1980 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible

The two-door convertible version of the Silver Shadow has been, without doubt, the most commercially successful convertible ever produced by Rolls-Royce. First introduced in 1966 as the ‘Silver Shadow Mulliner Park Ward Two-Door, Drophead Coupe’, to give it its full title, the car was instantly in demand. When Rolls-Royce launched the two-door cars, the international jet-set began to clamour for attention at the dealerships. With waiting lists measured in years, these hugely desirable vehicles began to change hands at significant premiums over list price, and one can imagine the hushed negotiations over the green baize of the gaming tables at Crockfords, the Palm Beach and Aspinalls. Customers who ordered the Drophead were not the same people who purchased the company's sensible saloons, with the cars frequently being specified in bright colours, and eventually it became apparent that this version deserved to have its own model name so, after a few cosmetic changes in 1971, the Corniche was born. The name originally comes from the French word for a coastal road, particularly along the face of a cliff, most notably the Grande Corniche along the French Riviera above the principality of Monaco, and it was thought at the time that this new name might convey some of the style and glamour of Monte Carlo and, 50 years later, it still does. 

Rolls-Royce foresaw the time when RR owners would like to drive their own cars, and the Corniche continued to be developed with this in mind and even had a rev counter fitted as standard. Around 10% more power was coaxed from the proven 6,750cc aluminium-alloy V8 endowing the two-door with a top speed in excess of 120mph and sports car-embarrassing acceleration to match. Progressively developed, the Corniche received Rolls’ advanced split-level air conditioning system along with a re-designed fascia in 1976 - the first Rolls-Royce model to do so. Despite its sky-high asking price, the model 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.

Looking fabulous in Rolls-Royce Claret with a matching soft top roof over Magnolia Connolly hide, Mr David Pinto, the car's first owner, must have been beaming with pride when took delivery in November 1980 and, it would probably never have occurred to him, that the car would remain within his family for nearly 40 years.

In 1992, he took the car to be cared for by marque specialists, Chelsea Workshop, when the odometer was reading 64,700 miles. Around 2008/9 Mr. Pinto passed away leaving the car to his wife who became the second owner. She placed the car in storage where it remained until 2019 when it was returned to Chelsea Workshop and fully recommissioned at a cost of £9,766. On completion it was sold to a gentleman in Southampton, a Rolls-Royce collector who liked his cars to be perfect. He took the car to Hillier Hill in Buckinghamshire, as it had a couple of small engine leaks, and instructed them to rebuild the engine, carry out the SU carburettor conversion, rebuild the suspension and brakes etc. He collected the car a little while later having settled the account of around £37,000, moving it, we imagine a little higher on the 'perfection scale'. This invoice and previous ones from the Chelsea Workshop are included in the car's history file.

The, possibly, slightly brash image of the Corniche from 40 years ago has long since been forgotten and they are now regarded as a well-designed, very desirable, supremely elegant four-seat classic convertible that would be welcome anywhere.