For around $18,000 you can buy any number of shiny new compact economy cars. And these days, economy cars are even pretty nice. They'll have things like heated seats, alloy wheels, rear-view cameras, and a combination of fuel economy and horsepower that would have been unfathomable just 20 years ago. But there are a few things that even the nicest economy car will never have. Things like presence, class, and grace. Real chrome, hand-stitched leather from specially selected cows, and wool carpeting so plush that you will not be able to resist taking off your shoes and socks to run your toes through it.
If you want those things, you need a special class of car. Not even a luxury car will do. In this case, the manufacturer calls it an ultra luxury car. For a new ultra-luxury car, even adding a zero to the price of an economy car isn't enough. Adding a zero and doubling it just might be enough. However, the mistress who is depreciation is as cruel as the Spirit of Ecstasy adorning the hood is graceful. That means that the most luxurious car of 1986 is now the same price as a 2017 Toyota Yaris hatchback with an automatic transmission. Whichever of those two options you have chosen, you probably didn't have to think about it for very long. If you've chosen ultra luxury, then welcome to our autoTRADER.ca Find of the Week, this 1986 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur.
1986 Rolls-Royce or 2016 Yaris. Which would you rather sit in?
The Silver Spirit and the Silver Spur were introduced as new models in 1980. They shared a platform with the Silver Shadow, which was Rolls' first unibody car, introduced for 1965 and in production until 1980. The Shadow was Rolls' highest production model at that time, and as such the company wanted to refresh but not change the core appeal of the car. The Silver Spirit and Spur were the first Rolls cars to swap modern square headlights for the round sealed beams of previous cars. The styling of the whole car is slightly more square than the old model, but they are unmistakably from the same brand, with the Spur gaining a sleeker, more modern (for the time) appearance. The cars would remain in production until 1997 when replaced by the Silver Seraph.
The refreshed platform and body came with some other changes. Rolls took steps to further reduce road noise, add slightly more modern technology, and as always, improve luxury. The engine is a 6.75L V8 with twin SU carburetors and automatic choke (fuel injection wouldn't arrive until 1987). Rolls didn't quote horsepower numbers at the time, but the number is likely around 240 hp with just over 300 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is a smooth three-speed automatic. One of the most extravagant parts of the Silver Spur is a 107L fuel tank. With estimated economy north of 20 L/100 km on the highway, you'll need that large tank.
Inside is where the true luxury lives, and a look through a contemporary brochure shows that Rolls-Royce put as much effort into their prose as into the car. The new seats have "a new system of trampoline springing" and "cradle you securely on any road." They've solved annoyances you weren't even aware of. There is an electric speedometer "for silence", the windshield wipers "sweep a rectangular area in front of you - not the usual meager half moon." The Wilton wool for the deep-pile carpets comes from "particularly hardy sheep". I'm not even sure how you would begin to measure such a thing, but they are confident that even the most discerning customer will not challenge it. The wood veneer is matched left to right, and no two cars will share the same pattern. The leather is from eight hides, matched, dyed, cut and sewn by hand. This model is a Silver Spur, which means a longer wheelbase adds 10 cm of room for rear passengers.
The detail extends to all aspects of the interior, including the seat belts, being "particularly simple to use" and offering "improvements in appearance." Rolls says that the luxurious interior removes stress, and as such, it improves safety just by driving it. That's confidence. Even the keys cannot escape the superlatives with Rolls claiming they were "inspired by one made in Egypt nearly 4,000 years ago".
If you've read through all of this, and you know that you need to have a Rolls in your driveway, this 1986 Silver Spur is available in Edmonton. The car in dark oyster gray over brown leather with beige carpets is a timeless combination. There is just 86,000 km on this example, so it hasn't been driven much. If you want to drive or be driven in exclusive comfort, then our Find of the Week, this 1986 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur could be exactly what you are looking for. As they said in the brochure, "if you have not driven a Rolls-Royce before, the Silver Spur will prove a total revelation."
