Rolls-Royce Corniche

The Rolls-Royce Corniche is a two-door, front-engine, rear wheel drive luxury car produced by Rolls-Royce Motors as a hardtop coupé (from 1971 to 1980) and as a convertible (from 1971 to 1995 and 1999 to 2002). The Corniche was a development of the Mulliner Park Ward two-door versions of the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. These were designated the 2-door Saloon and Drophead Coupé, and were introduced in 1965 and 1966 respectively. Production remained in London at Mulliner Park Ward; the new name was applied in March 1971. A Bentley version of the Corniche was also produced. It became known as the Bentley Continental from 1984 to 1995. The Corniche draws its name from the experimental 1939 Corniche prototype. The name originally comes from the French word corniche, a coastal road, especially along the face of a cliff, most notably the Grande Corniche along the French Riviera above the principality of Monaco. No other car conveyed an image of the idle rich better than the Corniche for its entire 30 year run of production.