Buyer’s guide: Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit & Spur

By Malcolm McKay

| 1 Nov 2019

Classic & Sports Car – Buyer’s guide: Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit & Spur

Why you’d want a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit / Silver Spur

With production averaging almost 1000 cars every 12 months for 20 years, just as with the Shadow there is now a surfeit of Silver Spirits and Spurs on the market. That means these fabulously built cars, hugely expensive when new, can now be had for astonishingly low prices – and some are still in very fine condition.

Rolls-Royce maintained its phenomenal reputation by evolving rather than changing its products, so the Spirit and Spur used the Shadow platform virtually unmodified. The coachwork was wider, lower, more aerodynamic and the same length in Spirit form; its engine was tweaked with higher compression and improved intake and exhaust; it had revised semi-trailing-arm rear suspension from the two-door Shadow; and in Spur form it was 4in longer, all of which was used to increase rear-seat space.

There were numerous extended editions of the Silver Spur, including 159 stretched Limousines, 104 Touring Limousines, 49 Park Ward Limousines and one Armoured Limousine. In addition, Hooper coachbuilt 17 cars and uprated 24 more.

The Spirit is 4in shorter than the Spur – but still longer than most cars

All fittings and finishes were of the highest quality: the walnut-veneered dash should match from side to side (as a mirror image). Velour was a rare option for the seats – almost all are leather and, again, detail quality was of the highest order. Powered everything was still rare in 1980, including fore-aft, up-down and tilt for the seats, though reclining was still manually operated at first. Digital displays for outside temperature and journey elapsed time were a sign of modernity, but check that everything still works.

All the guides say ‘buy the best car you can afford’, but Rolls-Royce parts are extremely expensive (though suppliers of used spares help) so, rather than blowing all your funds on the purchase, keep a decent budget aside for unexpected outlays.

Buy a sound car with a great recent history, showing it’s had a fair amount of use and has been cherished and looked after. Don’t worry about dull paint or a grubby interior (it’ll polish/clean up); do worry about corrosion, damaged/missing trim and neglected servicing.

The size of your motor shed is an important consideration. This is not a car to be kept outside long-term and many garages are only 17ft long – you’ll need 4in more for the Spirit and 8in for the Spur, ideally with a bit extra to avoid scrapes.

Images: James Mann

Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit / Silver Spur: what to look for

Bodywork

See above for trouble spots

Engine

Properly maintained, the all-aluminium V8 engine is good for 500,000 miles: check the service history and look for a clean and cared-for engine bay. Stuck hydraulic tappets and worn cams result from missed servicing – listen for a rattly top end. Lack of corrosion inhibitor will lead to overheating and engine damage.

Brakes

Two brake calipers on separate circuits means double trouble if neglected. Electronic dampers are very costly to replace: listen for clonks when driving.

Air-conditioning

Make sure the air-con works as it should, because it’s costly to put right. Regular regassing lubricates the pump, so check the service history for it.

Interior

High-quality, long-lasting leather should only require occasional feeding (velour was rare and more fragile). Check carpets for damp.

Exterior

Damaged or missing trim can be hard to find and pricey, though secondhand supply from specialists such as Flying Spares is good for standard parts.

Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit / Silver Spur: on the road

Rare Mulliner Park Ward is one of several desirable special editions – expect to pay significantly more than for a ‘standard’ Silver Spur to land one

Early cars with carburettors are the cheapest, but are more thirsty, less powerful and a little less reliable than fuel-injected cars from 1987 (though a blocked injector will make a later car run roughly).

The only part that is affordable to rebuild is the GM gearbox (check all gears engage before driving off) – the engine, brakes and most other components are complex and costly. Given the size and quality of the parts, however, the prices make sense – these cars are seriously built to last, and if they’re properly maintained they are extremely durable. DIY is not impossible if you’re reasonably competent, but specialist servicing is not cheap.

Cast-iron wet liners in an all-aluminium engine, plus hydraulic tappets, give strength and smooth running – until servicing schedules are neglected. Check that service history, especially the past few years, listen for any unseemly noises, and look out for signs of overheating (or worse, emulsion in the oil-filler cap or oil in the coolant, pointing towards head-gasket failure).

Turn on the ignition and check that the two hydraulic warning lights appear; if not, pump the brake pedal a few times until they do. If they don’t, be very suspicious. Now start the engine: both should go out within 30 secs cold, 20 secs when warm.

Once it’s warmed up, stop the engine, turn on the ignition again and pump the brake pedal until they illuminate – you should get at least 40 pumps. If anything’s untoward, budget for a costly hydraulic-system overhaul.

Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit / Spur price guide

Early Spirit

Show: £20,000
Average: £9000
Restoration: £3000

Early Spur

Show: £25,000
Average: £11,250
Restoration: £3750

Late Spirit

Show: £30,000
Average: £15,000
Restoration: £6000

Late Spur

Show: £37,500
Average: £18,750
Restoration: £7500

Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit / Spur history

1980 Spirit/Spur arrives: twin SUs (EFI in Japan)

1981 Injected USA/Canada model introduced

1985 Spur Centenary built, plus 25 replicas; headlamp wipers replaced by power wash

1986 Bosch K-Jetronic injection, single-outlet exhaust (with cat), electric memory seats, Bosch anti-lock (except N America), stiffer suspension

1989 Spirit/Spur II: adaptive damping, new dash, K-Motronic; MPW option (71 built, 1990-’91)

1991 GM 4L80-E four-speed auto replaces GM400 three-speed (1992 for Spur)

1992 Spirit/Spur III: twin airbags, smoother transmission, revised seats

1993 Flying Spur with Garrett T4 turbo, sports suspension: 360bhp, 140mph, 134 built

1994 Silver Dawn edition (237 built, 1995-’98)

1995 New Spirit/Spur: lower radiator, integrated bumper/spoiler, revised interior, no quarterlights

1997 Spirit dropped; Spur gets light-pressure turbo, 300bhp, optional traction control

2000 Spur production ends

The owner’s view

“I found it on a secondhand car lot in Nottingham, they didn’t know what they had,” says Robin Sherwood of his rare Mulliner Park Ward edition Spur. “My father had Shadows and I always wanted one, but when this came up I had to have it. The Spirits and Spurs look better now than they did when new, and are fantastic value – they are so beautifully built.

“It was bought by a London gem dealer as a gift for his wife and had full history: Jack Barclay from new, then the R-R main agent in Spain, then Hillier Hill.

“It’s done 23,000 miles and I’m only the second owner. The MPW comes with a Champagne cooler, American flame walnut, stainless-steel trims and a humidor. The most important advice is to make sure it’s been looked after – even with this I’ve had to invest in a full hydraulic overhaul.”

Also consider

Aston Martin Lagonda (left) and Maserati Quattroporte III are alternative buys

ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA

Bespoke, complex and more expensive new than a Spur, with outrageous styling. Hugely costly to own, it’s fabulous but makes little sense, and is still undervalued.

Sold 1979-’90 • No. built 645 • Price now £30-70,000

MASERATI QUATTROPORTE III

Giugiaro-designed big saloon with V8 power, handbuilt to high standards but lacking the presence of a Royce.

Sold 1979-’90 • No. built 2155 • Price now £9-20,000

Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit / Spur: the Classic & Sports Car verdict

The Spirit and Spur are the ultimate development of the Silver Shadow family and make magnificent machines to own and drive.

There are more than enough great examples to go around, so don’t make a rod for your own back by buying a rough one unless it has very significant redeeming features. Buy a really good Silver Spirit or Spur and look after it: you won’t regret it.

FOR

Fantastic value for money, these cars offer the ultimate in quality, refinement and also durability, provided they have been properly looked after

AGAINST

Fuel consumption prohibits daily use; it won’t fit in most garages, so lots have sat outside and suffered

Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit / Spur specifications

Sold/number built 1980-2000/19,577
Construction steel unitary, aluminium panels
Engine all-alloy, ohv 6750cc V8, twin SU HIF7 carburettors or Bosch K/Zytek fuel injection
Max power 198.5bhp @ 3800rpm to 226bhp @ 4300rpm
Max torque 340lb ft @ 1500rpm
Transmission three/four-speed GM auto, RWD
Suspension independent, at front by wishbones rear semi-trailing arms, self-levelling; coils, telescopic dampers (adaptive from ’90), anti-roll bar f/r
Steering power-assisted rack and pinion
Brakes powered dual-circuit 11in (279mm) ventilated front, solid rear discs; ABS from 1986
Length 17ft 31/2in-17ft 71/2in (5270-5370mm)
Width 6ft 21/2in (1890mm)
Height 4ft 103/4in (1492mm)
Wheelbase 10ft 1/2in-10ft 41/2in (3061-3162mm)
Weight 4939-5434lb (2245-2470kg)
0-60mph 9.7-10.4 secs
Top speed 119-133mph
Mpg 11-18
Price new £85,609/99,757 (Spirit/Spur, 1990)