This Rolls-Royce Corniche Restomod Is 1970s Swagger With Today’s Punch

Only five days before Rolls-Royce Motor Cars publicly revealed its Project Nightingale concept on April 14, the first model from its new Coachbuild Collection, another U.K.-based builder premiered a car also bearing the coveted Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. The latter, too, launches a new line—the Great Eight series from restoration house Halcyon, as debuted by a reimagined Rolls-Royce Corniche fixed-head coupe.

Yet unlike the all-original, all-electric convertible concept developed in Goodwood, the new Halcyon model is a restomod homage to the 6.75-liter L-Series V-8 engine that was the heart of many a Rolls-Royce and Bentley when both were under the same roof at Crewe. It also pays tribute to a Rolls that defined automotive opulence in an era defined, in part, by the global oil crisis.

According to a historical retrospective presented on the website of the BMW Group (current owners of Rolls-Royce Motor cars), the original Corniche fixed-head coup was introduced in 1971. The model was built by a then-new amalgamation of leading British coachbuilders of the day acquired by Rolls, those being H.J. Mulliner and Park Ward. And while the nameplate continued until 1992 as a convertible, the coupe version ceased production in 1981.

Setting its Great Eight Series in motion, Halcyon has initially reinterpreted the Corniche in a commission it calls the Rose and Scroll—a “design study” that bolsters both the muscle of the storied mill and the interior’s intricate artistry. Halcyon touts each commission as being made by hand in Surrey, England, and necessitating 5,000 hours of work. Yet while we know that modifications are made to the L-Series V-8, performance specs have not been released on this example. In the official press release, though, Halcyon cofounder and C.O.O. Charlie Metcalfe assures, “The result is an engine that feels entirely authentic, but capable in a way it never was before.”

That increased capability is accounted for with handling that benefits from an adaptive suspension system and a better braking setup than what the 1970s Corniche came with. Then there’s the “continuously controlled electronic dampers” and drive modes that comprise Drive, Spirited, and Touring (Drive being the golden mean of the other two).

The authenticity that Metcalfe mentions in the press release carries through to the choice of color scheme. The exterior is Halcyon’s Arboretum Green, which is reflective of the region’s own verdant environment, while the interior serves as complement with tan upholstery and trim of open-poor wood for a decidedly grounding aesthetic. Also commemorating the countryside is the Halcyon Gallery, spanning nearly 4.6 feet in length and featuring a museum-worthy engraving honoring “the Surrey hills Halcyon calls home” by means of the commission’s namesake rose-and-scroll decorative motif.

More modern, though, are the cabin’s accoutrements, including an infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, climate control, electrically adjustable seats, and select driver assists such as cruise control and a reversing camera. This all plays to the missive for the restomod series, as mentioned by Matthew Pearson, cofounder and C.E.O. of Halcyon. In the official announcement, he states, “We set out to create the best versions of these cars for today,” and, at first glance, that appears to certainly be the case.

The Great Eight Series from Halcyon will be limited to 60 examples, comprising 20 of the Corniche fixed-head coupe, 30 of the drophead version, and 10 total between the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and Bentley T-Series restomods. Each starts at 425,000 British pounds (approximately $574,500), and clients are able to highly customize their commissions and be involved through the build, which takes a year to complete.

Click here for more photos of this Rolls-Royce Corniche restomod by Halcyon.