1987 Rolls-Royce Corniche II

Rolls-Royce's final coachbuilt models were limited to just two bodystyles - a two-door coupe or similar convertible, the former arriving in March 1966 and the latter in September the following year. Both were entrusted to the company's in-house coachbuilder Mulliner, Park Ward, who hand-built them in the finest traditions of British coachbuilding using only materials of the finest quality, including Wilton carpeting, Connolly hide,s and burr walnut veneers. The lengthy process took twenty weeks for the saloon and slightly longer for the more complex convertible, and prices were considerably higher (approximately 50 percent higher than the standard Silver Shadow's). Despite the costs and the lengthy build process, demand was strong, resulting in them being given their own model name - the 'Corniche' - in March of 1971. Periodically revised and updated, the Corniche remained in production well into the 1990s, the last (convertible) examples being delivered in 1995. A total of 1,090 Rolls-Royce Corniche Saloons, 3,239 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertibles, 69 Bentley Corniche Saloons, and 77 Bentley Corniche Convertibles were built from 1971 through 1987. 1,234 examples were Corniche II models built from 1986 through 1989, 452 were the Corniche III, and 244 were the Corniche IV.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche was given its name for the Grand Corniche touring road between Nice and Monte Carlo. The name first appeared on the Rolls-Royce in the 1930s and was based on the Bentley Mark V and wore coachwork by Carrosserie Vanvooren. It was a prototype that endured 15,000 miles of testing in Europe before being blown up by a bomb in port awaiting its ship to England.

In the 1960s, when Rolls-Royce was seeking a new and modern design direction, they tasked John P. Blatchley with this important task. His basic design for the 1966 Silver Shadow would endure in its basic concept well into the 1990s. A two-door saloon was introduced early in 1966, followed by a convertible in 1967. In 1971 the Silver Shadow two-door Mulliner Park Ward models were given the separate identity of Corniche, with the production of the coupe continuing through 1982 while the convertible lasted through 1996.

The 6.75 liter (6,750cc) engine had a bore of 4.1 inches and a stroke of 3.9 inches. It had an aluminum-silicon alloy block, aluminum cylinder heads with cast iron wet cylinder liners, and twin SU carburetors. In 1977, a single Solex 4A1 four-barrel carburetor replaced the prior twin SU carb setup. Bosch fuel injection was added in 1980 for cars destined for the U.S.

The engine was mated to a GM-sourced three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 transmission. Disc brakes at all four corners were standard, and ventilated discs from 1972 forward. The suspension was independent all round with coil springs augmented by a hydraulic self-leveling system (initially on all four wheels but later only on the rear wheels). The system was the same as the one used by Citroen, but devoid of pneumatic springs.

The wheelbase initially measured 119.75 inches, enlarged to 120 inches in 1974, and then by another .5-inches in 1979.

The Corniche II (1986 - 1989)
The Rolls-Royce Corniche sent to the United States from 1986 through 1988 was known as the Corniche II. The 1988 model year brought the addition of anti-lock brakes and minor updates to the interior. Near the close of that model year, the interior gained redesigned instrumentation and newly designed seats, and a new reverse warning lens type was added to the rear license plate.

In the United States, the Corniche was the company's most expensive model with prices that exceeded $162,000. The Camargue two-door coupe listed at approximately $158,600, the Silver Spur long-wheelbase saloon at $119,000, and the Silver Spirit four-door saloon at $111,000. Each used the same 412 cubic-inch V8 engine paired with the three-speed automatic. The Silver Spirit rested on a 120.5-inch wheelbase, the Camargue on a 120.1-inch wheelbase platform, and the LWB Silver Spur at 124.5-inches.

The Corniche III (1989 - 1993)
Rolls-Royce introduced the Corniche III in 1989 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The interior was mildly updated with a revised dashboard, console and seats, and mechanical improvements included a more advanced suspension system, MK-Motronic fuel injection, and the addition of airbags. Exterior updates were equally minor with color-coded bumpers and new alloy wheels.

The Corniche IV (1992 - 1995)
Rolls-Royce introduced the Corniche IV in January 1992 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Again, only minor updates distinguished the Corniche IV from its predecessor, the most dramatic being made to the mechanical components. A new adaptive suspension and CFC-free air conditioning were added and the previous three-speed GM400 transmission was replaced by a four-speed GM4L80 unit. The only visual difference was a glass rear window replacing the previous plastic unit.

The Corniche S (1995)
The final twenty-five examples of the Corniche were given turbochargers and dubbed the Corniche S.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2022