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Crewe - To celebrate 97 years of Rolls-Royce production - and to commemorate the end of 55 years of Rolls-Royce manufacturing at Crewe – Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motor Cars has announced details of the Last of Line Series of the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph.
The specialist craftsmen and women who distinguish all cars built at the famous Crewe site will build only 170 of these exceptional motor cars. This limited number gives aficionados of the famous marque from around the world, a chance to invest in the last Rolls-Royce saloons.
This very special Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph will celebrate the beginning of the end of an era for the marque and embodies all that is best about car making as practised at Crewe. In line with the agreement in 1998, from the end of 2002 the licence to manufacture and distribute Rolls-Royce motor cars will transfer to BMW. Production of the Silver Seraph will cease at the end of this year, which means that orders for the Last of Line Series must be placed by 31st August 2001.
The exterior of the car features the option of a duo-tone paint scheme, in the style of the much loved Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, the first Rolls-Royce model to be both engineered and built at Crewe.
The wheels bear the Spirit of Ecstasy on the centre cap and all badging - on the radiator shell, boot and rear quarter panels is finished in red, as in the pre-1933 motor cars. On the front lower quarter panel a small but vital distinguishing highlight is a badge, set against a British Union flag, stating simply: “Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Crewe, England.”
As expected the use of beautifully crafted veneers are a defining feature but this final version is even more special. Rosewood Burr, also known in the quality furniture industry as Amboynia Burr, is one of the world’s most exclusive and prized furniture and cabinet wood veneers. It is also one of the first veneers Rolls-Royce Motor Cars employed for dashboards (previously solid wood was used) – and is featured throughout. Its value is five times more than 'standard' walnut veneers and it is one of the densest and therefore most challenging to form into the required shapes.
A particular feature of Rosewood Burr is its rich and varied range of colours from yellow and golden browns to rich red browns – ensuring that each of these motor cars will be truly unique in character. The elegantly sculpted waist rails are in solid Cabinet Cherry with Rosewood Burr veneer and the crossbanding throughout is in Oak.
All Crewe-built motor cars feature the finest wood finish achieved anywhere in the motoring world and this final combination is a true credit to the exceptional talents of the craftsmen and women who work in the Crewe woodshop.
This skill and care is equally evidenced in the detailed marquetry inlay of the Spirit of Ecstasy to the car's waistrails, the quartered veneer design to the picnic tables and the R-R badge finished in marquetry on the radio flap.
Further finishing touches include the veneered door panels and seat switch surrounds and the part-veneered steering wheel. These are complemented by contrast piping on the sumptuous leather seats and a pair of umbrellas to underline the never-failing Crewe ethos - that nothing has been left to chance in the preparation of this most magnificent motor car.
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