ROLLS ROYCE CORNICHE
Five-passenger, two-door convertible; 6.75-liter, turbo-charged V8 engine, 325 hp; four-speed automatic transmission; EPA mileage 11 city, 16 highway; curb weight 6,031 pounds; top speed 135 mph, 0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds.
Base price: $359,990 ($410,454 with taxes).
The new Corniche is the largest, most expensive ragtop in the world. It doesn’t really drive; it glides so effortlessly that you feel as if you were sitting on a plush sofa waiting for your valet to arrive with a dry martini. In fact, the boulevard cruiser’s only drawback, in the opinion of this sportscar-oriented reviewer, is that the ride is just a little too soft. Only 600 of these Corniches will be made worldwide,200 a year,with about a quarter of the cars expected to be sold here in Southern California. (There’s one place to order the car in OC, Newport Auto Center on PCH in Newport Beach.) The last Corniche is expected to roll off the assembly line in England on Jan. 1, 2003, when BMW takes control of Rolls-Royce. “It’s like the people at Rolls-Royce are turning to its new owners and are saying, ‘We are going to show you how to build a world-class motor car, the ultimate luxury motor car’,” says Robb Report publisher Paul Dean. “This car is Rolls’ last hurrah.” What a way to go: The hand-built Corniches are an entirely redesigned car. Gone is the boxy look of previous Rolls-Royces, replaced by a more aerodynamic machine. The craftsmanship includes 15 coats of paint, rich English leathers, woods, plush lamb’s-wool carpeting and on-board computer systems. The Rolls V8 has been refined using VW-Audi technology. Rolls says the car can go 500,000 miles before a major overhaul. If you order a Corniche, expect six to nine months for its arrival. It takes 19 weeks to make, and buyers are encouraged to visit the assembly line to see theirs being built. Everything is custom-ordered from a list of options, and the already hefty base price could soar after amenities like a refrigerator bar, bullet proofing, a DVD player or a diamond-encrusted steering wheel are tacked on. But in this league, who’s counting?
