1971 Rolls-Royce Corniche

The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and Bentley T series of late 1965 was the first product of Crewe that used unitary construction of chassis and body. This modernized production method meant the end of old coachbuilding traditions and ushered in more uniform coachwork compared to the elegant individual designs that had gone before.

The Silver Shadow was equipped with Rolls-Royce's familiar alloy V8 engine retaining the same 6,230cc as in the Silver Cloud III/S3 and a power output of around 220bhp. Changes included the all-round independent suspension, a sophisticated engine pump-driven self-leveling system, and disc brakes.

A year after the Silver Shadow's introduction, a two-door coupe with coachwork by Mulliner Park Ward joined the line-up followed in 1967 by a similarly-styled drophead coupé. Initially, Mulliner Park Ward designed these cars as Silver Shadows, but they were subsequently updated in 1971 when the Corniche name was first used.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche hardtop coupe remained in production through 1980, and the convertible to 1995. After laying dormant for a few years, the name was revived in January 2000, applied to a two-door, four-seater luxury convertible, and produced through August 2002.

A Bentley version of the Corniche was also produced, and it became known as the Bentley Continental from 1984 to 1995.

Mechanical Specification
The Rolls-Royce Corniche initially rested on a 119.75-inch wheelbase platform with an overall length of 203.5 inches, a height of 58.75 inches, and a width of 72 inches. The wheelbase grew to 120 inches in 1974 and 120.5 inches in 1979.

Engine
The 6.75 liter ( 6,750 cc / 412 cubic-inch), 90-degree, L410 overhead valve V8 engine had a 3.9-inch stroke and a 4.1-inch bore. It had aluminium cylinder heads, cast iron wet cylinder liners, and an aluminium-silicon alloy block. Twin SU carburetors were initially installed, but in 1977, they were replaced by a single Solex 4A1 four-barrel carburetor. Export models used twin SU carburetors until 1980 (per de-smogging efforts) when Bosch fuel injection was added. Other markets received Bosch KE/K-Jetronic fuel injection in 1977. This engine, dubbed the L410I, produced nearly 240 horsepower at 4,000 RPM.

The transmission was a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic 400 automatic sourced from General Motors. The Corniche IV (1992) received a four-speed 4L80-E automatic transmission.

The suspension was independent all round with coil springs and augmented by a hydraulic self-leveling system similar to the one used by Citroen, but without pneumatic springs, and with the hydraulic components. An adaptive suspension was introduced on the Corniche IV (1992).

Construction
The construction of the Corniche was performed by the company's in-house coachbuilder, Mulliner Park Ward. These two-door cars were given the finest materials available and were hand-built by craftsmen following the best traditions of British coachbuilder. The construction of each example required approximately twenty weeks due to the painstaking attention to detail. In return for this labor extensive process, the cost of Corniche was significantly higher than other Rolls-Royce products, at approximately 50% higher than the standard Silver Shadow. Despite the cost, the demand for these glamorous two-door vehicles was strong from the start.

Rolls-Royce Corniche I (1971-1987)
The first generation of the Corniche was produced from 1971 to 1987 with 1,090 Saloons and 3,239 convertibles. Additionally, 69 examples were Bentley Corniche Saloons and 77 Bentley Corniche Convertibles.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche was mildly restyled in the spring of 1977, gaining alloy and rubber bumpers, an aluminum radiator, an oil cooler, a bi-level air conditioning system, and a rack-and-pinion steering system. A modified rear independent suspension was added in March 1979.

The fixed-roof version of the Corniche and its Bentley sibling were discontinued in March 1981 after the arrival of the Silver Spirit.

Rolls-Royce Corniche II (1986-1989)
The Corniche II name was adopted for the United States market from 1986 and for other markets from 1988. A total of 1,234 examples of the Corniche II were produced through 1989.

Rolls-Royce Corniche III (1989-1993)
Rolls-Royce used the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show to introduce the Corniche III. It rode on new alloy wheels, and had color-coded bumpers, air bags, MK-Motronic fuel injection, and a more advanced suspension system. Minor updates were made to the interior, including the console, dashboard, and seats. Produced through 1993, a total of 452 examples were constructed.

Rolls-Royce Corniche IV (1992-1995)
The Corniche IV version was introduced in January 1992 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In preparation for the 1994 closure of Mulliner Park Ward, production was moved to Crewe. A total of 244 examples of the Corniche IV were built through 1995, including 25 Corniche S (1995) examples. These were the final 25 Corniche IV models constructed and came with turbocharged engines and an individually numbered dashboard plate.

The previous plastic rear window used in the Corniche III was replaced by a glass unit in the Corniche IV. Improvements to the top mechanism meant it no longer required manual latching. Safety improved thanks to driver and passenger airbags.

Rolls-Royce Corniche V (2000-2002)
Production of the Corniche IV ended in 1995, bringing a temporary end to the Corniche name. In 2000, the fifth series Corniche arrived in January 2000 with a base price of $359,900 (USD). Production ended in August 2002 after 384 examples had been built including the final 45 being designated as 'Final Series.'

The styling of the fifth generation Corniche had a strong family resemblance to the Silver Seraph and continued to use the 6.75 liter V8 engine block paired with the 4-speed 4L80-E automatic transmission. The wheelbase continued to measure 120.5 inches, a length of 212.79 inches, a height of 58 inches, and a width of 81 inches. The turbocharged V8 engine offered 325 horsepower and 545 lb-ft of torque. Interior accouterments included exotic wood trims, lambswool rugs, Wilton wool carpets, Connolly leather, and chrome gauges. There were two-stage heated seats, a 4 x 30 watt stereo system, a six CD changer unit mounted in the front seat armrest, and dual automatic temperature control.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2024

Sold for $50,400 at 2024 Broad Arrow Auctions : Amelia.
This 1971 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible was ordered with a Willow Gold exterior with Gold over Garnet pinstripes and a Dark Brown Everflex convertible top. The interior was trimmed in Dark Brown Anela Connolly leather with Brown Gold Connolly leather piping and Dark Brown Glenylon carpeting. Standard equipment included power windows and air conditioning. The list of optional equipment included a fully carpeted trunk in matching Dark Brown Glenylon, Myrtle burl veneer, and cruise control.

This Rolls-Royce was ordered through C.R. Berry Rolls-Royce, Inc. of Miami, Florida, in April 1971 and delivered to its first owner on December 21, 1971. It had a suggested retail price of nearly $35,000.

Currently, this Rolls-Royce has an ivory exterior and burgundy livery.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2024