Amazing British Art On Wheels-1981 Rolls Royce Silver Spur Sedan Navy on 2040-cars

It doesnt matter that this 1981 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur is almost 30 years old, its still a heavy-hitter. Technology may have progressed, but the timeless elegance of a Rolls-Royce is one of the few constants in the automotive world. With hand-stitched leather, burled walnut trim, and effortless performance, there are some things that remain unique despite the passage of time. There is no mistaking the big Silver Spur, which is positively massive. Its imposing and formal-looking, and the long-wheelbase model has the look of a mini-limousine and everyone who sees it will be craning their necks to see who is inside. The  paint is incredably beautiful but not flashy, but thats the Rolls-Royce way, elegance in motion.  Fit and finish are, of course, exemplary in every way, with hand-rubbed paint, panels that are tweaked by workers at the end of the assembly line to meet very strict tolerances. Even after more than two-and-a-half decades, this one looks superb.

Its not perfect, but with this quality, it remains tangible in every aspect of the car. A padded roof adds formality which is surely a desirable property of any Rolls-Royce motorcar. The interior is really why you buy a Rolls-Royce. Beautiful tan leather  is simply unlike anything else available from other manufacturers. The seats are sumptuous and deep, but still supportive enough for all-day comfort. Wilton wool carpets are plush enough to feel through the soles of your shoes, and I believe theres one guy in Crewe who was responsible for choosing all the burled walnut panels that make Rolls-Royce dashboards. The controls have a serious heft to them, and the heavy chrome switches and knobs should be a course of study for any automotive interior designer. A mini console has the controls for the power bucket seats and windows, with everything else neatly grouped in front of the driver. The only possible demerit is a plebian AM/FM/cassette stereo that will look familiar to us Yanks, but it sounds pretty darned good in the eerie silence of the big Spur. Rolls-Royce used their own six-and-three-quarter litre V8 and gave it adequate horsepower to move the nearly three-ton Silver Spur. The result is almost electric-motor smoothness and performance that is, well, adequate. It whispers along at highway speeds and is happy to idle in traffic while occupants are blissfully unaware of the cacophony outside.  The 4-speed automatic transmission is silky smooth and the all-independent suspension offers comfort and reasonable handling.

 Prestige at an affordable price, this well-maintained Rolls-Royce is a very affordable of previously unobtainable luxury. If you want to feel like a million bucks on a budget, no other car can do it better.

HISTORY OF THE ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER SPUR:Introduced by Rolls-Royce in 1980, the Silver Spirit and Silver Spur were the beginning of a new generation of models for the company. Externally these cars were entirely new, but retained most of the chassis platform of the Silver Shadow, as well as the 6.75 L (6750 cc/411 in?) V8 engine. The major exception was the rear end, which was modified to accept new rear suspension. This new system had been launched during 1979 on the Corniche and Camargue models. The long-wheelbase version was called the Silver Spur. Four inches longer than the Spirit, it is identifiable by its extended rear windows and ever-flex roof.The Spur continued with the high degree of ride quality and self-leveling suspension from the Shadow, this time using a Girling automatic hydraulic ride height control system and gas-charged shock absorbers.
Many of the changes behind the development of the new car were due to impending safety legislation. The Spirit of Ecstasy, for example, was no longer fixed to the grille, but designed to retract into the radiator shell upon impact. Overall, only 6,238 Silver Spurs were produced from 1980 thru 1989, making this an incredible and rare piece of Rolls-Royce history.