1963 Rolls-Royce

• The fifth of just twenty-five cars built in left hand drive to Design No 2007 by Mulliner/Park Ward
• Four owners from new
• Still in its original livery and retains its original leather interior
• Complete with tools and handbook
• European registered and taxes paid
• An iconic and highly collectible Rolls-Royce motor car 

Chassis No LSCX 309 is the fifth of just twenty-five cars built-in left-hand drive to Design No 2007 by Mulliner/Park Ward. It was originally completed in early 1963 and supplied via Auto Becker in Germany to its first owner Dr Carl Underberg of Rheinburg. It was delivered to Dr Underberg in his chosen livery of velvet green (X.21416) with black (VM 8500) leather, the colour scheme the car still retains today, including its original leather interior. The car has had three further owners, one being the movie star Nicolas Cage. Since 2009 it has been part of a collection in France of very exotic motor cars. It comes complete with copy chassis cards, tools, handbook and history file. This model is one of our absolute favourites from the post-war era and is ideal for summer touring.

1962 saw the introduction of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III which was to be the final iteration of the factory bodied Silver Cloud series. At first glance the all-new Silver Cloud III appeared to merely be a Silver Cloud II with different headlamps. The introduction of the twin headlamps was clearly the most obvious change, but the differences did not end there. Further exterior changes included the introduction of smaller bumper over riders and the repositioning of the front indicators and side lamps into one single unit on the front wing, resulting in an arguably more attractive appearance.

Mechanically speaking the Silver Cloud III retained the 6.2 Litre V8 engine fitted to its predecessor, but it was issued with larger 9:1 compression ratio carburettors. Although Rolls-Royce did not disclose the horsepower figures of its engines at that time, it is estimated that the V8 produced around 230bhp, providing the Silver Cloud III with ample power for its size and weight. The Silver Cloud III could reach a top speed of approximately 120mph and could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in around ten seconds, making it one of the fastest luxury saloons of its era. The car was fitted with the tried and tested excellent four speed automatic gearbox, which was smooth and well-suited to the relaxed, luxurious nature of the car.

Other improvements included improvements to the power steering system to aid smoother movement at parking speed and a Lucas vacuum-advance distributor was fitted to aid fuel consumption. The factory bodied “standard” Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III was now almost identical in mechanical specification to the Bentley S3 Continental that was being produced at the same time.

The interior of the Silver Cloud III was the epitome of luxury. It featured the finest materials, including Connolly leather upholstery, rich wood veneers, and thick Wilton carpets. The dashboard was beautifully crafted, laid out with precision and attention to detail. The interior was designed to provide the highest levels of comfort and refinement, with attention to noise insulation and ride quality. Rear-seat passengers were particularly well-catered for, with ample legroom and optional features such as fold-out picnic tables, reading lamps, and air conditioning. The car was also equipped with electric windows, a luxury feature at the time. The total package cemented Rolls-Royce's reputation as a maker of some of the world's finest automobiles.

The lines of the standard factory bodied cars are elegant and beautiful, but very stylish coachbuilt options were also available on this chassis to Rolls-Royces discerning clientele. The famous coachbuilding houses of H.J.Mulliner and Park Ward had amalgamated by the time the Silver Cloud III was introduced, but previous designs were allowed to be developed further, albeit under the new joint badge of Mulliner/Park Ward.