CREATING THE SZ

Even by Rolls-Royce standards, the SZ range of models that debuted via the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit and Bentley Mulsanne of 1980 was impressively long-lived. The final derivatives rolled out of Crewe almost eighteen years later, having enjoyed healthy sales throughout that time. And, of course, the SZ was responsible for rejuvenating the Bentley marque, with the top-selling Turbo R transforming it into a high-performance brand once more. Inevitably though, creating a whole new range of Rolls-Royce and Bentley models was a process packed with difficult decisions, not to mention a plethora of design challenges to consider.

Graham Hull, who joined Rolls-Royce in 1971 and went on to become the company’s chief stylist, played an important role in the eventual aesthetics of the Silver Shadow’s long-awaited successor. In his 2014 book, , Hull provides a fascinating insight into early thoughts on