Rolls-Royce’s Corniche Was  the Automotive Status Symbol for 25 Years

In 1907, the British weekly magazine Autocar bestowed upon Rolls-Royce a title that has stuck to this day. “The Best Car in the World” was adopted as a slogan and rightly characterized many decades of automotive excellence. Not so much by the 1970s, though. By that time, Rolls-Royce and Bentley (the latter distinguished only by its grille) had become anachronistic luxury cars based on the Silver Shadow unibody platform, which was launched in 1965 and made through 1980, mostly in four-door form.

At the same time, stylish two-door coupes and convertibles were offered to customers who demanded them, and those were coachbuilt by Rolls-Royce subsidiary Mulliner Park Ward. Easily the most expensive British automobiles of the era, the coupe and convertible models were christened Corniche in 1971 as a nod to the roads hugging the French Cote d’Azur.

While the coupe was discontinued in 1982, the popular and coveted convertible was made until 1996. Corniche owners were as high-profile as the cars themselves, and included Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, and Tom Jones. Others, such as David Bowie, Elton John, and Dean Martin, queued up on two-year-long waiting lists to get theirs, proof that true luxury isn’t just about price, but access. Ultimately, the Rolls-Royce Corniche had become a global symbol of sumptuous indulgence and unbridled excess; the automotive equivalent of lighting a Cuban cigar with a hundred-dollar bill.

Four Corniche series were made, the first through 1987. Slight variations in appearance and specification distinguished the series II through IV cars, with the final series, made from 1993 through 1996, having a glass rear window that replaced a plastic one. Series V, made from 2000 through 2002, was related in name only, and was a transitional design made under the aegis of Volkswagen, as the Rolls-Royce reigns were being handed over to the marque’s new owner, BMW. Excluding series V, about 6,823 Rolls-Royce and 561 Bentley Corniche saloons and dropheads were produced over 24 years.

The Corniche’s power was characterized as “adequate,” in the manufacturer’s  parlance of the day, which really translates to a modest 218 hp, churned from the torquey 6.75-liter V-8 engine that has proven to be one of the longest-lived designs in automotive history, and is much akin to a big-block GM mill of the era.

That reliable iron lump brings the 5,000-pound car to 60 mph from a standstill in about 10 seconds, not so brisk a pace as to blow off a bad hairpiece. Handling response to driver input was nonexistent, but was hardly the point. The car’s elegant and understated design, creampuff ride, and regal comportment of occupants was—and remains— the reward of the Corniche experience.

An appreciation for what it takes to own an old Rolls-Royce may likewise conjure mental images of firing up a Montecristo with an ignited c-note, especially when presented with a mechanic’s invoice for fettling the hydropneumatic suspension, chasing gremlins in the electrical system, or repairing any part of the convertible roof. Indeed, some objects of desire are best appreciated from behind glass: a salt-water aquarium or exotic felines at the zoo are wisely left to experts. Still, it’s hard to resist the Corniche’s allure, especially when a brilliant example of a later series  III and IV can be had for between $50,000 and, at the tip-top, $150,000.

A careful and thorough inspection by a marque expert is essential before tying the knot. One goes into any union—automotive or matrimonial—with high hopes and unwavering commitment. For those seduced by the charms of a Corniche, there may be no alternative but to say, “I do.”

Click here for more photos of this 1989 Rolls-Royce Corniche II.