper standard for technically advanced and elegant vehicles that the brand’s creators aimed for. The impeccable quality in the technological sense and the extravagance and comfort of the design of these automobiles made the sophisticated British automaker the best of the best in its class. Interestingly, this model was produced longer than any other brand vehicle. Over the entire fourteen-year production period, 25,142 automobiles from this series were produced, making it the undisputable best-seller in the company’s history. Models from the “Silver series” were top-rated and cherished by crowned persons, magnates, and rulers of all times – from Nelson Rockefeller to Queen Elizabeth and even the revolutionary Lenin. Since the 50s, Rolls-Royce had become the official supplier of the British royal family, which owned the most exquisite cars from the silver series, including the Silver Shadow. The latter was produced from 1965 to 1980. It was a groundbreaking model, that became the first vehicle with a single body and chassis design. In 1977, an upgraded version of the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II appeared. Outwardly, it was distinguished by chrome bumpers with rubber pads (according to American safety standards), the small grilles disappeared, and the front spoiler ( for the European version) became lower. It was equipped with a 6.75-liter 8-cylinder engine with an estimated 189 hp power, as traditionally, the British automaker didn’t mention the actual power value of its products. All automobiles were equipped with automatic transmissions, the supplier of which was General Motors.
Source: Historic Auctioneers
In 1979, the model already had several changes (starting in 1977), which significantly improved handling characteristics. The addition of a rack, pinion steering, and a modified front suspension made the Shadow II a very well-handled vehicle. The model’s interior also received several changes in favor of modernizing and becoming more ergonomic: the design and layout of the instrument panel were even carried over to the new Silver Spirit in 1981. A significant event in 1979 was the celebration of the company’s 75th anniversary, in honor of which 75 automobiles (33 for the American market) with original red “RR” badges, pewter silver paint, and inside, rich gray leather with red trim, bright red carpets, and a silver commemorative poster on the inside of the glove compartment door.
Source: NotoriousLuxury
Freddie Mercury bought a 1979 Silver Shadow. He didn’t drive but had a personal chauffeur. Freddie Mercury’s vehicle was silver painted and trimmed with leather and wood. The equipment included air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, and a Sharp radio tape recorder. The Queen frontman even carried the spectacular opera diva Montserrat Caballe on this vehicle. After Mercury died in 1991, his sister Kashmir inherited the automobile.
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