Background
In April 1946, Rolls-Royce announced their first post-war production model and the successor of their very successful 20/25, the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith. Production would last for a total of 12 years with various improvements until 1958. Modifications included the automatic gearbox from 1954 onwards with power steering becoming available as an option in 1956. In 1957, the single SU carburettor was replaced by a double unit. The cars were built at the Crewe factory, and as was common for the make, only the rolling chassis was sent out to the different coachbuilders who put the bodyworks on the vehicles. However, rapidly disappearing specialist coachbuilders forced the make to abandon this practice after the late 1950s, and the Silver Wraith effectively became the last Rolls-Royce model to show a vast variety of coachwork styles.
The engine fitted to the cars was an overhead-inlet, side exhaust valve straight six-cylinder motor, as was almost standard practice for British automobile producers at the time. The initial displacement was 4.257cc, which was increased to 4.566cc in 1951 and finally to 4.887cc in 1955. Chassis construction was entirely revised compared to the pre-war Wraith; the independent front suspension requiring a very rigid chassis to work efficiently. The rear suspension was equipped with semi-elliptic springs and a live axle. The Silver Wraith would be the first Rolls-Royce to feature hydraulic brakes.
As pretty and elegant as the Silver Wraith was, the England of the post war era had more pressing needs than luxury motor cars. These prevailing conditions limited the production of the Silver Wraith, such that only 1.783 units were built over the 12-year production run. However, this should not diminish the car’s importance in the make’s history, and many people would most likely think of a Silver Wraith when imagining a classic Rolls-Royce, maybe also because of the various movie appearances, including two James Bond films.
