1973 Rolls-Royce Corniche

The Rolls-Royce Corniche was produced as a two-door coupe from 1971 to 1981 and as a convertible from 1971 to 1995. During that time, a total of 1,090 Corniche Saloons and 3,239 Convertibles were built. The styling was courtesy of Bill Allen and a development of the Mulliner Park Ward two-door version of the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. The name was inspired by the experimental 1939 Corniche prototype, originating from the French word corniche - a coastal road along the face of a cliff. The most famous being the Grande Corniche along the French Riviera.

Rolls-Royce's final coachbuilt models were entrusted to the company's in-house coachbuilder, Mulliner Park Ward, and hand-built in the finest tradition of British coachbuilder. The lengthy process took 20 weeks for the completion of the saloon and slightly longer for the more complex convertible. This attention to detail demanded a price that was approximately fifty-percent higher than the standard Silver Shadows.

The V8 engine displaced 6,750cc and used an aluminum-silicon alloy block and aluminum cylinder heads with cast iron wet cylinder liners. It had a bore and stroke of 4.1- and 3.9-inches respectively and twin SU carburetors were initially fitted, replaced with a single Solex 4A1 four-barrel carburetor in 1977. Vehicles destined for export retained the twin SU carburetors until 1980 when a Bosch KE/K-Jetronic fuel injection system was added to help it comply with emission regulations. The engine was backed by a three-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 gearbox.

The wheelbase originally rested upon a 119.75-inch wheelbase that was extended in 1974 to 120-inches, growing again in 1979 to 120.5-inches. The smooth ride was attributed to the independent coil suspension setup, complemented by a hydraulic self-leveling system in the rear. Disc brakes all round provided the stopping power, with ventilated discs added for 1972.

The interiors featured a three-spoke steering wheel with a wood rim, along with the company's first standard tachometer. Minor styling updates arrived in the spring of 1977, with rubber bumpers, a bi-level air conditioning system, and an oil cooler. A modified rear independent suspension arrived in March of 1979. More cosmetic and interior updates followed in 1985.

The Corniche II name was used for the United States market beginning in 1986 and other markets from 1988, lasting until 1989 when it was replaced by the Corniche III. A total of 1,234 examples of the Corniche II were produced. 1988 brought anti-lock brakes, a new reverse warning lens type, slight detail changes to the interior, redesigned instrumentation, and newly designed seats.

The 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show served as the unveiling of the Corniche III, introducing color-coded bumpers and new alloy wheels. The engine received MK-Motronic fuel injections and the suspension received updates. Airbags were now standard. A revised console and dashboard greeted drivers and occupants, along with new seats.

Rolls-Royce chose the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January of 1992 to introduce the Corniche IV, produced through 1995. By this point in history, and in preparation for the 1994 closure of Mulliner Park Ward, production had moved to Crewe. Mechanical changes included an adaptive suspension, a CFC-free air conditioning system, and a four-speed GM4L80 automatic replacing the previous three-speed GM400 transmission. The only visible change was a glass rear window replacing the previous plastic unit. Power increased by around twenty percent in August of 1993.

As production was coming to a close, the final 25 Corniche models built were known as the Corniche S, with turbochargers added to the engine.

by Dan Vaughan

Convertible Coupe

The Corniche was introduced in 1971 as the company was going into receivership. They were the coupe and convertible versions of the Silver Shadow. Power was from a 6.75-liter aluminum V8 engine fitted with twin SU carburetors and coupled to a three-speed Hydramatic transmission. The wheelbase measured 120 inches with a hydraulic self-leveling four-wheel independent suspension, four wheel disc brakes and weighed 4,816 pounds. Just 3,239 convertibles were producing during the 1971 to 1987 production run.

The car was purchased by the current owner in 1971 and it was delivered in September of 1973. Accessories included bar fittings in the driver's door and vanities in the passenger door. The pin striping was two thin lines with initials on the door to match. The car has been carefully maintained and is in original condition.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Park Ward & Co.
Chassis number: 16785
Engine number: 16785

The Rolls-Royce's final coachbuilder models were entrusted to the company's in-house coachbuilder Mulliner, Park Ward. Body styles were limited to just two, a two-door coupe or similar convertible. The coupe arrived in March of 1966 and the convertible followed in September of 1967. The cars were hand built using only the finest quality material, including Wilton carpeting, Connolly hide and burr walnut veneers. The process took 20 weeks for the saloon and slightly longer for the convertible. These coach-built vehicles were priced some 50% higher than the standard Silver Shadow's.

Powering the Corniche was the proven 6,750cc aluminum-alloy V8 engine offering around 10% more than the standard. Top speed was in excess of 120 mph. The cars were progressively developed; the Corniche received the split-level air conditioning system along with a re-designed fascia in 1976. In 1977, they received rack-and-pinion steering, introduced on the Shadow II range.

The Corniche remained in production well into the 1990s, the last (Convertible) examples being delivered in 1995.

