1979 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible
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Highlights
• Former Sultan of Brunei owned car
• Incredibly low mileage
• Tastefully upgraded
• Matching numbers
• Private plate included in the sale
The Background
When it was new, the Rolls Royce Corniche was the pinnacle of exclusivity. The open-top tourer was primarily designed to appeal to those who lived in warmer regions. It portrayed an understated regality of wealth, which enabled the design to survive in production for nearly 25 years. Lavished with sumptuous materials and built to an impeccably high standard, it retained its status as one of the world's most costly open-top cars.
This 1979 Corniche convertible is finished in a stunning Caribe Aqua complemented by a beige Connolly leather interior. With just 21,242 recorded miles, this car saw much of those miles transporting a notable royal figure. Meticulously maintained with full-service history, the car has a fascinating portfolio of paperwork and some recent tasteful upgrades, as well as all of its handbooks, service repair mat, full tool kit and its original Rolls Royce battery charger.
The History
Originally ordered by a Kent Rolls Royce dealer Martin Walter, the car spent its first few months of life in Coventry until it was obtained by main London Rolls Royce Dealer Jack Barclay.
It was here where the car caught the eye of a rather distinguished and well known royal car collector. Well known for housing an extensive collection of cars, the Sultan of Brunei is named as the 2nd owner on much of the documentation and the car was retained by his estate for around 20 years.
The car was subject to an extensive body restoration and bare metal respray, despite its low mileage in 1990 which was carried out by Rolls Royce themselves. Naturally maintained and serviced to the highest possible standards, the car eventually was sold to a private buyer where it maintained a fastidious service history and upkeep.
The car was formerly owned by the current vendor's friend, who later sold it back to him after lightly upgrading it with a handful of subtle tasteful upgrades, including a set of Rolls Royce alloy wheels and blue piping added to the seats, at a cost of roughly £8,000.
It was here where the car caught the eye of a rather distinguished and well known royal car collector. Well known for housing an extensive collection of cars, the Sultan of Brunei is named as the 2nd owner on much of the documentation and the car was retained by his estate for around 20 years.
The car was subject to an extensive body restoration and bare metal respray, despite its low mileage in 1990 which was carried out by Rolls Royce themselves. Naturally maintained and serviced to the highest possible standards, the car eventually was sold to a private buyer where it maintained a fastidious service history and upkeep.
The car was formerly owned by the current vendor's friend, who later sold it back to him after lightly upgrading it with a handful of subtle tasteful upgrades, including a set of Rolls Royce alloy wheels and blue piping added to the seats, at a cost of roughly £8,000.
The Paperwork
Complete with the expected history file, it documents its illustrious former owner, as well as evidence of servicing and past MOTs. Copies of the factory build checks are also included.
The car not surprisingly has been through several registration plates with the current private plate being part of the sale. Much of the paperwork details transactions and correspondence regards the change of registration plates, servicing, maintenance, including some fascinating insights into the car provenance while under the ownership of the Sultan.
One example is an invoice for shipping the car to Singapore and a series of Telegram messages regarding other Rolls Royce purchases. More recently the car has seen mechanical attention to its brakes, a set of new tyres and an extensive engine bay valet and some other visual cosmetic work. The car is also in the free road tax bracket and MOT exempt.
The car not surprisingly has been through several registration plates with the current private plate being part of the sale. Much of the paperwork details transactions and correspondence regards the change of registration plates, servicing, maintenance, including some fascinating insights into the car provenance while under the ownership of the Sultan.
One example is an invoice for shipping the car to Singapore and a series of Telegram messages regarding other Rolls Royce purchases. More recently the car has seen mechanical attention to its brakes, a set of new tyres and an extensive engine bay valet and some other visual cosmetic work. The car is also in the free road tax bracket and MOT exempt.
The Interior
The interior is where the appeal of the Corniche really comes through. The car had spent its royal chapter of its life naturally being chauffeur driven, and therefore has resisted general wear and tear very well.
