The 1990s saw the end of production at Crewe and the start of new chapter in the history of Rolls-Royce when the BMW Group purchased the rights to produce Rolls-Royce motor cars.

The last Rolls-Royce model built at Crewe, the Silver Seraph was effectively the first all-new Rolls-Royce since the launch of the Silver Shadow more than 30 years earlier. Developed with help from BMW, it was powered by a 5.4-litre BMW V12 engine.

The Corniche was first Rolls-Royce of the new millennium and shared many styling cues with the Silver Seraph, but used the familiar V8. Thanks to its greater torque, the V8 was felt better suited to the wafting Corniche.