Video: Can a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Handle London traffic today?

The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow can be considered the forefather of the current Ghost, Rolls’ newest luxury sedan. Back in the 1960s, when it was unveiled, it was considered the one car you could use to both cater to the needs of royalty and maybe even carry yourself around town. The Silver Shadow was the Rolls that could be driven by either the chauffer or the owner. Maybe that was the case back then but does it still apply to modern-day traffic? Surely that old engine and transmission are going to be overworked, right?

Well, Harry Metcalfe decided to try and find out. A while back he bought an old, 1968 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow that was in dire need of repairs. Over 50 years of usage had put their mark on it and rust was one of the biggest issues. It could be seen just about anywhere, from the wheel arches to the side sills and so on. After four months in the shop, the car is back with Harry and, in light of the new ULEZ rules in London, he wondered whether a 50-year old Silver Shadow might be a good choice.

Recently, officials in London decided to change the access rules in the ULEZ zone (Ultra Low Emissions Zone) and increase the area it covered. Therefore, most of London is now included and if you don’t abide to the rules set by the Mayor’s office, you might have to pay 12.5 pounds every day to gain access with your car. The law says that your car must be at least Euro4 compliant, if you are driving a petrol-powered one, and Euro6 if we’re talking about the diesel ones.

There are exceptions in place though and one of them refers to ‘classic cars’. Due to its age and status, the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow easily qualifies, but is it a good choice? You have to remember, this car uses a huge engine under the hood, an old automatic transmission and lacks a lot of the modern-day technology we’ve gotten used to, including AC. On the other hand, it has other advantages too, like a tight turning radius (10.8 meters) and a narrow body. Those will come in handy around town. But what’s the final answer? Watch the video to find out.