March, 1998 -- The Rolls Royce Silver Seraph was introduced at the Geneva International Auto Show in Switzerland this week. The Silver Seraph is the first new model to emerge from Rolls Royce's factory in Crewe, England in nearly two decades, and is only the ninth model ever produced by this maker of cars for the rich and famous.
Roller fans may be a bit mortified to find that the power for this vehicle comes from BMW. The all-aluminum 5.4-liter V-12 engine is distinguished from the powerplants found in the 750iL sedan and European-market 850Ci coupe, by giving it a specific power and torque curve for its application in the Silver Seraph. The result is 322 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 361 pound-feet of torque at 3900 rpm, enough to move this 5075-pound car from rest to sixty mph in 6.9 seconds.
Continuing Rolls Royce's world-famous tradition for luxury and opulence, the Silver Seraph features Connolly leather upholstery and Wilton floor carpeting, along with exquisite wood veneer interior pieces. New front seats give drivers, chauffeurs in many cases, a more comfortable position from which to pilot this land yacht from the club, to the marina, to the bank, and back to the estate, and there are even multiple driver setting that store the information for as many as four separate drivers. A new climate system includes front and rear as well as driver and front seat passenger control settings, which make it possible for everyone in the Silver Seraph to find a temperature they can tolerate. There is even a cabin dehumidifier to take the sweat out of those steamy summer days that wreak such havoc on our Saville Row suits. A new 6- disc CD changer, designed by Alpine, rests in the center console, making it easier for the driver to change the music selection for the cars master.
The Silver Seraph is quite a piece of work, contributing mightily to Rolls Royce's effort to stay at the top of the world's luxury car market. Potential buyers take note: BMW, which is attempting to purchase Rolls Royce, has indicated that it will quit supplying engines if the company is sold to another party. That could really spoil the fun.

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