I will forever associate Rolls-Royce as a symbol of luxury, and one of the things that solidified that for me was seeing the 1980s television commercials for Grey Poupon mustard. There were a few variations, but the spots always involved two Rolls-Royces pulling up alongside each other at a stop sign with back-seat passengers making sandwiches. The dialogue went something like this:
- “Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?” one said to the other.
- “But of course.”
And the jar of Mustard would be passed from one car to the other.
As if a Rolls-Royce didn’t already have enough presence, what would you think of a Silver Spur that’s been bedazzled in jewels? Believe it or not, such a car exists, and the eye-catching luxo-ride was on display at this year’s Casual Concours in Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage, California.
Dubbed “The Disco Roller,” the car came from the “Mark I” (1980-88) generation of the Silver Spirit.
Rolls-Royce said in an advertisement, “The whims of the world are quick to fade. And yet, the challenge to build something of lasting value still defeats all but the rarest individuals. The uncompromising designers and engineers of Rolls-Royce Motors live for that challenge, for they create new motor cars in the spirit of a tradition that decries change for the sake of change.”
Euro-spec Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit
Another magazine advertisement called it, “Simply the best motor car in the world.”
Manufactured in Crewe, England, the Silver Spirit was an opulent piece of machinery. In 1982, it carried a stratospheric price tag of over $100,000.
The car had several innovative features for its time, such as a hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension, Connolly leather, walnut interior trim and, of course, a retractable “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament.
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Under the hood was a 6.75-liter “L410” V-8 (170 horsepower/369 lb-ft torque) mated to a General Motors-sourced THM400 three-speed automatic transmission. Was it fast? No — in fact, the zero-to-60 time was about 12 seconds. But remember, comfort was key — after all, the guy being chauffeured in the back seat was trying to make a sandwich.
If I’m able to track down the owner of the bedazzled Rolls (or even better yet, if he or she was somehow directed to this article and reaches out to me), I’d love to interview about the inspiration for such a unique project. I imagine it’s quite the conversation piece!
Now, is there a bedazzled jar of Grey Poupon to go with it?
