1997 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur

This collection is offered by the family of the late J. Anthony Edwards whose passion for Rolls-Royce and Bentley motorcars spanned decades. With business success in his thirties, Tony as he was universally known, bought a Bentley S1 that started his enthusiasm that led to owning virtually every subsequent model of Rolls and Bentley since. Tony even passed his advanced driving test in a 1996 Bentley Brooklands at the age of 75! At the age of 80 his passion was still undiminished when he exchanged a Phantom Coupé for a new Wraith. The cars that Tony loved to drive remained in the collection, some retained by the family, and these four cars are a testament to his diligent maintenance, each on the button, for the next custodian to enjoy as he did.

The Silver Spur is the successor of the Silver Spur III, and inside, the exemplary standards of equipment and finish were not just maintained, but enhanced, the most noticeable change being the adoption of separate rear seats and the reinstatement of folding picnic tables. Due to marketing decisions the Spur didn't get a series IV designation because the suffix IV was found to be inappropriate in respect of some Far Eastern countries where it is a symbol of death. Produced between 1996 and 2000, with a light-pressure turbo charged 6.75ltr engine, just 221 right-hand drive examples left the Crewe factory.

Often hailed as the last of the “old school” Rolls-Royces that started with the Silver Shadow of 1965 and aimed at the owner-driver, but with rear passenger refinement unparalleled when compared with contemporary rivals. The accompanying factory build-sheet for this 1997 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur confirms the original specification of Wildberry paintwork, a colour that perfectly complements the Spur’s coachlines, magnolia leather and whitewall tyres, perhaps the last Rolls to bear them from new.

Supplied new by Ron Stratton and Co., the Rolls-Royce main dealer for the Greater Manchester area, this Silver Spur was registered to the first of just two former keepers on 4th February 1997. The car had travelled some 41,000 miles by the time Tony decided to add the car to his collection on 8th February 2005. As an enthusiast with multiple cars to choose from, the Silver Spur was used sparingly but often and maintained diligently. Presented to auction with an odometer reading of 54,025 miles together with bookpacks, receipts, and previous MOT Certificates, the most recent of which is valid until 5th October 2023 and advisory free.

Please note that the private registration number “39 RR” is not included in the sale.