1975 Rolls-Royce Shadow I Saloon

From the time it was introduced in 1966 until its final year in 1980, the Silver Shadow was the mainstay of the Rolls-Royce brand. Offering a stylish and more practical alternative to the Silver Cloud it replaced, with unibody construction, hydraulically actuated four-wheel disc brakes and four-wheel independent suspension, it was infinitely more modern and directly appealed to the new class of owner-driver.

One of the few features carried over from the earlier car was the overhead-valve V8 engine, which displaced 6,230cc until 1970 when it was increased to 6,750cc. The engine's power output was generally considered to be around 200bhp but, 'like a gentleman', Rolls-Royce never told - a myth that added a certain cachet to Shadow ownership, only spoilt when it became a requirement of certain European registration authorities for outputs to be declared and there it was, 189bhp. Although never considered a fast car, with the help of a General Motors 3-speed automatic transmission, the Silver Shadow was very smooth, quiet and capable of rapid and comfortable cruising.

This stunning example was supplied new to the Collier family in London in 1975 by Jack Barclay specified in Caribbean Blue with a Light Blue interior. It was chauffeur-driven from day one under the Collier family and it stayed that way until 1992, when it was acquired by the Maxwell family of Hampstead who kept the car for 17 years until 2009. The car has been garaged and maintained regardless of cost throughout its life, evident in its bright chrome and the paintwork's deep and even shine in a colourway that's uplifting even on a dull day. The extraordinary mileage of 40,600 is supported by extensive paperwork, including every MOT back to 1980. Factory air-conditioning is a wonderful touch, as is the presence of the original toolkit. A large history file is present which contains the ownership timeline, the current MOT and the original book pack which includes the instructions for the original Blaupunkt stereo. An extraordinary example.

The Silver Shadow is rightly coming of age as an eminently drivable car with stylish good looks and great road presence. Over the years, it's moved from being an 'old Rolls-Royce' to a seriously cool classic, becoming attractive to a much younger demographic. To find a Shadow with just over 40,000 miles and low ownership is rare and we encourage your inspection of this pretty Caribbean Blue example at our NEC sale.