The Connolly leather seats have retained their firmness and are impeccably presented with no significant damage noted. They have all been subjected to a blue pipe detailing which goes some way into adding a little touch of detail in an already near lavish interior presentation.
The Connolly leather seats have retained their firmness and are impeccably presented with no significant damage noted. They have all been subjected to a blue pipe detailing which goes some way into adding a little touch of detail in an already near lavish interior presentation.
The impact of the burl walnut veneer finish and leather trimmings has not diminished with age, with the door cards and cappings, dashboard and finishing trim all looking in tip-top shape. All of the switchgear, controls and levers are in good condition, with no issues with the bezels and instrumentation of the car. All, including the twin-zone climate control system, are said to be functional.
The steering wheel is in good order, with no suggestions of damage or wear. The car has been fitted with a modern Kenwood Bluetooth-USB music streaming unit, which is the only concession to modernity in the cabin. The roof headlining is in good shape with no damage or wear. The carpets and Lambswool Over-Rugs are in excellent shape, with no issues worth pointing out.
The boot presentation is near faultless and comes with a full tool kit, service mat and battery charger.
The steering wheel is in good order, with no suggestions of damage or wear. The car has been fitted with a modern Kenwood Bluetooth-USB music streaming unit, which is the only concession to modernity in the cabin. The roof headlining is in good shape with no damage or wear. The carpets and Lambswool Over-Rugs are in excellent shape, with no issues worth pointing out.
The boot presentation is near faultless and comes with a full tool kit, service mat and battery charger.
The Exterior
Even Rolls Royces are prone to neglect, but thanks to this car's modest usage, indoor storage, and attentive ownership, this car has been kept in excellent condition.
As one might anticipate from a Rolls Royce Corniche with the golden combination of a watertight history, low mileage, and evidence of at least one complete body restoration, there are no major concerns with the exterior and structure of the car, barring a few of very minor dents found on the offside door and wing.
The panel fit is excellent with the aluminium doors opening and closing with no resistance or obstructions. In terms of the structure, the base of the windscreen pillars, floor and footwells, sills and all of the wheel arches are all in good shape. The hood well and boot floor are solid too. The only blemish on an otherwise immaculate exterior is the scattering of surface corrosion observed on the front valance.
As one might anticipate from a Rolls Royce Corniche with the golden combination of a watertight history, low mileage, and evidence of at least one complete body restoration, there are no major concerns with the exterior and structure of the car, barring a few of very minor dents found on the offside door and wing.
The panel fit is excellent with the aluminium doors opening and closing with no resistance or obstructions. In terms of the structure, the base of the windscreen pillars, floor and footwells, sills and all of the wheel arches are all in good shape. The hood well and boot floor are solid too. The only blemish on an otherwise immaculate exterior is the scattering of surface corrosion observed on the front valance.
The Caribe Aqua paintwork is beautifully finished, with a deep shine throughout. There are no significant scratches or signs of poor upkeep, although there are tiny paint blemishes observed on the top of the nearside front edge top of the wing, small stone chips under the headlamps on the same side and a few paint touch-ups on the off-side door edge.
The Corniche received a body restoration by Rolls Royce shortly after being purchased by its renowned second owner, and evidence of a number of tell-tail indications noticed in the door well rubbers and the top of the A-pillars suggests it may have seen additional paintwork since then.
The Corniche received a body restoration by Rolls Royce shortly after being purchased by its renowned second owner, and evidence of a number of tell-tail indications noticed in the door well rubbers and the top of the A-pillars suggests it may have seen additional paintwork since then.
The glass is in good order, with no chips or cracks, although there is a little lamination damage noted on the driver's side edge of the windscreen. All of the other glass is in good condition, with no split or suggestion of the vybak rear screen going opaque. There are no issues in regards to the chrome work, all have been well preserved with the trim details all looking good. The radiator grille has minor signs of age but is free from damage.
