Which Rolls-Royce model was the first to use the company's BMW-derived V12 platform?

The Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph was the first model to use the company's BMW-derived V12 platform.

The Silver Seraph was introduced in 1998 as the successor to the Silver Spirit. It used a 5.4-litre V12 derived from BMW's M73 engine, paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. This marked a major technical change for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, whose previous V8 and V12 arrangements had been based on older in-house designs.

Although the Silver Seraph carried traditional Rolls-Royce styling and luxury equipment, its BMW connection reflected the changing corporate relationship surrounding the marque in the late 1990s. Bentley versions used a different powertrain strategy, making the Silver Seraph technically distinct from its sister Continental models.

The model lasted only until 2002, when the BMW-developed Phantom VII became the next major Rolls-Royce sedan. The Silver Seraph is therefore an important transition model, not the same car as the later Phantom and not simply a rebadged BMW.