Mercedes Rolls-Royce

"Huh?", you say....

Well back in the nineties Mercedes-Benz formed a study team headed by Dieter Zetche to look into the possible purchase of Rolls-Royce and base the new model RR on their (then current) V/W140 S-Class series V12 engined car.

In the mid 1990s Tony Gott, chief executive of Rolls-Royce was looking for a new engine supplier was a new modern Rolls-Royce. I will quote from a book on the final takeover , but the rest is my own speculation.

"What started as purely engineering discussions with Mercedes-Benz ended with Gott and a small team from Crewe working on a practical project in Stuttgart....

The team returned with enough evidence to convince the Rolls-Royce board to go for the Mercedes bid."

Vickers didn't agree.

At the RROC National meet last week I came across an original Crewe styling sketch of what the seller thought was just a Silver Spirit.

I was fascinated by this rather expensive drawing....

It has Mercedes-Benz styling cues all over it!

The grey lower cladding on the body, the fog lamps in the lower front valance.

Interiorwise, sure it has traditional RR/B round air vents but look at the MB switches, instrument cluster, glove box, shifter, door handles......

Oh my! This, in my opinion is the Rolls-Royce Mercedes we have never seen.

When Mercedes-Benz withdrew from the 'Squabbling' involving BMW and Volkswagen , they said they had a better pursuit ahead - Chrysler.

Again, this is my speculation but why is it that when the Maybach came out it was based on Mercedes-Benz's previous generation 140 S-Class and not the 220 series which had been out since 1999?

They had produced a Rolls-Royce of their own and I think this picture is of the car that started it.

Have I started a debate?

I should have bought the sketch. I was right there staring at it....!

(Posted by David Irvine)