1999 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph

This LHD auto Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph was exported new to Japan and was bought for a private collection in the middle east on 9th July 2009, at which time it had covered just 16,620 kms.

Today, the odometer reads 16,892 kms. So just 272 kms (170 miles) covered in 15 years!

The car is ‘Tempest Silver’ with ‘Cotswold’ leather upholstery.

The car comes with no history or records.

The engine does not start, so we have not driven it, consequently, our assessment of the car is made purely on the grounds of its appearance.

As is often the case with cars that have spent most of their working lives in Japan, the vehicle is in very good overall condition.

The car’s bodywork is excellent and the panels, panel gaps and shut lines are all testimony to the quality and care with which these cars were constructed.

We spotted one small, shallow dent on the rear, passenger-side wheel arch.

The ‘Tempest Silver’ paintwork is in very good condition and has retained plenty of its original lustre and shine.

There are some scuffs to the front bumper on the driver’s side just below the side indicator.

The driver’s door has a scuff just below the horizontal chrome strip and a little paint has rubbed off on the leading edges of the front doors.

There are a few scuffs and scrapes on the rear bumper.

The chrome, wheels, lights, lenses and other exterior fixtures and fittings are all fine.

Aside from some very light creasing on the driver’s seat, the interior looks virtually as good as new.

The trim is separating a little around the sunroof and there’s a trace of glue leak elsewhere on the trim around the roof light console by the rear-view mirror.

Everything else, as far as we can see, looks to be in really strong condition – including the wood veneers, carpets, mats, door cards, headlining, steering wheel and controls.

The metal part of the key has separated from its plastic housing, so its works but is broken. More on this later.

We couldn’t open the glove compartment.

We could open the boot – which looks as good as the rest of it.

We can’t make any claims about the functionality of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons, dials, or other electrics as we haven’t started or driven the car.

Everything in the engine bay seems to be straight, present and correct.

The car’s undersides look clean and tidy and seem to have a good deal of structural integrity as far as we can see.

The car visited a Rolls-Royce specialist in August 2023 who noted the bonnet cable was broken and, although they did manage to gain access, they did not renew the cable assembly.

They said that the oil in the engine appeared clean and they fitted two new and genuine Rolls-Royce batteries.

They reported stale fuel in the tank and that the fuel pump had failed, this was renewed along with a new fuel filter and of course fresh fuel put in.

After all that they started the engine (once the two key pieces were held together and turned) and the engine ran for about a minute but then stopped. It now does not turn over, even by hand, and a borescope inspection showed them internal wear and (when the cooling system was pressurised) they could see water entering the cylinders.

There you have it. Before you bid, please come and inspect it, we insist. You can send a mechanic and we don't mind if he/she spends all day here creating a report for you. Click the contact seller button to make an appointment.

This car comes with no history or service records beyond whatever photocopied documents are shown in the gallery.

It is imported into UK and all tax and duty has been paid. There is a NOVA letter from HMRC to show for it (this is what you need when you apply for a new registration and get a V5).

To be clear: this car is not registered anywhere. It must be registered in the country of your choice and you will need to contact the appropriate vehicle licensing agency for instructions on how to do this. We can suggest people who offer professional services to help you register a car, and deal with the authorities on your behalf.

Its provenance is Japanese, which is nearly always a good thing. The 5.4 litre BMW-derived V12 engine is a question mark of course.

It has a very low number of kilometres on the odometer. And a Silver Seraph in good working order is worth about £50,000 these days.

This one is in generally very fine condition overall.

Provided, of course, that the engine is amenable to repair and the electrics and mechanicals to recommissioning, we think this is an excellent example of both the marque and the model.

Our estimate for this car is £15,000 - £18,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewing are encouraged, and strictly by appointment. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.