This Corniche Coupe is a right-hand drive example that is finished in bronze with cream leather interior. It has UK-registration 'SWC 222M' and comes with Swansea V5 registration document.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the Monaco sale presented by Bonhams. The car was estimated to sell for €18,000 - 24,000 but bidding failed to satisfy the vehicle's reserve. It would leave the auction unsold.

by Dan Vaughan

The Rolls-Royce styling department designed a beautiful, elegantly shaped two-door coupe derivative of the Silver Shadow, which was engineered and produced by Mulliner Park Ward. When launched in March 1996 it was priced at 9,849 pounds, nearly 3,300 pounds more than the standard four-door saloon. This was followed 18 months later by a convertible version priced at 11,511 pounds. Both of these Mulliner Park Ward models were relaunched as the Corniche in 1971 with technical improvements.

The Corniche underwent extensive development over the years although it remained little changed outwardly. It benefited from the improvements introduced on the Silver Shadow II and in 1988 cosmetic changes were sufficient for it to be designated Corniche II.

1990 saw the arrival of the Corniche III with alloy wheels and MK Motronic engine management system. The Corniche IV of 1992 again retained the look of its predecessors, but adaptive suspension and four-speed automatic transmission had been introduced. The final incarnation was the Corniche IV Anniversary model, the Corniche S, of which only 25 were made.

by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

by Rolls-Royce

First introduced in 1966, the name 'Park Ward two-door' was first given to the trailblazing Convertible, eventually renamed the 'Corniche'. The Corniche was a dramatic departure for Rolls-Royce from the standard steel Silver clouds to the newer and smaller Silver Shadow platforms.

The new generation of two-door vehicles was squinty-eyed with sloping inset grilles that brought instant success to the Rolls. Produced between 1971 and 1996, the Corniche was Rolls-Royce's coupe and convertible version of the Silver Shadow. Assembled and finished in London at Mulliner Park Ward as the continuation of the 1965 Silver Shadow coupe and 1967 drophead, the model featured the Corniche name was applied in 1971. Sold as a Bentley, that model was renamed and known as the Continental in 1984. Due to the onset of World War II, the first car to wear the Corniche name, a 1939 prototype based on the Bentley Mark V, was never produced.

The coupe Corniche was discontinued in 1982. Utilizing the standard Rolls-Royce V8 engine, the Corniche had an aluminum-silicon alloy block and aluminum cylinder heads with cast iron wet cylinder liners. While the bore was 4.1 inches, the stroke was 3.9 inches to achieve a total of 6.8 L. Introduced in 1975, twin SU carburetors were originally fitted with a single Solex 4-barrel carburetor. Until 1980 export models retained the twin SU's when Bosch fuel injection was added.

Standard was a 3-speed automatic transmission which was a Turbo Hydramatic 400 that was sourced from GE. Augmented with a hydraulic self-leveling system, a four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs was originally on all four, but later in the rear wheels only. For 1972, four-wheel disc brakes were specified, with ventilated discs.

Originally using a 119.75 wheelbase, in 1974 this was extended to 120 inches and 120.5 in 1979.

For 1986 the Corniche II was revised slightly with the replacement of alloy and rubber bumpers instead of chrome ones. An oil cooler was added to the new model, while an aluminum radiator was substituted. Airbags were not available in the model, but ant-lock brakes became standard. New style rims were added, along with a new reverse warning lens type and pattern around the rear license plate. Other updates included newly-designed seats and a redesigned dash. All Corniche II's were convertibles, and the Bentley model lost its closed coupe option in 1982.

In 1989 the Corniche III debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show as a following to the Corniche line. The major change for this generation was the addition of airbags as a standard feature. The bumpers were now displayed in a fitting body color paint job, rather than black. A more updated advanced suspension system was fitted in the new Corniche II. Once again, the dashboard was updated this time along with the console.

In 1993 the Corniche IV was introduced and production was moved to Crewe following the shutdown of Mulliner Park Ward. Upgrading from the old plastic rear window, the new Corniche featured a brand new glass rear window. No manual latching was required anymore, and the CFC-free air conditioning was specified, along with driver and passenger airbags.

The final 25 Corniche models in 1995 were named the Corniche S and were all Turbocharged.

In January 2000, the fifth generation of Corniche vehicles debuted. With a base price of $359,900, this new model was the most expensive vehicle offered by the company at this time. A total of 4347 of these models were produced. This new generation marked the first step into the new century for Rolls-Royce.

The Corniche V featured front and rear styling that showed a design developed from the mainstream model Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph. The new model was set onto the platform used for Bentley Azure, with a wheelbase of 3.061 mm. The unique identity of the drophead coupe was accentuated by a swaging from the top of the front wing to the bottom of the rear wing.

Completely set apart from the mainstream model, the new Corniche was powered by the well-proven 6.75 liter V8-engine with origins dating back to the fifties of the previous century. Introduced in 1959 with the introduction of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, Rolls-Royce Phantom V, and the Bentley S2, the engine had been kept up to date by careful development. The engine provided enormous torque that provided 738Nm at 2,1000rpm. The V8 engine was much heavier than the aluminum V12-engine. The Corniche weighed an astounding 2,735kg, which was 400 kg more than the basic four-door model with its V12-engine.

The last model developed at the Crewe factory, the Rolls-Royce Corniche was designed in the true Rolls-Royce philosophy with an interior that was luxurious and comfortable, a hallmark of the marque.

by Jessican Donaldson