1958 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Limousine
Rolls-Royce introduced the Silver Wraith in 1946 as its first post-war model, offered exclusively as a rolling chassis for custom coachwork by the era’s leading specialists.
The long-wheelbase version, measuring 133 inches, was announced in 1951 and first delivered in January 1952. It featured independent front suspension with coil springs and wishbones, a live rear axle supported by semi-elliptic leaf springs, and a hydro-mechanical braking system combining hydraulic front brakes with mechanically actuated rears.
The engine employed an F-head configuration with overhead inlet and side exhaust valves, initially displacing 4,257cc before being enlarged to 4,566cc in 1951 and finally to 4,887cc (4.9 liters) in 1954, producing approximately 178 horsepower.
A GM-sourced four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission became standard in 1954, and power steering was offered as an option beginning in 1956.
Of the 1,783 Silver Wraiths built between 1946 and 1958, only 639 were produced on the long-wheelbase chassis, with final deliveries taking place in October 1958. The most desirable late-production examples combined the 4.9-liter engine with automatic transmission, power steering, and optional factory air conditioning (features seldom specified together).
H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward, and Hooper were among the most celebrated coachbuilders to body the Silver Wraith, with Mulliner’s formal limousines ranking among the most elegant.
The Silver Wraith attracted an elite clientele that included royalty, heads of state, and prominent figures from industry and entertainment. Production concluded in 1959, marking the end of the coachbuilt Rolls-Royce era as the company transitioned toward standardized factory-built bodies.
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