Automotive Gallery

Introduced in late 1962, the Cloud III was the last of the imposing Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud line. Visually distinguished by a restyled front-end complete with quad headlamps, reprofiled wings and a lower bonnet line, the newcomer also boasted a more spacious interior that sat the front occupants on separate chairs and gave those in the rear a more upright bench. Retaining the same massive cruciform-braced box-section chassis, coil-and-wishbone independent front suspension, hypoid-bevel rear axle, power steering, four-speed automatic transmission and large-diameter drum brakes as its predecessors, the model enjoyed superior performance thanks to a carburettor modification and increased compression ratio. Still displacing 6230cc, its admirably refined OHV V8 engine could reputedly whisk the elegant four-door saloon from 0-60mph in 10.8 seconds and on to 116mph. Not that the sumptuous cabin trimmed with the finest hides, wood veneers and carpets encouraged such behaviour.

Finished in blue with blue leather upholstery, this particular example is described by the vendor as being in "very good" condition with regard to its engine, electrical equipment, bodywork and paintwork (while, he rates the automatic transmission as "good" and the interior trim as "excellent"). To right-hand drive specification but carrying a speedometer and odometer that read in kilometres, the Rolls-Royce is thought to have spent its early life in Switzerland. Believed but not warranted to have covered just 58,300kms (approximately 36,400 miles) from new, the saloon retains various service records and MOT certificates dating back to 1970 which show that it belonged to a Mr Madigan of Bishops Stortford at the time and had done an indicated 24,000kms. Featured in the March 2003 issue of Thoroughbred & Classic Cars magazine, the Cloud III entered the current ownership some four-and-a-half years later. Kept in the South of France for the last eighteen months, the Rolls-Royce rides on reversed cross-ply whitewall tyres and is understood to have recently benefited from a new exhaust system. A further memento of its Swiss residency, the saloon sports fibreglass front wings.
Image and description kindly supplied by H&H Classic Auctions