1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph

This launch year Seraph is one of just 1676 hand-assembled cars made during the Seraph’s short four-year production run from 1998 to 2002. Displaying a minute 49,836km (30,966 miles) and with its power marshalled through a slick-changing five-speed ZF auto with column shift, this rarely seen modern Rolls-Royce is worthy of any collector’s attention.

Available for sale from its Belgian vendor, its white paintwork contrasts beautifully with its two-tone brown over cream interior. As an export from new, this Seraph is a left-hand drive, of course. With a base price of £155,175 in 1998 this Seraph was amusingly considered to be an entry-level Rolls-Royce, yet despite this, the model made a determined statement from a resurgent Rolls-Royce that Crewe was back making the finest cars in the world.

Generally, there’s very little to find fault with the outside of this Seraph; it presents well. There’s a slight colour mismatch however, on the driver’s side rear passenger door that’s only visible when looking along the flank; perhaps suggesting a localised repaint? It’s very slight and might just be a trick of the camera but worth further investigation.

There are a few light marks to the front end from stone impacts but these appear to be limited to the bumper and are far less frequent than we’d expect for a car approaching its quarter-century milestone. There’s a small dent in the lower chrome trim on the bumper on the passenger side and the very end of the chrome trim on the centre of the bonnet is lifting, but other than these minor points, the brightwork looks to have survived in fine shape. Especially that evocative grille and its famous adornment.

The white wall tyres aren’t in their first flush of youth, the white sections tarnished and scrubbed. The tyres themselves all look overdue replacement to be honest. The wheels however, appear straight and free of any obvious damage, though we did spot a crack in the RR badge in the centre of the driver’s side front wheel.

The cabin is where the money is made or lost on a Rolls-Royce and we’re glad to report that this one appears to lie mostly in the former camp. The hand upholstered interior uses an astonishing 11 full Connolly hides in its construction and the wood work in here – all Burr Walnut – took 150 hours to craft. Thankfully, much of that work hasn’t gone to waste as its quality look and feel remain in this car, despite a few light signs of wear.

The driver’s upper and lower bolsters have signs of age and the carpet and over mat in the driver’s foot well hasn’t survived entirely intact. The steering wheel shows a similar level of wear. The headlining however, appears as new, and the rear passenger area is in fine order throughout. The rest of the interior could do with a deep clean but certainly doesn’t look untoward – including the fully carpeted boot area, complete with its twin umbrella mounts.

We weren’t afforded a look under the car but have seen the engine bay from several angles and can report that it appears to be original and untouched. Crucially, it appears to be dry and free of any stains from leaks either current or ancestral, though it is quite dusty. Rolls-Royce embossed stickers informing the owner – or more likely his chauffeur – how to adjust the headlamp aim and where to locate the various fluid reservoirs still remain in place. There’s also the original Rolls-Royce build plaque in pride of place at the top of the bulkhead.

At the time of compiling this listing, we weren’t afforded a look at this car’s paperwork and can only confirm that there’s an original Rolls-Royce/Bentley maintenance manual and a single key and fob included with the sale. 

A low mileage Rolls-Royce is a wonderful machine to both own and drive and this one’s rarity enhances its obvious appeal still further. The numbers of its Bentley counterpart we still see out on our roads almost makes them common, but the Seraph remains an elusive sight.

Just 1676 were ever made and it’s thought that less than 200 remain taxed and in regular use in the UK today. Surely then this Seraph is something of a holy grail model; it’s an affordable and rarely spotted Rolls-Royce that’s also great to drive or be driven in and is even relatively sensible when it comes to upkeep. For these reasons alone, it’s surely worth its €49,000 to €60,000 reserve.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Temse, Belgium; 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’.