Vehicle Description
Let's cut right to the heart of the matter: if you show up in this
1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur, you are well and truly "The Man".
Nobody will check the production date and nobody will care about
anything other than the famous grille and Spirit of Ecstasy hood
ornament. And with those features so prominently displayed, nobody
will realize that they could own this A-list, hand-built Roller for
the price of a garden-variety Honda Accord.
Rolls-Royce is a company dictated by tradition, which was why
styling changes so seldom. As a result, the cars always look big
and impressive with a presence that no other manufacturer has ever
been able to match. The special long-wheelbase Silver Spur (the
longer version of the Silver Spirit) was the top-of-the-line for
what is unquestionably the top-of-the-line automobile manufacturer.
Stretching nearly 20 feet long, it's understated yet imposing clad
in gorgeous White finish, like "The Rock" in a white tuxedo
tailcoat. Fit and finish are, of course, exemplary despite it being
over 30 years old, and nothing in the automotive world feels like
one of these big, heavily-insulated doors slamming closed. All
automotive paint is shiny, but the deep hand-rubbed finish on a
Rolls-Royce is something else entirely, as if it was conjured out
of thin air right onto the surface. Sure, it's got a few signs of
age, but on a car that originally cost the equivalent of a
quarter-million bucks, you definitely got your money's worth on the
paint job. There are some minor imperfections and a couple very
small touch-ups, but nothing that an experienced Rolls-Royce
enthusiast won't expect. A navy blue Everflex top (which is a very
British way of saying "vinyl") adds an air of formality to the big
Silver Spur and improves the already impressive levels of quiet
inside. The brightwork and molding is of a quality that most
motorists have never seen before, and even after several decades it
all shows a brilliant luster and depth that befits a car that
originally cost more than an average American home. Then there's
the chrome, which is so deep and rich that it almost feels cold to
the touch, and nothing clears traffic like that big Rolls-Royce
grille and Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. "Impressive" isn't an
impressive enough word for what this car is.
Acres of opulent leather are really the reason you buy a
Rolls-Royce. No other car in the world can offer this one's
combination of natural materials and meticulous hand assembly. The
seats feel like nothing you've ever experienced, at once soft and
supportive and wrapped in fragrant leather hides that were bred for
royalty. There's a bit of wear in the higher-traffic areas of the
front seats and driver's door panels, but the rest of the
buttery-soft leather with contrasting white piping is still fit for
showing-off, even with the comfort marks. Dark blue Wilton Wool
carpets are insanely plush and yes, that's real wood on the dash
and door panels, hand-crafted by a proper Englishman who's been
doing it his entire life. And that carpeted dash cover isn't hiding
any secrets underneath, as the leather pad is in great shape and
free of cracks or UV damage. The cabin received all the proper
accoutrements for the period, including A/C, cruise control, power
windows and locks, power seats, and fingertip-light power steering.
And as a full-sized luxury car, rear seat space rivals a New York
City apartment; it's impossible to not feel like royalty sitting
back there. Even the "boot" is beautifully outfitted in matching
blue carpet that's as beautifully stitched as you've ever seen.
Rolls-Royce's "six-and-three-quarter" litre V8 is smooth and
torquey, moving the big sedan with the fluid ease of a master
butler. Rolls-Royce never gave horsepower figures on their engines,
but the big 6.75-liter V8 pulls like a steam locomotive and
delivers astounding smoothness. Bosch's new-for-1989 Motronic
fuel-injection makes it reliable, too, and while saving one without
proper service can be expensive, keeping it in top shape is quite
reasonable if you have a good tech by your side, and thankfully
this beauty had a $2600 service completed in 2019 and has only
logged 300 miles since. Fuel economy kind of stinks, of course, but
this is a Rolls-Royce and you shouldn't care about such things
anyway. GM supplied the TH400 3-speed automatic gearbox, and the
fully independent suspension rides like a hovercraft over broken
pavement. Even the 4-wheel disc brakes are race-car sized and
deliver impressive performance that's never abrupt. Cooper Cobra
225/75/15 whitewall radials on the original wheels maintain the
subtle look (no need to show off, my good sir) and you'll note that
even the hubcaps are pinstriped to match the interior.
We won't tell anyone how affordable this Rolls-Royce is and you can
merely let them speculate at the rich and famous who might be
riding with you. Call today!
