1988 Rolls-Royce Corniche II Convertible
Engine no. 64117L4101/8
6,750cc OHV V8 Engine
Bosch Fuel Injection
240bhp at 4,000rpm
3-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Disc Brakes
*Just over 18,200 miles from new
*Exceptionally well-preserved example
*Original U.S. delivery Corniche
*Comfortable long distance touring car for four passengers
*Offered with clean CARFAX report
The Rolls-Royce Corniche
Recalling its glamorous Grands Routiers of pre-war days such as the Phantom II Continental, Rolls-Royce's final coachbuilt models - entrusted to the company's in-house coachbuilder, Mulliner, Park Ward - were limited to just two, a two-door coupe or similar convertible, the former arriving in March 1966 and the latter in September the following year. The cars were hand built in the best traditions of British coachbuilding, using only materials of the finest quality, including Wilton carpeting, Connolly hides and burr walnut veneers, a necessarily lengthy process that took all of 20 weeks for the saloon and slightly longer for the more complex convertible. This painstaking attention to detail resulted in a price some 50% higher than the standard Silver Shadow's. Nevertheless, demand for these more glamorous alternatives to the much more numerous Silver Shadows were strong right from the start, a state of affairs that resulted in them being given their own model name - 'Corniche' - in March 1971. The well tried aluminum V8 engine was adopted, displacing 6,750cc, driving through a Turbo Hydramatic 400 three-speed automatic gearbox sourced from General Motors. For the Corniche model, power output was enhanced by about 10%, providing greater torque and giving the car a top speed on the order of 120mph. The independent coil spring suspension provided the smoothest of rides, complemented by a hydraulic self-leveling system to the rear. Perceived early shortcomings in the braking department were eliminated in 1972 with the introduction of ventilated disc brakes. Major enhancements introduced in 1977 included rack-and-pinion steering, revised bumpers, an aluminum radiator, the addition of an oil cooler, and Bosch fuel-injection.
Corniche II nomenclature was adopted for the US for the 1986 model year and these improved models remained in showrooms through 1989. Tweaks continued to be made; anti-lock brakes, a major upgrade, were adopted for 1988. The Corniche proved a major success for Rolls-Royce; periodically revised and updated, it remained in production well into the 1990s, the last (Convertible) examples being delivered in 1995.
The Motorcar Offered
Offered here is a low-mileage, original and exceptionally well-preserved example of the renowned grand touring Rolls-Royce Corniche. Hand built at the famous Crewe Rolls-Royce facility near Cheshire, England during March of 1988, this Corniche II Convertible was equipped for US delivery. It arrived at the Manhattan-based Rolls-Royce showrooms of Carriage House Motor Cars, Ltd., later that year, and soon found its first home. The car is believed to have had few owners and benefitted from careful use, resulting in a recorded mileage today of just over 18,000 miles from new. Today the car shows extremely well, with a tasteful and fitting two-tone champagne over black color scheme subtly accenting the flowing lines of this elegant convertible. The chrome and stainless bright work presents equally well throughout. The interior is trimmed in biscuit Connolly hides with dark piping, and the cockpit is liberally appointed in elegant wood finishes. Complete with service books, lambswool rugs, jack, and tools, the Corniche presents stunningly inside and out, a representative example of the quality of these great, hand built Rolls-Royce motorcars.