Silver Spur II Touring Limousine

by

Mulliner Park Ward

(1991- onwards)


The Rolls-Royce Silver Spur II Touring Limousine offers unrivalled comfort, space and features


Built to order : (approx. 25 per year built)

Overall length : 19 feet 7.4 inches (5,980 mm)

Increased height : 2.2 inches (55mm)

Weight : 5,820 lbs (2,640 kg)

Transmission : 4 speed automatic

Fuel economy : Official government figures of 17.2 mpg at 75 mph and 22.5 mpg at 56 mph


From the matchless pedigree of the Rolls-Royce Silver Spur II has come a luxurious Touring Limousine for the 1990's.

The first Rolls-Royce limousine was exhibited at Olympia as long ago as 1905 and since then such formal coachwork, with a division separating the chauffeur and those in the rear compartment, has always been offered in the Company's range. Years ago a limousine needed to provide seating for six or seven passengers to accommodate the retinue of servants with whom the wealthy travelled. In the 1990's the requirement for an exclusive Rolls-Royce limousine is for privacy and increased comfort for two main passengers in the rear compartment, rather than sheer people-carrying capacity. This change of emphasis has enabled Mulliner Park Ward to lengthen and adapt a Silver Spur II to provide a luxurious Touring Limousine.

Each Touring Limousine starts life as a Silver Spur II body shell minus the rear doors and roof panel. The wheelbase is extended, with all of this extra 24 inch (610mm) in the rear compartment. The roof panel is raised by just over 2 inches (55mm) to provide easier entry to and exit from the limousine. The longer rear doors are well ahead of the rear seats so an additional side window is provided in front of the rear quarter panels which, together with a smaller back window, provide greater privacy.

In the Touring Limousine the whole emphasis is on luxurious comfort in the rear compartment. The full width electrically-operated glass division separates owner and chauffeur who communicate via an intercom. A hide trimmed division blind can be raised at the touch of a switch to provide even greater seclusion. Concealed from view within the base of the division are two heating and air conditioning units which operate quite separately from the Silver Spur II's bi-level automatic system in the front.

The additional space in the rear compartment has enabled a television receiver with 10 inch screen to be fitted in a central walnut-veneered cabinet, which also incorporates a video player and a radio/cassette unit. The veneered lipped top of the cabinet is raised to provide access to the top loading video player. In addition, the multi-play compact disc unit fitted in the luggage compartment is controlled via the radio/cassette player. An uprated in-car enterntainment package with 10 speakers for 90 model year but on the Touring Limousine there are 10 speakers in the rear compartment alone. A tweeter above the division on each side of the motor car looks after the high notes while a dual-cone speaker in each rear door ensures faithful reproducation of bass and middle ranges. The result is that the owner is bathed in sound. the installation has been arranged so that the audio output from the compact disc player, radio, cassette player, video player or television is channelled through this high quality, multiple-speaker system.

Push buttons release a fold-down rear wood-facing occasional seat on the side of the cabinet and on the other a cocktail cabinet. When these seats are not in use inset panels can be pulled forwards to form a picnic table on each side. The cocktail cabinet is fitted with a mirrored back and opens down to reveal three crystal decanters with silver tops and storage for four mixer bottles. Above them, cut-outs hold four ten ounce crystal tumblers. The lid on the cabinet is veneered on the inside and when opened provides a table for glasses.

What appears to be the usual centre arm rest is, in fact, a bottom-hinged veneered tray and when folded down reveals the refrigerator installation which Mulliner Park Ward pioneered on the limited edition Mulliner Spur. Opening the inner lid switches on the refrigerator's internal light revealing space for two one-litre bottles to stand upright with a small adjustable shelf above them.

The central cushion between the two rear seats is padded and fully trimmed but is also the lid of a useful compartment. Within are the cellular telephone handset, cordless remote control for the television, a leather-bound note pad and a silver pencil. Lidded compartments in each rear side arm rest provide additional stowage and there are full-length pockets on the bottoms of the rear doors. An ashtray and cigar lighter are housed in each rear door armrest.

The light and airy ambience of the rear interior is aided by the glass roof panel, or moon roof. An electrically operated blind trimmed to match the headlining, obscures the glass at the touch of a switch.

Attention to detail is everywhere. Opening a rear door not only illuminates a footwell lamp at the base of the rear seat but also an aptly-named puddle lamp recessed in the base of the door itself - a uselul aid for passengers alighting in the dark. The stainless steel treadplates to the doors are special too, with ribbed rubber inserts to obviate one's foot slipping. A chromium-plated solid brass placque on each treadplate proclaims the Touring Limousine's Mulliner Park Ward pedigree.