1951 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith

Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith (Saloon), 1946-1958

The Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith was in production from 1946 until 1958. It is a front engine, rear wheel drive chassis sold with the intention of being coachbuilt to an owner's individual needs, from two seat tourer to State limousine.

The Silver Wraith was Rolls-Royce's first post war model, and it was designed in order to reflect the post war austerity by being smaller than its pre war predecessors. We're unsure as to how well this was received by owners of Austin Sevens, but the smaller still and less expensive Bentley MKVI which shared similar underpinnings acted as an indication that Rolls-Royce had developed some semblance of a social conscience. The Wraith also begat the Silver Dawn; using the Bentley MKVI chassis and shell to create the company's first complete car rather than chassis.

Several coachbuilders developed the Wraith, from Mulliner and Park Ward to Hooper. The 4.25 litre six cylinder engine was enlarged to 4.6 litres in 1951 and 4.9 litres in 1954 - while the smaller derivatives were replaced in 1955 by the Silver Cloud, the Silver Wraith lived on until 1958. By then 1883 had been built - 1244 standard wheelbase cars, and a further 639 on a six-inch extended wheelbase from 1951. Automatic transmission was made optional from 1952 using a four-speed unit, while power assisted steering was made available from 1956. The Silver Wraith was replaced by a long wheelbase variant of the Silver Cloud II, which was available either as a chassis or as an in-house six-light saloon.

It almost feels offensive to give an idea of the Wraith's driving dynamics; it's a car to be driven in rather than to drive, and for many the act of getting behind the wheel may spoil the illusion. Until those last few cars with power assisted steering, the Wraith is a heavy car to drive - because it's a heavy car full stop. But there's adequate performance from the six cylinder in any guise and for a car of its era the ride comfort is first rate.

Let's be honest, if you have the money to buy a Silver Wraith then the chances of you having the money to maintain and restore it are equally high. So there should be little to cause concern on any cars presented for sale... and even if there is, you shouldn't find repair breaks the bank. Mechanically they're simple and understressed, while the chassis are made from thick, high quality steel. The quality of steel used by the coachbuilders could vary but any issues will have been dealt with rapidly. The biggest checks you can do are the small ones - magnets checking for filler, suspicious recent resprays and the like. And never buy a Wraith without a wedge of supporting paperwork.

Wraiths, essentially, were handbuilt to personal specifications. It's thus unfair to state that any Wraith is more desirable than any other, as it's a wholly subjective car. However, tourers by companies such as Franay and James Young are typically more valuable than limousines by Mulliner, James Young, Park Ward and Hooper. The Hooper Empress body appeals to some but not to others. The safest choice for resale would be something like a Mulliner Touring Limousine. Most would want a 4.9 litre car today, but it's better to buy on condition than specification and a number of earlier cars have been upgraded to 4.6 or 4.9 specification anyway.

If you want a Wraith little else will compare. You could consider a long wheelbase Silver Cloud, or possibly even a Silver Dawn if the Wraith package appeals but is too large. The similar Bentley MKVI and R-type may also be worth considering. The larger Phantom models were technically only available to heads of state, so may not be as practical a proposition.