1986 Rolls-Royce Corniche II

The basic shape and design penned by John P. Blatchley for the 1966 Silver Shadow would endure in its basic concept well into the 1990s. From the start, a drophead coupe was incorporated into the mix, but it wasn't until 1971 that these special cars, along with an exclusive fixed-head coupe, would wear the name 'Corniche.' Rolls-Royce entrusted its final coach-built model to its in-house coachbuilder Mulliner, Park Ward. Incremental improvements were added over the wheels, including a slightly longer wheelbase and improved steering in 1977 with the rack and pinion setup.

The well-equipped Corniche came with nearly every motoring accessory or convenience, leaving the owner to select just the exterior colors and custom interior accouterments, decor, and appointments.

The Series II was introduced in 1986 and came with improved braking, federally required collision avoidance lights on the rear deck, and refinements in the electronics.

Production of the Rolls-Royce Corniche hardtop coupe lasted from 1971 to 1980 and as a convertible from 1971 to 1995 - and from 1999 to 2002. The name 'Corniche' had originally been used on a 1939 prototype based on the Bentley Mark V, with its design created in collaboration with French designer Georges Paulin and built by Carrosserie Vanvooren. Due to the onset of World War II, the project was shelved, but the name was registered for future use.

Rolls-Royce Corniche I
Production of the Corniche I began in 1971 and continued through 1987. A Bentley version, known as the Bentley Continental, was produced from 1984 to 1995.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche rested on a 119.75-inch wheelbase, growing slightly to 120 inches in 1974 and then to 120.5 inches in 1979. The chassis was suspended by an independent setup with coil springs and a hydraulic self-leveling system. Disc brakes were at the front and rear, with ventilated discs arriving in 1972.

The engine was the standard Rolls-Royce V8 with aluminum cylinder heads with cast iron wet cylinder liners, an aluminum-silicon alloy block, twin SU carburetors, a 4.1-inch bore, and a 3.9-inch stroke for a total displacement size of 6,750cc (6.75 liters). In some markets, the SU carbs were later replaced with a single Solex 4A1 four-barrel carburetor in 1977. Export models used the twin SU setup through 1980 when replaced by Bosch KE/K-Jetronic fuel injection. The three-speed automatic transmission was a Turbo Hydramatic 400 unit sourced from General Motors.

From 1971 to 1981, Rolls-Royce produced 1,108 examples of the Saloon and 3,224 of the convertible, for a total of 4,332 units.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche II
The Corniche II name was used beginning in 1986 for the United States market cars and for other markets from 1988. A total of 1,234 examples were built. The Corniche II introduced improvements to its braking and mandatory safety equipment. The interior gained redesigned instrumentation and redesigned seats later in 1988.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche III
At the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1989, Rolls-Royce introduced its Corniche III, remaining in production through 1993 with 452 units built. Resting on the 120.5-inch wheelbase and powered by a 6.75-liter OHV engine with MK-Motronic fuel injection, they wore color-coded bumpers and rode on new alloy wheels. The suspension system was improved, and the dashboard, seats, and console were revised.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche IV
Rolls-Royce selected the North American International Auto Show in Detroit as the location for introducing its Corniche IV. Revealed in January 1992, production would continue through 1995. Since Mulliner Park Ward was closing in 1994, production was moved to Crewe.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche IV had adaptive suspension, a four-speed 4L80-E automatic transmission, and the previous plastic rear window was now glass. Safety improved via driver and passenger airbags, and the air conditioning was now a CFC-free system. Updates to the engine in August of 1993 increased horsepower by approximately twenty percent.

Rolls-Royce created two special edition models of 25 cars each, the first being an anniversary version, and all were finished in Ming Blue with a cream hood with a silver plaque on the dash. The second special edition was known as the Corniche S. These were the final 25 Corniche IV models built and came with a turbocharged engine and a dashboard plate.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche V
Production of the Corniche V lasted from January 2000 to August 2002, and a total of 384 examples were built, including the final 45 examples designed as Final Series Corniches.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2023