1999 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph

This Silver Seraph is a car we know. It has passed through our portals before, at which point it was bought by the vendor.

The car’s condition is actually better than it was then but the two headline changes are a replacement used engine and a new sunroof cassette.

The latter was replaced because some corrosion had started to show itself and the vendor wisely considered that the best course of action was a new unit.

The former comes with a cautionary tale attached that might be of interest to other Silver Seraph owners.

Around three years ago the vendor drove his car through a patch of water he describes as being not much grander in either scale or pretensions than a puddle.

The engine immediately stopped working. 

Permanently.

This, we’re told, is because the BMW V12 engines as fitted to the Seraph have the air intakes at the bottom of the unit and can be prone to ingesting large quantities of water. 

The vendor didn’t know about the engine’s aquatic Achilles’ heel and neither, to be honest, did we.

But the marque specialists at Starman’s of Nottingham did know about it.

When the vendor took the car to their premises for a replacement used engine to be fitted, they told him that they had carried out the same work on several occasions for other Seraph owners over the years.

When they were fitting the replacement unit, they ensured that the air intakes were at the top, not the bottom, and so safeguarded against a repeat occurrence. 

This handsome car presents very well from every angle and sits with a properly square and appropriately noble stance.

We’ve seen no dinks, dents, creases or folds of any significance, and the shut-lines and panel gaps are everything you would hope and expect of one of the last of Crewe’s hand-built offerings. 

The classily understated Iridium paint finish has almost certainly had some corrective work in the past but still has plenty of gleam and lustre to offer onlookers and is showing a number and distribution of minor scratches and stone chips that are entirely commensurate with the car’s age and mileage.

The wheels look to be in fine order. The matching Avon tyres have plenty of tread on them but may well be getting a little long in the tooth, as suggested by some cracking in the side walls.

The chrome-work is pretty good all-round and there’s no foxing, pitting or tarnishing in evidence that we can see.

There’s a tiny dink and stone chip just by the n/s/f indicator unit and a very small patch of nascent rust just above the chrome trim at the base of the front passenger door.

Some paint has cracked and split on the bodywork just below the boot lid, with the result that some surface rust has crept into the small gaps vacated by the paint.

Some of the rubber trim around the rear number plate/lights surround is a little loose and we noticed that the front bumper is just a tad low where it meets the n/s/f wheel-arch.

As ever, there are a few stone chips and light scratches on the front valance, the front of the bonnet and elsewhere around the ‘nose’ of the car.

The car’s lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings all look to be in very good order.

The condition of the interior is far more a reflection of the car’s sensibly low mileage than its age. 

Everything looks authentic, original and well preserved.

Entirely unsurprisingly, the interior is a masterclass in the arcane skills and crafts of the Connolly saddler, the walnut French polisher and the Wilton weaver.

It is classy, welcoming and quietly sumptuous. It has the look and feel of old money, not new, and it’s all the better for it, in our opinion.

The cream leather upholstery is in fine fettle, front and back, as are the door cards and the headlining.

Aside from a few light creases to the outer bolsters on the driver’s seat, you’d be hard pressed to find much evidence of wear anywhere.

The green carpeting is untroubled by the vicissitudes of time or use, and the thick, lambswool over-rugs are of sufficient thickness to convince your ankles that your feet have been stolen.

The car was optioned from new with three TV screens (one at the back of each headrest, another in the passenger sun visor), and a splendidly indulgent set of crystal cocktail shakers and glasses which nestle in their bespoke pockets below the walnut picnic tables in the seat backs.

You didn’t get any of that in a Daewoo Sprunter.

The owner assures us that all of the car’s gloriously analogue buttons, switches, organ stops, knobs, dials and gauges work as they should, although the of-its-era TV infotainment system is now outdated to the point of obsolescence. 

The rich and glossy walnut veneers have mostly succeeded in resisting the tendency to fade, lift or split, aside from a couple of cracks to the veneer either side of the AC and heater controls on the centre console.

The capacious boot is following the same script as the rest of it in terms of quality and condition. 

The very full engine bay is clean, dry and orderly.

The vendor tells us that the used replacement BMW 5,379cc V12 engine - a magnificent power unit - came with fewer miles under its belts than its unfortunate predecessor.

The car’s undersides look reassuringly sound and solid, and everything structural appears to have plenty of integrity. 

Nothing we’ve seen has given us any cause to tut, frown or otherwise question the car’s character or honesty.

The car comes with an extensive maintenance history, much of which is summarised in an Excel spreadsheet that comes with the car. 

This is backed up by a comprehensively stamped and annotated service history book and a pile of historic invoices amounting to man thousands of pounds. 

Highlights of the maintenance and repair history include the following.

• 2005. Repairs to cigar lighter, sunroof, aerial, boot unlock indicator.
• 2006. New front brake pads and sidelight.
• 2011. Repairs to clock and rear passenger door.
• 2011. New brake pads and discs. New rear suspension spheres.
• 2015. Handbrake repairs.
• 2016. Window tinting, new rear dampers and numberplates.
• 2019. Repairs to airbags and electrical systems.
• 2019. New spark plugs.
• 2019. New engine sensors and door locks.
• 2019. New front brake discs.
• 2019. New boot switch, horn and bumper.
• 2019. New inlet manifold.
• 2020. New power steering rack and hoses.
• 2020. New CD changer.
• 2021. New bumper sensors and paint. New indicator stalk assembly. Badge bar installed.
• 2021. New horn, hubcap and remote control.
• 2021. New air mass sensor and battery.
• 2022. New Front brake discs and pads, Rear brake discs and pads, brake pad wear sensor wires, cooling system flush, new radiator, and new alternator belt.
• 2023/4 replacement used engine, new sun-roof cassette.

As well as Rolls-Royce main dealers, renowned marque specialists such as Hillier Hill, Bowling Ryan, Specialist Cars (South West), and Starman’s are well represented in invoices, bills and receipts.

It is worth noting, that according to our Vehicle Check, in April 2013 the car sustained some accident damage, that was categorised as "D". This is stated to be "minor damage that is repairable but the insurance company decided not to...and can be repaired for road use".

It comes with a full set of guides, handbooks and manuals, and an MoT certificate that’s valid until 18.3.26.

This car is lucky.

A less diligent owner might have baulked at the prospect of forking out for another V12 engine.

Fortunately for you, and us, the vendor is made of sterner stuff.

He has thoroughly enjoyed the car and taken it to the South of France and back on at least one occasion. 

While he appreciated its undoubted abilities as a car for the owner/driver, he’s now bought the longer Park Ward iteration of the Seraph so that he and his friends can enjoy the limousine dimensions of a car designed to be chauffeur-driven.

Well, why not?

Rest assured that this Silver Seraph is in very good condition, has an attractively low mileage, and comes with the significant bonuses of an expertly installed replacement engine and a brand-new sunroof.

We like it.

We’re confident to offer this fine car for auction with an estimate of £15,000 - £18,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.