The bumpers are in good order, with a light suggestion of age with the odd mark but could easily be brought up to scratch. The tan Everflex convertible hood is in excellent shape, with no damage, rips or repairs noted. The car has seen much of its life in covered storage and therefore free from any weather element damage on the multi-lined material.
The electric operation is seamless, with no strains on the electric motors, although the near-side rear glass operation is a little slower than the other side. The 15” alloys wheels are from a later Rolls Royce but suit the car well. All four are in excellent shape, with no scuffs or road wear. The Avon tyres are all recent items dating from 2019 with well above the legal tread.
The bumpers are in good order, with a light suggestion of age with the odd mark but could easily be brought up to scratch. The tan Everflex convertible hood is in excellent shape, with no damage, rips or repairs noted. The car has seen much of its life in covered storage and therefore free from any weather element damage on the multi-lined material.
The electric operation is seamless, with no strains on the electric motors, although the near-side rear glass operation is a little slower than the other side. The 15” alloys wheels are from a later Rolls Royce but suit the car well. All four are in excellent shape, with no scuffs or road wear. The Avon tyres are all recent items dating from 2019 with well above the legal tread.
The Mechanics
With the knowledge of a decent maintenance history and regular servicing, the car is in mechanically sound condition. The physical presentation of the engine is excellent having been subject to a professional engine valet. It has been dry stored for several months at ambient room temperature and fired up with a single turn of the key.
The engine ticked over well with no suggestion of warning lights remaining on. The proven all-alloy V8 engine runs super-smooth and once warmed up ran in near-silence, with no reported slippage from the 3-speed automatic gearbox. There is no evidence of excessive exhaust fumes and no suggestions of uneven running. There is a slight oil leak seepage noted, but these are drips rather than anything significant.
The car is said to drive well, with the current vendor pointing out it has retained its near-perfect magic-carpet ride with no issues with the steering and suspension.
The engine ticked over well with no suggestion of warning lights remaining on. The proven all-alloy V8 engine runs super-smooth and once warmed up ran in near-silence, with no reported slippage from the 3-speed automatic gearbox. There is no evidence of excessive exhaust fumes and no suggestions of uneven running. There is a slight oil leak seepage noted, but these are drips rather than anything significant.
The car is said to drive well, with the current vendor pointing out it has retained its near-perfect magic-carpet ride with no issues with the steering and suspension.
The Appeal
The Rolls Royce Corniche is in a class of its own, it simply conveys a message of subtle decadence and taste and the provenance of this car adds an additional sheen to an already appealing experience.
The car may appeal to an astute collector or someone looking for a low mileage fully maintained Corniche for the occasional sunny day cruise or perhaps something more adventurous. But make no mistake, these cars cannot be run cheaply, but a well-maintained example is by far the most painless path if you wish to take classic car motoring to a new level.
The car may appeal to an astute collector or someone looking for a low mileage fully maintained Corniche for the occasional sunny day cruise or perhaps something more adventurous. But make no mistake, these cars cannot be run cheaply, but a well-maintained example is by far the most painless path if you wish to take classic car motoring to a new level.
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Vehicle specification
- Year 1979
- Make Rolls Royce
- Model Corniche Convertible
- Colour Caribe Aqua Blue
- Odometer 21,242 Miles
- Engine size 6750
Auction Details
- Seller Type Trade
- Location Sussex
- Country United Kingdom
30
bids
- in•••• £93,500 29/10/21
- s6•••• £93,000 29/10/21
- in•••• £92,500 27/10/21
- Ro•••• £90,000 26/10/21
- in•••• £87,500 26/10/21
- Ro•••• £85,000 25/10/21
- K-•••• £82,500 25/10/21
- in•••• £79,000 25/10/21
- sh•••• £75,000 24/10/21
- K-•••• £65,000 24/10/21
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