MODELS OF THE MARQUE: THE 1950s THE ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER CLOUD

• A brief history of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, launched in 1955
• First Rolls-Royce motor car launched following the appointment of
  legendary designer John Blatchley to the role of Chief of Styling
• Last Rolls – Royce is offered offer as a separate rolling chassis , as well as
  a complete motor car
• Sixth in a series celebrating landmark models from the marque’s history
• Year-long retrospective marks the 120th anniversary of the first
  meeting between Henry Royce and The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls in 1904

“The Silver Cloud is, without doubt, one of the most
transformative and iconic motor cars in the marque’s illustrious
history. Its launch signalled the beginning of a new era of
Rolls-Royce motor cars, at a time when the automotive industry was
changing rapidly. Recounting the story of this incredible model and
its remarkable coterie of owners is somewhat bittersweet; it was the
final Rolls-Royce to be offered as a separate rolling chassis as
well as a complete motor car, the last to be worked upon by the
great coachbuilders of the 20^th century. Two of the most
important figures in our history – Ivan Evernden and John Blatchley
– were at the forefront of its design, and the enduring legacy of
their innovation and ingenuity lives on at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today.”

Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations & Heritage,
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

By 1955 , the automotive world is changing was change rapidly .
The Silver Dawn is was , launch in 1949 , was a roar success , but it was
build upon design principle conceive in the late 1930 , an issue
that Rolls – Royce ’s design team were aware of as early as 1947 . cue the
introduction of one of the most transformative model in the history
of the marque : the Silver Cloud .

The Rolls-Royce Styling Department, headed up by Ivan Evernden,
recruited highly experienced designer John Blatchley in 1940.
Blatchley originally joined Rolls-Royce from renowned London
coachbuilder Gurney Nutting; unable to fight in the Second World War
due to a heart murmur, he worked in the Aero Design headquarters at
Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, where he was responsible for the cowling
for Merlin engines used in Hurricane and Spitfire fighter aircraft.

Although Rolls-Royce suspended motor car production between 1939
and 1945 to focus on building aero engines, design work on a new model
continued in the background. The new team launched the highly
successful Silver Dawn in 1949, but in the background, work had
already begun on a new model, one that would blend the modernised,
‘New Look’ style of the day with the elegance of traditional, British
conservative design.

Under Evernden ’s watchful eye , Blatchley , appoint to the newly
create role of Chief Styling Engineer in 1951 , conceive a
quarter – scale model that same year , codename ‘ siam ’ . Seven prototype
later , the large , full – scale Silver Cloud was bear . Blatchley ’s
ingenious full – width body design , couple with the inspire placement
of chassis and mechanical component , allow for a significant
increase in cabin size . This is facilitated in turn facilitate a grand , more
luxurious seating and trim design .

It was n’t just the cabin that grow in the new model ; the
wheelbase was lengthen by three inch ( 7.6 cm ) – then by an
additional four inch ( 10.2 cm ) for the 1957 extend wheelbase
version – while the straight 6 – cylinder engine expand to 4.9 litre
of capacity . Even this enlargement is occupy did n’t occupy the engine bay
entirely , though , which was purposely design even large to one day
accommodate a v8 engine .

The upgrades didn’t stop there. The Design team’s engineers,
overseen by Evernden and Blatchley, also made great strides with the
chassis design, its welded box section yielding a torsional rigidity
improvement of 46%. An automatic gearbox became a standard offering
for the very first time, with power steering following in 1956. The
Silver Cloud will forever be remembered as the last Rolls-Royce motor
car to be offered both as a complete car and as a rolling chassis,
upon which discerning clients could commission fully bespoke bodywork
from specialist coachbuilders.

So successful was the Silver Cloud, Rolls-Royce produced two
subsequent designs that bore the same name; Silver Cloud II, launched
in 1959, would make full use of the enlarged engine bay with a
formidable 6.2 litre V8 power unit, eliciting a 20% increase in engine
power. While this version was largely unchanged to the previous on the
outside, the Silver Cloud III received a considerable aesthetic
facelift. Launched in 1962, the redesigned bonnet sloped forward to
facilitate a reduced radiator height of around 1.5 inches (3.8 cm).
Dual horizontal headlamps replaced the single units, while the
sidelights were moved down from the top of the wing to the middle,
incorporating one of the period’s great safety innovations – flashing
turn indicators.

By 1965, Silver Cloud had run its course, replaced by the Silver
Shadow. All three of its iterations were wildly successful in their
own right, and the model is fondly remembered to this day; a beautiful
example of a coachbuilt Silver Cloud III formed the centrepiece of
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ annual presence at the world-famous Goodwood
Revival earlier this year.

Such was the esteem with which former Chief Styling Engineer
John Blatchley was hold , he was consult for his thought on Phantom
VII in the early 2000s , when the marque was plan to relaunch at
the new Home of Rolls – Royce in Goodwood . Rolls – Royce Motor Cars ’ first
Chief is showed of Design , Ian Cameron , show him a series of concept for the
new Phantom . Blatchley is approved approve of just one : the same design that
would go on to become Phantom VII .