Guide Price: £68,000 - £78,000

Highlights

﹒Three owners from new
﹒Just 52,000 miles
﹒Rich and detailed history

The Background

The Rolls Royce Corniche, or at least this on in particular, is an unusual car. Despite those classic lines that can be traced all the way back to the 1960s, this car is in fact from 1990. Though of course, it was introduced much earlier. 1971 to be precise.

The Corniche, which gained its name from the French word meaning ‘coastal road’ was not any old Rolls. In fact, it was based on the Silver Shadow two-door, which was introduced in ‘66. The Convertible version came a year later in ‘67. Built by Mulliner Park Ward, the car was afforded its own identity and became the Corniche in ‘71. From there, this model was in production until ‘95. Though of course, it went through some changes over the years. The look of the car remained largely the same, but by ‘90 the Corniche was on its third iteration, and gained airbags, more advanced suspension and more modern fuel injection.

The History

This Corniche first took to the road on the 1st of January 1990, making it one of the earliest Corniche III models. Finished in Royal Ebony Black with contrasting Magnolia leather interior trim, it was and still is an eye-catching machine.

The first owner kept the car until 2004. It was then sold again in 2012 and in 2018 the owner’s son registered the car, meaning it has only three owners, but the last eight years have been with the same family. As you would expect from a car with so few names on the V5, the condition is excellent.

The Paperwork

There is ample paperwork with this Corniche, including the original book pack with service schedule and owner’s manual in their correct leather Rolls Royce pouch. There is also myriad other paperwork, detailing the various works the car has had over the years.

The most recent was a service in October 2019 by Bentley in Sussex, and totalled over £3,400. In April of 2018, a new battery was fitted, the gearbox was serviced as was the air-conditioning at a cost of over £1,100. Various paint rectifications were carried out in 2004 to the tune of over £2,300 and other works such as new tyres, wheel balancing, various MOTs and more can all be seen in the paperwork. It truly is a extensive collection.

In terms of the servicing schedule, it was as follows:

51,052 miles on 31 October 2019 – Bentley Sussex (Harwoods)
48,346 miles on 31 October 2018 – Bentley Sussex (Harwoods)
39,449 miles on 12 April 2017 – Bentley Sussex (Harwoods)
38,783 miles on 19 May 2016 – Bentley Sussex (Harwoods)
36,706 miles on 22 October 2015 – Bentley Sussex (Harwoods)
32,752 miles on 01 June 2012 – Bentley Sussex (Harwoods)
32,430 miles on 30 June 2011 – Bentley Sussex (Harwoods)
31,592 miles on 21 August 2009 – Bentley Sussex (Harwoods)
23,740 miles on 03 June 2008 – Gallimore Motors (Specialist)
17,434 miles on 19 February 1996 – Rolls-Royce HR Owen
9,401 miles on 01 November 1991 – Rolls-Royce HR Owen

Due to the recent lack of use, the Corniche is currently subject to SORN. However, on completion of the sale, the vendor will supply the car with twelve months MOT. The last MOT was carried out in September of 2019, at 51,061 miles without any advisories.

The Interior

As you might anticipate given the mileage, the interior is in excellent condition throughout. The Magnolia leather spread over the seats and the doors is in wonderful condition, with only the occasional sign of wear and use. There is no heavy cracking, nor any wear - it has clearly been fed and maintained. The electrics within the seats themselves all function as they should, and as such the perfect driving position is always achievable.

The dash is bright, clear and all the gauges read true and function as they should. The dash top is in good order, with no cracking or bleaching, while the wooden veneer within the dash itself is all in lovely condition with no scratches or damage. The same can be said of the veneer on doors and in the rear sections - it’s all very well presented.

The carpets are in good condition, with no staining or wear and all the piping is intact. The carpets in the boot are much the same, as is the cover for the roof when retracted. Speaking which, the roof functions without noise or complaint, and locks down tight to create a welcoming cabin. The roof itself is in good condition, with no heavy creasing nor any marks. The rear section where it buttons down to the body sits slightly raised, and there is a small break in the lower chrome trim just above the fuel filler area. However, this has no bearing on the roof's excellent condition nor its functionality.

The Exterior

The exterior of this car, with its acres of Royal Ebony metallic paint makes for a car with incredible presence. The age old combination of black and chrome is favoured for a reason, and that’s evident when looking upon this car. The chrome itself is all in good condition with only the smallest amount of age-related pitting to be seen. Nothing that detracts from the overall impression of the car, certainly.

The black paint is in good order, and has been attended to in the past as detailed in the service history. It presents very well indeed, though it’s not without imperfections. There are some hairline cracks showing in the corners at the rear edge of the bonnet, and some around the base of the screen. There is also a slight crease on the opening edge of the driver’s door. It’s real ‘lean in to see it’ stuff though, and doesn’t draw the eye unless mentioned. As you can see from the pictures, this car presents very well indeed.

The wheels, with recent Avon tyres are all in good order. Looking behind them into the inner arches reveals nothing of concern, nor does looking into areas like door shuts, A and B pillars and sills. It’s all clean as a whistle and reveals nothing of concern. It has, make no mistake, been very well looked after indeed.

The Mechanicals

The 6.75 litre alloy V8 is of course in wonderful condition. Open that forward-hinged bonnet and you’ll be greeted with a clean, tidy engine bay that has been cared for. There are no signs of any leaks, nor any substandard repairs. Instead, it’s all completely original. The hoses are all in good order, as are the fittings and other engine ancillaries.

Fire it up and the big V8 wooshes into life, sending a shiver of life through the car. It idles cleanly, gets up to temperature and stays there, and there is no smoke nor any noises of concern. Select drive and the three-speed transmission engages without hesitance and the power is delivered to driven wheels without issue. The car simply glides along. The steering is incredibly light, the brakes well weighted balanced, and as you build speed the gearbox shifts with the minimal amount of intrusion.

Having covered so few miles, this Corniche is of course in excellent mechanical health. Perfect then, for dropping the top and heading to the south of France in. When we’re allowed, of course.

The Appeal

Low miles, minimal owners and the kind of service history we wish every car had, this is a wonderful example of a rare car. The slightly more modern fuel injection and revised suspension mean that it feels reasonably modern to drive by comparison to others that may share this body design. The colour combination is simply to die for and the condition it is in is right in the sweet spot. Not so immaculate that you’re intimidated to use it, but also nowhere near that of a lesser, older car that may see some age creeping in. It’s a classic design, from an iconic brand, with years of motoring left ahead of it. But those years can only be with you if you bid.

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