Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph
1998-2002 · Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph — Luxury Saloon, V12, designed by Graham Hull.
The Story
The 1998 Silver Seraph was the last Rolls-Royce of the old Crewe order – and a car caught between eras. It was the first Rolls-Royce with a BMW engine (a naturally-aspirated 5.4-litre V12) and the first designed using CAD, the work of chief stylist Graham Hull. But BMW’s acquisition of the Rolls-Royce name was already underway; within two years Goodwood and the new Phantom would arrive, making the Seraph an instant historical footnote.
Period reviews were lukewarm. Autocar criticised the BMW V12’s peaky power delivery and Munich-sourced switchgear, even quipping that a Ford Scorpio’s rear seat was comfier. Just 1,570 were built. Today the Seraph is a curiosity – rare, surprisingly affordable, and the literal bridge between the Crewe and Goodwood Rolls-Royces.
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
Graham Hull
Graham Hull was Rolls-Royce/Bentley’s chief stylist (1971–2001), responsible for the Arnage and the related RR Silver Seraph, and author of ‘Bentley & Rolls-Royce: The Crewe Years.’ FLAG: Arnage/Azure attribution from general references.
Studio Motors POV
The Seraph is the most overlooked modern Rolls – a bargain bridge-era V12 that can only grow more interesting as the literal last car of Crewe.
The Engine
BMW M73 V12
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 Seraph
Worth Knowing About the Silver Seraph
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) It was the first Rolls-Royce with a BMW engine, and the first Rolls designed using CAD. 2) Its sister car, the Bentley Arnage, used a twin-turbo V8 – same body shell, very different character. 3) The final ~170 Seraphs received special 'Last of Line' badging and trim.
5 Fast Facts
- 1) 5.4L BMW M73 naturally-aspirated V12, 322 bhp. 2) Only 1,570 built (1998-2002). 3) Long-wheelbase 'Park Ward' variant offered. 4) The last Rolls-Royce developed at Crewe before BMW's Goodwood era. 5) 0-60 ~6.9s.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
FLAG: no individually-documented celebrity owner verified to cite.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
Buy strictly on condition and history – these are cheap to acquire and expensive to fix. The Park Ward LWB and the ‘Last of Line’ cars are the most collectible. Check cooling, air suspension and the BMW-era electronics.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph
- Class
- Luxury Saloon
- Production years
- 1998-2002
- Units built
- 1,570
- Variants
- Park Ward (long-wheelbase)
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- V12
- Engine family
- BMW M73 V12
- Displacement
- 5.4L (5,379 cc)
- Power
- 322 hp
- Torque
- 361 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 6.9 s
- Top speed
- 140 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 137 hp/tonne · 16.1 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed automatic (ZF 5HP30)
- Drivetrain
- Rear-wheel drive · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 5181 lb
Questions
Silver Seraph FAQ
What engine does the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph have?
The Silver Seraph uses a 5.4-litre naturally aspirated BMW V12 engine producing 322 bhp and 361 lb-ft of torque — the first BMW-sourced powerplant fitted to a Rolls-Royce.
Was the Silver Seraph the first Rolls-Royce with a BMW engine?
Yes — the Silver Seraph was the first Rolls-Royce powered by a BMW Group V12. BMW’s acquisition of the Rolls-Royce brand name was already in motion while the Seraph was in development, but the engine choice predated and underpinned that transition rather than being its result.
How many Rolls-Royce Silver Seraphs were built?
Rolls-Royce built 1,570 Silver Seraphs between 1998 and 2002, including the long-wheelbase Park Ward variant.
How much is a Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph worth today?
Silver Seraph values currently sit in a broad range — recent public sales cluster around $20,000 to $58,000, with TheClassicValuer’s average near £24,600. Exceptional or Park Ward-bodied examples can command higher prices.
Why is the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph historically significant?
The Silver Seraph was the last Rolls-Royce saloon developed at Crewe, the first designed using CAD, and the bridge model from the Vickers ownership era to the BMW Goodwood renaissance that began in 2003.
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
Silver Seraph ’98
Corniche (2000) ’00Phantom VII ’03Ghost (1st Gen) ’09
Wraith ’13Dawn ’15Phantom VIII ’17Sweptail ’17Cullinan ’18
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