Beschreibung:

'In a world of shattered monetary values and yet much-improved cars, the Rolls-Royce still stands alone. Perhaps the most striking general thought in considering this supreme machine today is that it has a name more universally honoured as a symbol of quality than that of any manufactured product.' – The Autocar, 9th December 1949. Introduced towards the end of 1946, the Silver Wraith - Rolls-Royce's first post-war model - employed a chassis similar to that of the Silver Dawn and MkVI Bentley, though with a wheelbase 7" longer at 10' 7". The 'Wraith however, was only intended for traditional coachbuilt bodies rather than the MkVI's pioneering 'standard steel' bodywork. The first prototype chassis was delivered to coachbuilders Hooper & Co in February 1946 but production problems would delay the first delivery to a private customer for another twelve months. Powering Rolls-Royce's post-war range was a new 4,257cc six-cylinder engine of cast-iron, monobloc construction with aluminium cylinder head featuring overhead inlet and side exhaust valves. Only the bore and stroke dimensions were shared with the pre-war overhead-valve Wraith engine, the major advantage of this new 'F-head' layout being its large valves and generous water jacketing around the valve seats. A four-speed manual gearbox with synchromesh was standard initially, an automatic option (for export models only at first) not becoming available until 1952, at which time the engine was enlarged to 4,566cc and a long-wheelbase (11' 1") version introduced. Manufacture of the short-wheelbase 'Wraith ceased in 1952, with a total production of 1,144; the long-wheelbase version continued until the introduction of the Phantom V in 1959, by which time 639 chassis had been completed. The last word in motoring luxury in its day, this right-hand drive Silver Wraith comes with copy chassis card stating that it was originally sent for bodying as an enclosed limousine to Park Ward Ltd of Willesden, Northwest London, which had been wholly owned by Rolls-Royce since 1939. It is not known exactly when the shooting brake conversion was carried out. Noteworthy features include horizontally divided rear doors, sliding rear windows for better ventilation, folding rear bench seating and an electrically operated internal division testifying to the car's origins as a limousine. The accompanying copy chassis card lists Col Sir R A Needham of Park Lane, London W1 as first owner followed by Short Bros & Harland Ltd, then a Miss Yule of Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire and lastly a Mr Willis of Ealing, London W5, who acquired the car in October 1960. There is then a gap in the ownership history until 1977, when the accompanying old-style logbook was issued to a Mr Peter Fischer of London. Its next owner, the current vendor, acquired the car 34 years ago. Documentation on file includes an expert valuation report written in June 1990, which states that the car had recently been restored by Garage de l'Athénée in Geneva, Switzerland and was in generally excellent condition. A concours winner at the 1999 Hermès 'Grand Prix de Diane', the car is described by the vendor as well maintained and in good mechanical condition but by no means in concours condition cosmetically. Shooting brake conversions on Rolls-Royce chassis are very rare and this unusual yet highly practical example is certain to attract favourable attention wherever it goes. The car is offered with some service invoices and French Carte Grise.