1989 Rolls-Royce Corniche II Convertible
Concours example, 33,000 miles and essentially one owner from new

Registration No: G43 SCU
Chassis No: SCAZD00A0KCH29258
MOT: September 2026

• Understood to have had essentially one owner from new
• Part of a trio of low mileage, exemplary Rolls-Royce and Bentley motorcars which were treasured by their late custodian
• Offered with original owner's handbook, service book and maintenance notes
• Cost the equivalent of circa £380,000 in today's money when new!

“In most people’s eyes, it’s the absolute ultimate in cars” (Autocar magazine)

The epitome of luxurious, open-topped motoring, the Rolls-Royce Corniche found favour with the global elite not to mention such A-list celebrities as Sir Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, David Bowie, Elton John, Dean Martin, Sir Michael Caine and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Often subject to a two-year plus waiting list, the model underwent its first major facelift in 1986 with the arrival of the Corniche II. Visually distinguished by colour-coded bumpers / door mirrors and chrome side trims that accentuated its wheelarches / sills, changes to the newcomer were far more than skin deep. In common with Rolls-Royce’s other so-called ’20,000 Series’ cars, the soft-top benefited from a vastly improved electrical system, better air-conditioning, more engine power, superior reliability, increased fuel efficiency, simplified servicing and ABS brakes. For example, the mellifluous 6750cc V8 engine gained a new inlet manifold, flywheel, firing order, throttle body, starter motor, cylinder heads and pistons plus Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection etc. The power steering, cooling / fuel / hydraulic systems, seats, automatic transmission and cruise control were all uprated too, while the final drive ratio was increased to 2.69:1 (due to the extra bhp/lbft). The changes even went as far as more potent electric window motors. Painted in a wide variety of colours and trimmed with the finest materials available, each Corniche II took the best part of 1,000 hours to build. Only current from 1986-1989, the majority of the 1,228 examples completed were to left-hand drive specification. Necessarily exclusive, the Rolls-Royce’s list price had risen to more than £120,000 by 1989 (the equivalent of over £380,000 in today’s money). The Corniche II and its short-lived Corniche III successor were also notable for being the last Rolls-Royce Convertibles to benefit from the attention of the artisan craftsmen at Mulliner Park Ward (where they were handbuilt alongside the special order Phantom VI limousine) with the Crewe manufacturer choosing to close the doors of its North London-based coachbuilding subsidiary in 1991.

First registered as ‘G43 SCU’ on August 2^nd 1989 (and subsequently as ‘1 JOE’), this sought after Corniche II is understood to have been in single family ownership from new. Warranted to have covered a mere 33,000 miles, it relocated to the Isle of Man during 1999 (relinquishing ‘1 JOE’ in the process) where it was stabled alongside its late custodian’s similarly treasured Bentley Azure and Turbo RL until earlier this year. Personally inspected by David Wilkes of marque specialist Silver Chalice Services Ltd on an annual basis (including an underbody clean) and worked on as necessary during its time on the crown dependency, the Convertible had been main dealer maintained prior to then. Exceptionally well preserved for a thirty-six year old motorcar, the four-seater would not look out of place at a concours d’elegance. Finished in the classically handsome combination of Cobalt Blue Metallic with Parchment leather upholstery and a matching Everflex roof, the Corniche II also sports a Cobalt Blue leather steering wheel and dashtop with the same colour being used for its seat piping. Starting readily and running well during our recent photography session, the Rolls-Royce possesses a MOT certificate valid until September 2026. Worthy of close inspection, it is quite possibly the best Corniche II currently available.

For more information, please contact:
Damian Jones
damian.jones@handh.co.uk
07855 493737