1980 Rolls-Royce Corniche

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1980 Rolls-Royce Corniche
SOLD
Plus w
Body Color
White
Stock
20GKM8
Vin
DRL50545
Miles
47,864
Engine Size
6.75L V8
Transmission Type
Automatic
PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTIONS WELCOMED
Body Color
White
Stock
20GKM8
Vin
DRL50545
Miles
47,864
Engine Size
6.75L V8
Transmission Type
Automatic
PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTIONS WELCOMED

Drophead Coupe

White
Red
6.75L V8
Automatic

1980 Rolls-Royce Corniche Drophead Coupe
- 47k Original Miles
- Stunning White over Red Color Combination
- Books of Service and Restoration Receipts
- Classic Rolls Convertible

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1980 Rolls-Royce Corniche Drophead on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of this vehicle due to website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 215 photographs and a startup/walk-around video, please go to our main website: GarageKeptMotors.)

“… the ultimate style statement of the 70s and 80s….” –Convertible Car Magazine

There is virtually no disagreement that, at the very top of the list of luxury brands in in the automobile business, Rolls-Royce stands alone and apart. Over the past two decades or so, while any number of brands have aimed to reach that level, Rolls-Royce loyalists virtually all agree, none has ever matched it. “There's just nothing like a Rolls,” is their oft-repeated accolade. And these brand aficionados are routinely able to list the many notable models each built by hand at the Mulliner Park Ward Rolls-Royce works in London. Most of them will also agree with the U.K. insurer, Carole Nash, Ltd., that: “One of the company's finest offerings was the Rolls-Royce Corniche, which acted as the successor to the Silver Shadow.”

The Corniche name came from the Italian term for “open road.” One look at the stunning Corniche “drophead coupe” (British for “convertible”) offered here, resplendent in its virtually flawless white-over-red leather colors, and it's easy to picture its handsome owner, hair flowing in the breeze, piloting this piece of automotive history on a twisty road overlooking the Mediterranean. As Carole Nash put it: “This is a leisure vehicle for the bloody rich, who, according to Rolls inquiries, have six other luxury vehicles in each of their family stables! And who will probably put no more than 5000 miles a year on the car.” Indeed, to bear that out, this particular Corniche has traveled just 1,175 miles per year on average.

“The car's interior is also replete with old-world Rolls-Royce ambience, right down to the chromed-mushroom vent pull switches that have adorned Rolls-Royces for so long,” said Car and Driver. The condition of the deep-red leather upholstery and matching boot cover speaks volumes about the care bestowed on this particular Corniche over the years. Hand-polished burled wood trim, a Rolls signature, still presents as-new. The wood-rimmed steering wheel is a special delight. The car's dash and switchgear are without flaw. Same with the luxurious red carpeting throughout. We encourage a detailed look at the more than 215 high-definition photographs of the car (especially the more than 50 shots of the interior) available at the GarageKeptMotors site.

The Corniche is powered by a 6.75 liter V8 married to a three-speed automatic transmission. This particular 1980 model benefitted from the modified rear independent suspension introduced by the factory in 1979, as well as rack-and-pinion steering, an aluminum radiator, and an air-conditioning system that first appeared in 1977. Mechanically, Rolls Royce automobiles are known to require attentive and professional maintenance. It's a mark of pride for many owners to bestow just that sort of attention on their highly prized automobiles. Indeed, more than one Rolls owner has made the point that they're caring for the cars out of a sense of duty to generations of owners yet to come, as much as for themselves. The documentation for just that sort of fastidious attention paid to the car over the years is included as shown in the photographs. Proof of this level of commitment by the owner of this Corniche are documented records of parts for the car sourced from Albers, Inc. in Zionsville, Indiana, an internationally renowned Rolls-Royce authority. Similarly, interior upkeep was sustained by Hilborn Interiors of Orlando, Florida, an exclusively Rolls-Royce resource to owners since 1931.

As to enjoying ownership of a classic Corniche, one of just 3,200 produced over the 14-year model run, the U.K. site Classic Cars for Sale noted: “Driving a Corniche is a wonderfully decadent and pleasurable experience. Yes, it's not for shrinking violets, as you will get ogled at – but as it's a classic, you'll also get lots of goodwill from other drivers. These cars are superbly engineered, and will last a lifetime. Unlike the (Rolls-Royce) Shadow, the market isn't cluttered with poorly maintained examples, and that's a good thing. A rough Rolls-Royces can empty your bank account alarmingly quickly – so, follow the guide and grab a great one.”

We agree wholeheartedly.

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