1989 Rolls-Royce Corniche II

The final coachbuilt models, entrusted to the company's in-house coachbuilder Mulliner, Park Ward, were available as a two-door coupe or a convertible, the former arriving in March of 1966 and the latter in September the following year. These were hand built automobiles in the finest traditions of British coachbuilding using the finest materials available, including Wilton carpeting, Connolly hide and burr walnut veneers.

The design was by Mulliner Park Ward and it took four months (20 weeks) to build, with two weeks alone being spent creating the convertible top. The hand-finished, non-production car was powerful and elegant.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche replaced the Silver Shadow convertible and coupe in 1971. The name was derived from the Grand Corniche, the famous touring road high above the Mediterranean between Nice and Monte Carlo.

In 1977, the Corniche II was introduced, with the major mechanical difference being the rack-and-pinion steering. Alloy and rubber bumpers replaced earlier chrome ones. An aluminum radiator was substituted, and an oil cooler and a bi-level air conditioning system were added.

The demand for these glamorous alternatives to the much more numerous Silver Shadow was strong right from the start and proved to be a major success for Rolls-Royce. During its production lifespan it was periodically revised and up-dated, and remained in production well into the 1990s, with the last (convertible) examples being delivered in 1995.

Power was from an overhead valve V8 engine, displacing 6,750cc, fitted with a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system, and delivering 241 horsepower. It had a three-speed automatic transmission, independent front suspension with coil springs and wishbones, self-leveling independent rear suspension with semi-trailing arms and coil springs, and hydraulic front and rear disc brakes. Despite weighing nearly three tons, the Corniche had a top speed of 120 mph and could sprint from zero-to-sixty mph in less than ten seconds.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche cost over 205,500 when new making very exclusive and available only to the most discerning clientele.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2020