1982 Rolls-Royce Camargue

The Rolls-Royce Camargue, with the underpinnings of the contemporary Silver Shadow, was different from any Rolls-Royce models that preceded it and closer in concept to the Bentley Continental. Power was from an uprated version of Rolls-Royce's reliable 6,750cc V8 engine. In keeping with the company's tradition, the power output remained undisclosed yet was adequate enough to achieve a top speed in excess of 120 mph. Other features included an advanced split-level air conditioning system that enabled independent temperature control at two levels, something that would later become standard on the Shadow II range.

The Camargue was the first Rolls-Royce automobile to be designed to metric dimensions, and its grille was inclined rather than perfectly vertical (another first for a Rolls-Royce vehicle).

With U.S. base prices of approximately $148,000, the Camargues were certainly an exclusive automobile. The prohibitive cost and the lengthy production build time accounted for the model numbers built. During its eleven years in production which ended in 1986, 530 examples were built.

The Rolls-Royce Camargue two-door luxury saloon was marketed from 1975 through 1986. Its design was courtesy of Paolo Martin at Pininfarina and was the first Rolls-Royce production vehicle produced in the post-World War II era that did not wear a design produced in-house (albeit not including coach-built variants of production models and the coach-built Cornice by Mulliner-Park Ward). The total production of the Camargue was 531 units.

At its introduction, the Rolls-Royce Camargue was the company's flagship model and the most expensive production car in the world.

The 1982 Rolls-Royce Camargue rested on a 120.1-inch wheelbase, was 75.5 inches wide, stood 58.2 inches tall, and had a length of 207.5 inches. The 90-degree, overhead-valve eight-cylinder engine had cast-aluminum block and heads, a 412 cubic-inch (6750cc) displacement, five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system (for U.S. delivered examples), and an 8.0:1 compression (again, for U.S. delivery). The transmission was a three-speed automatic, the steering by a rack-and-pinion system, and the rear suspension was independent with coil springs, semi-trailing arms, and automatic leveling. In the United States, the Camargue two-door coupe listed in excess of $158,000.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2017