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Today we’re back at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, where alongside yesterday’s then-new second-generation Flying Spur, Bentley was also displaying this example of the more exclusive and expensive Mulsanne. The magnificent Mulsanne bowed out in 2020, leaving the by-then third-generation Flying Spur as Bentley’s sole saloon.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1792225988

I kicked off this sequence on the former sister marques Rolls and Bentley with an estate conversion of the Rolls Royce Flying Spur, a rare high-performance version of the Rolls Silver Spur that borrowed the Bentley Turbo R’s engine. In 2005, Flying Spur became a Bentley model name for the four-door version of the Continental GT coupé featured yesterday. I captured this second-generation Flying Spur at its launch at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1792148236

From 1998, Bentley and Rolls Royce ended up in the ownership of Volkswagen and BMW respectively. Bentley inherited the Rolls factory and operations while BMW secured the rights to the Rolls Royce marque and set up a new manufacturing plant of its own. The Continental GT, seen here in convertible GTC form at Cars on the Common in Harpenden, was launched in 2003 as the first post-separation Bentley. It was related to the Volkswagen Phaeton and Audi A8.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1792061899

In 1998, Rolls Royce launched the Silver Seraph, the first all-new Rolls in three decades, and the last to be launched while Rolls and Bentley were still both under the same corporate roof. The Silver Seraph got a 5.4-litre V12, while its Bentley sister, the Arnage, got a 4.4-litre turbo V8, both sourced from BMW, continuing the policy of increased differentiation between the two marques established with the SZ. Pics: NEC Classic Motor Show in 2023.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1791972185

I started this sequence with examples of the post-1980 Rolls Royce SZ range, the Rolls Flying Spur and the Bentley Turbo R, successors to the SY cars from which they were evolved such as yesterday’s RR Silver Shadow. The SZ series saw far greater differentiation between Rolls and Bentley than previously, most notably with this, the Bentley Continental R, which had a unique-to-Bentley coupé body. Pics taken: NEC Classic Motor Show 2023.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1791877135

Today, we’re looking at the updated Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II, introduced in 1977. Externally, there were tweaks such as bigger bumpers and a chin spoiler. Under-the-skin changes included the adoption of rack and pinion steering. I saw this pair at Cars on the Common in Harpenden earlier in the year.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1791803598

Yesterday, I mentioned that the Silver Shadow was the first Rolls Royce not to be built on a separate chassis. That did not rule out the availability of alternative body styles such as this two-door 1967 car from Rolls’ own coachbuilding arm, Mulliner Park Ward. A slightly staider two-door was also available from James Young. In 1971, two-door Silver Shadow models were renamed as Corniche. Seen at Harpenden’s Cars on the Common in the summer.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1791712151

Today, the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, launched in 1965 as the successor to the recently featured Silver Cloud. The almost identical Bentley T succeeded yesterday’s Bentley S3. The Silver Shadow was the first unibody Rolls Royce not built on a separate chassis. I saw this 1976 car at Harpenden’s Cars on the Common in the summer.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1791629564

Today, the Bentley S1, produced between 1955 and 1958. This was more or less the same as the original Rolls Silver Cloud I posted the day before yesterday, except for its Bentley grille and bonnet mascot. The later S3 model adopted the same double headlights as the Rolls Silver Cloud III I posted yesterday. Seen at Cars on the Common, Harpenden 2026.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1791541535

Yesterday, we covered the original version of the Rolls Royce Silver Cloud. Today we move on to the later Silver Cloud III, which incorporated the new V8 introduced in the Silver Cloud II but added a new, more modern, front end with twin headlamps. Produced between 1963 and 1966. Seen at Harpenden’s Cars on the Common this year.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1791454116

Today we move forward to the Rolls Royce Silver Cloud with two examples from 1956 (red car) and 1958 (two-tone green car). These early Clouds still used Rolls’ big six-cylinder engine. Visually similar, slightly later, Silver Cloud IIs had the company’s legendary long-lived V8. Snapped at Cars on the Common at Harpenden this year.

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David Wilkins

@David Wilkins 1791300457

Yesterday’s 1995 Rolls Royce estate (conversion 2011) was based on the Flying Spur, a rare high-performance long-wheelbase Rolls model, similar mechanically to the contemporary Bentley Turbo R sister car. I saw this particular Turbo R at Harpenden’s Cars on the Common in the summer.

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