Lot Ended
Description
Four owners, the current since 2016; excellent main dealer service
history; new tyres; ice cold air con; recent underbody clean and underseal;
exceptionally clean and tidy example of this exclusive V12 luxury saloon
Unveiled at the
Geneva Show in 1998 after nine years in development, the Silver Seraph was the
first entirely new Rolls-Royce since the 1980 Silver Spirit, bringing the
venerable marque gracefully into the 21st Century.
The sharp, boxy lines
of its predecessor were ditched in favour of more rounded, voluptuous curves
that echoed the classic Silver Cloud of the Sixties. The iconic Pantheon grille
and Spirit of Ecstasy remained proudly up front, but the sleek bodywork boasted
a 65% increase in torsional stiffness, significantly improving ride quality and
composure compared to the older Spirit.
Developed
during a period when Vickers owned Rolls-Royce, the car was engineered with
significant assistance from BMW. It was powered by the sublime 5.4-litre BMW M73
V12 engine, making it the first V12-powered Rolls-Royce since the Phantom III of
the late-1930s. Paired with a five-speed automatic transmission, it delivered
322bhp for the effortless, whisper-quiet acceleration the brand was famous
for.
The cabin was a masterclass in traditional
craftsmanship, every surface swathed in Connolly hide and complemented by
mirror-matched burr walnut veneers that took weeks to prepare. Largely built by
hand at the historic Crewe factory, the Silver Seraph had a base price of
£155,000 making it the second most expensive Rolls-Royce after the Corniche.
Only 1,570 were made before production came to an end in
2002.
Supplied new by Park’s of Hamilton in March
2000, this Seraph has had just four Scottish owners from new, the second keeping
it for six years (2001 – 2010) and the third for nine years (2010 – 2016). The
current lady owner acquired the car from Morris Leslie Auctions of Perth for
£28,300 when it had covered 101,520 miles, the odometer now showing 105,029
miles.
It comes with an excellent main dealer
service history including 11 stamps in the book, the last at 100,747 miles in
May 2016, plus many supporting invoices (see photos). Very lightly used in the
current 10-year ownership and always kept garaged, invoices show that it
received a £5,500 spend in August 2024 which included a specialist overhaul of
the throttle control module, ignition control module, alarm module and a new
battery.
In May 2026 the underside was
professionally cleaned and undersealed to address some advisories at the MOT
carried out a few months before. The air con was regassed in July 2026 and the
CHF power steering fluid was replaced at the same time. Although there is no
invoice, we are told that all four tyres were also replaced earlier this year,
along with a new electric aerial for the radio.
Supplied with all its original handbooks, it also has lamb’s wool
over-mats, original Motorola car phone, remote controls for the Alpine sound
system, the key to remove the wheel centre caps, twin umbrellas in the boot, 17
old MOTs and two master keys.
As you can see in
the photos, this Silver Seraph is in excellent shape for its year/mileage with
barely a blemish to be seen. We are told that it drives as well as it looks with
an MOT until October 2026. It has been starting instantly and running
beautifully as we have moved it around on site, with no warning lights and ice
cold air con – essential in this weather!
On
offer here at a very tempting guide price, this rare and majestic Rolls has a
feel-good factor that makes the world seem like a better place the moment you
slide behind the wheel. Go on, treat yourself – you only live
once…
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970
309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com