Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II
1959-1962 · Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II — Luxury Saloon, V8, designed by John Blatchley.
The Story
The Silver Cloud II (1959) kept John Blatchley’s beautiful body but transformed the car beneath it. Out went the old straight-six; in came Rolls-Royce’s new 6.2-litre aluminium V8 – quieter at speed, far quicker, and the basis of the engine that would power Rolls-Royces for the next six decades. To the eye it is almost indistinguishable from the Cloud I; under the bonnet it is a generational leap.
It remained the choice of the era’s elite and, like its siblings, became a fixture of film and television – most famously as millionaire detective Amos Burke’s silver car in the TV series Burke’s Law.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Luxury Saloon class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
John Blatchley
John Polwhele Blatchley was Rolls-Royce/Bentley’s chief stylist from the late 1940s to 1969 — responsible for the standard-steel saloons, the celebrated R-Type Continental fastback (aerodynamics by Ivan Evernden) and, as his last design, the Silver Shadow/T-Series.
Studio Motors POV
The Silver Cloud II is the sweet spot of the Cloud range – the timeless Blatchley shape with the effortless V8; a standard-steel car is an attainable icon, a drophead a blue-chip.
The Engine
Rolls-Royce / Bentley L-Series 6¾ V8
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Silver Cloud II
Worth Knowing About the Silver Cloud II
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) It introduced the 6.2L Rolls-Royce/Bentley V8 – the L410 – which, enlarged to 6.75, would serve all the way to 2020. 2) Visually it is near-identical to the six-cylinder Cloud I; the whole change is under the skin. 3) A silver Cloud II starred as detective Amos Burke's car in Burke's Law.
5 Fast Facts
- 1) New 6.2L V8 (~200 bhp). 2) 2,417 built, 1959-1962. 3) ~114 mph – markedly quicker than the six. 4) Same Blatchley standard-steel body as the Cloud I. 5) Coachbuilt LWB and Mulliner / Park Ward dropheads offered.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley were among the era’s Silver Cloud owners; the model was a fixture of Hollywood and high society.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The coachbuilt dropheads and two-doors are the prizes; standard-steel saloons are attainable. The V8 is robust, but watch the cooling system and early hydraulics. Rust is the enemy.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II
- Class
- Luxury Saloon
- Production years
- 1959-1962
- Units built
- 2,417
- Variants
- Long-wheelbase; Mulliner Park Ward dropheads & coupes
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V8
- Engine family
- Rolls-Royce / Bentley L-Series 6¾ V8
- Displacement
- 6.2L (6,230 cc)
- Power
- 200 hp
- Torque
- lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- s
- Top speed
- 114 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 95 hp/tonne · 23.2 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 4-speed automatic (GM Hydramatic)
- Drivetrain
- Rear-wheel drive · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 4650 lb
Questions
Silver Cloud II FAQ
What engine did the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II introduce?
The Silver Cloud II introduced Rolls-Royce’s new 6.2-litre aluminium V8 producing approximately 200 bhp, replacing the straight-six of the Cloud I. It was quieter, significantly more powerful, and set new refinement benchmarks.
How long did the V8 engine introduced by the Silver Cloud II continue?
The 6.2-litre V8 introduced in 1959 was enlarged to 6.75 litres in 1970 and, in turbocharged form, powered the Bentley Mulsanne until 2020 — a production lifespan of over six decades across the Rolls-Royce and Bentley marques.
How many Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud IIs were built?
Rolls-Royce built 2,417 Silver Cloud II standard saloons between 1959 and 1962, plus 258 long-wheelbase cars and 107 coachbuilt examples. Coachbuilt long-wheelbase and Mulliner Park Ward drophead variants are the rarest and most valuable.
How much is a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II worth today?
Standard Silver Cloud II saloons trade in a broad range — Classic.com average is around $58,000 and TheClassicValuer saloon average is roughly £24,000. Coachbuilt Mulliner Park Ward dropheads and coupes command significantly higher prices.
How does the Silver Cloud II differ from the Silver Cloud I?
The Silver Cloud II replaced the Cloud I’s straight-six with Rolls-Royce’s new 6.2-litre V8, gaining around 25 percent more power and a 10 mph increase in top speed. The bodywork was unchanged, making the two visually near-identical.
The Rolls-Royce Lineup
Explore every Rolls-Royce
Silver Wraith ’46Silver Dawn ’49
Phantom IV ’50Silver Cloud I ’55Phantom V ’59Silver Cloud II ’59
Silver Cloud III ’62Silver Shadow I ’65Phantom VI ’68
Corniche (1971) ’71Camargue ’75Silver Shadow II ’77
Silver Spirit / Silver Spur ’80
Corniche (2000) ’00Phantom VII ’03Ghost (1st Gen) ’09
Wraith ’13Dawn ’15Phantom VIII ’17Sweptail ’17Cullinan ’18
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