Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith
1946-1958 · Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith — Luxury Saloon, Inline-6, designed by Rolls-Royce (Crewe).
The Story
Announced in April 1946, the Silver Wraith was the first post-war Rolls-Royce – and, supplied only as a coachbuilt chassis, it became the definitive state car of its era. Clothed by Hooper, Park Ward, Franay and others as formal limousines, it carried the British royal family and served as ceremonial transport for presidents and royals around the world. Its F-head straight-six grew from 4.3 to 4.9 litres over a 12-year run.
Remarkably, it is still a working state car: the Irish and Brazilian presidencies and the Dutch Royal House have all used Silver Wraiths for ceremonial duties. For collectors, it remains an affordable and deeply dignified entry into post-war coachbuilt Rolls-Royce.
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
Rolls-Royce (Crewe)
A corporate attribution for the post-war coachbuilt Rolls-Royces with no single named stylist: the factory built the rolling chassis and drivetrains, supplied to external coachbuilders (Park Ward, James Young, H.J. Mulliner) who clothed them to commission.
Studio Motors POV
The Silver Wraith is the dignified bargain of post-war Rolls-Royce – a genuine state car you can still buy for sensible money, provided the coachwork and history stack up.
The Engine
Rolls-Royce F-head Straight-Six (4.3-4.9L)
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 Wraith
Worth Knowing About the Silver Wraith
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- 1) It is still a serving state car – used ceremonially by the Irish and Brazilian presidencies and by the Dutch Royal House. 2) Lord Louis Mountbatten took the first Hooper 7-passenger limousine while Viceroy of India. 3) A 1947 Gibraltar-delivered car carried both Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower.
5 Fast Facts
- 1) The first post-war Rolls-Royce (1946). 2) Coachbuilt chassis only – bodies by Hooper, Park Ward, Franay and others. 3) F-head straight-six, 4.3 -> 4.9L. 4) ~1,783-1,883 built (incl. 639 long-wheelbase), 1946-1958. 5) Only ~10 Hooper 7-passenger limousines were made (1947-51).
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
Lord Louis Mountbatten (first Hooper 7-passenger limousine, as Viceroy of India); the Governor of Gibraltar’s car carried Churchill and Eisenhower; Sir Henry Gurney (British High Commissioner of Malaya); Viscount Kemsley.
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The formal Hooper limousines and any documented state or royal provenance are the prizes. Buy on coachwork quality and history; mechanically robust but specialist to restore. Among the most affordable routes into post-war coachbuilt Rolls-Royce.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith
- Class
- Luxury Saloon
- Production years
- 1946-1958
- Units built
- ~1,783-1,883 (incl. 639 long-wheelbase)
- Variants
- Long-wheelbase; coachbuilt saloons & limousines
- Engine layout
- Front
- Engine
- Inline-6
- Engine family
- Rolls-Royce F-head Straight-Six (4.3-4.9L)
- Displacement
- 4.3L (4,257 cc); to 4.6L then 4.9L (4,887 cc)
- Power
- 126 hp
- Torque
- lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- s
- Top speed
- 85 mph
- Power-to-weight
- hp/tonne · lb/hp
- Transmission
- 4-speed manual; GM Hydramatic 4-speed auto (later)
- Drivetrain
- Rear-wheel drive · Petrol
- Curb weight
- lb
Questions
Silver Wraith FAQ
Was the Silver Wraith the first post-war Rolls-Royce?
Yes. Announced in April 1946, the Silver Wraith was the first Rolls-Royce produced after World War II. It was supplied as a coachbuilt chassis only, available to be clothed by leading coachbuilders.
What engine does the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith have?
The Silver Wraith used an F-head straight-six starting at 4.3 litres, progressively enlarged to 4.6 and then 4.9 litres during its 12-year production run as Rolls-Royce developed its post-war engines.
How many Rolls-Royce Silver Wraiths were made?
Rolls-Royce produced 1,883 Silver Wraiths between 1946 and 1958, including 639 long-wheelbase examples used primarily as state limousines.
How much is a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith worth today?
Silver Wraith values typically range from $40,000 to $120,000 depending on coachwork quality and condition. Long-wheelbase state limousines with notable provenance command the highest prices. Hagerty tracks valuations.
Who were notable owners of the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith?
Lord Mountbatten took the first Hooper 7-passenger limousine as Viceroy of India — well documented by RM Sotheby’s. The Silver Wraith served royal families and governments worldwide; broader claims (such as a single car carrying both Churchill and Eisenhower at Gibraltar) appear in auction copy and should be treated as anecdotal unless independently confirmed.
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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