1951 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn 41/2 Saloon

Developed from the popular Mark VI Bentley and in parallel with both that car and its successor, the R-Type, the Silver Dawn was the first Rolls-Royce to offer standardised coachwork, the first built in England to feature left-hand drive as an option and came with either a column-shift four-speed gearbox or - as was virtually standard on cars delivered to America - an automatic transmission. All initial production of the Silver Dawn was destined for export and, of the total figure of 761 cars built, some 116 were delivered new to Australia while the final example was completed in 1955, at which time it made way for the new Silver Cloud.

The Silver Dawn is an underrated member of the post-war Rolls-Royce family, offering the same appeal as the much more common Bentley Mark VI with the added cache of the Flying Lady mascot. For anyone looking for compact, high quality motoring with superb fittings and finish, along with lively performance, particularly with the bigger 4.5-litre engine, the Silver Dawn is unsurpassed.