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| Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Drophead Coupé 1966 |
Launched in 1962, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III and its Bentley S3 equivalent employed the 6.2-litre, V8 engine introduced on the Cloud II/S2 but with larger carburettors, revised distributor, increased compression ratio and a four-speed, GM-derived automatic transmission as standard equipment. Most obvious among many changes from the preceding models was the adoption of four-headlamp lighting, the absence of sidelights from the wing tops and a slightly lower radiator shell. Inside there was improved accommodation with separate front seats and increased room for rear passengers. Notable as the last mainstream Rolls-Royce to employ a separate
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| Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Drophead Coupé 1966 |
chassis, the Silver Cloud III proved immensely successful both at home and abroad, remaining in production until the Autumn of 1965. As well as the factory-bodied cars, bespoke creations from James Young and the recently merged firm of H. J. Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd (by this time Rolls-Royce-owned) continued to be available on the Silver Cloud III chassis for those discerning enthusiasts wealthy enough to afford them. Indeed, as the factory did not offer a convertible or drophead coupé, a coachbuilt car was the only option if one's preference was Rolls-Royce-style, fresh air motoring. First introduced in 1958, H. J. Mulliner's was the most successful of its type,
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| Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III Drophead Coupé 1966 |
lasting into 1963; more modern 'straight-through wing' designs became the preferred style thereafter. This design by Norwegian Vilhelm Koren, with its influential continuous front-to-rear wing line, first appeared on the Bentley S2 Continental in 1959 but did not become available on non-Continental models (both Bentley and Rolls-Royce) until after the arrival of the Silver Cloud III and S3 in 1962. These 'Chinese Eye' models constituted the majority of coachbuilt variants completed between 1962 and 1966.
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