Description

1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur

A very smart LWB car showing just 27,000 miles from new; nicely presented and wafted 120 miles to the sale; just three owners listed; super colour combination

There were no real surprises in Autumn 1980 when Rolls-Royce unveiled their new Silver Spirit and its long wheelbase counterpart, the Silver Spur, alongside Bentley's sporting Mulsanne range.

The well-proven 6,750cc V8 engine previously used in the Silver Shadow was retained but the new car featured more modern, angular styling and was longer, wider and lower with 30 per cent more glass area. Road-holding was reported to be "the best yet from Rolls-Royce" thanks to significant improvements to the self-levelling rear suspension and the new car had a top speed of 120mph.

Interior appointments were as luxurious as ever, using only the finest hides and veneers, the most noticeable change being the adoption of separate rear seats and the re-instatement of folding picnic tables. "A gloriously individual possession that signifies impeccable excellence and taste, an extravagant celebration of detail over function, a monument in the driveway and an occasion to drive," was how Autocar summed it up.

This splendid LWB Spur has had just three owners since it was delivered through Henlys in Salisbury in February 1989. The invoice price was £81,171 – the price of a decent cottage!

It was ordered with Ebony exterior paintwork and several special features, as supported by a copy of the full factory build sheet on file. These were whitewall tyres, non-standard hide (in this case Magnolia), a full width rear seat, the deletion of the Everflex roof covering but including Rolls-Royce badges on the rear quarter panels and picnic tables.

Originally delivered to a London-based Sheikh entrepreneur, it passed to a new owner through S Margulies Cars Sales in 2002 at 21,900 miles and onto the current registered keeper in 2008 (a friend of the former owner) at 24,601 miles - who has confirmed the current reading of just 27,000 miles is correct. There are 13 old MOTs, plus its current ticket which expires in August 2022 with no advisories.

There is a handbook on file, although the service book as gone AWOL so we can’t confirm its service regime, although its condition says that it has been very well cared-for over the years.

It comes with a set of what appear unused over-rugs in the boot and is only for reluctant sale due to family illness. It has been driven to the sale all the way from the South Coast, some 120 effortless miles and has been a paragon of good behaviour while with us on site at Leominster.

This example is as good as it looks in the pictures - lovely low-mileage Spurs are very few and far between so give this one the attention it deserves.

Contact matthew.parkin@brightwells.com