It's as Easy as 1-2-3....

The Corniche.

 

There were five series' of this great 'SY' body car.

Bentley versions too:

 

The last Bentley was called the 'Continental':

 

 

 

 

I simply cannot go into the details of what changed as the Roman numerals increased but this is just my observation - a 'Spot'.

 

Let's start with number one series:

 

 

The Two:

 

 

And so on:

 

 

 

We couldn't find a 'V' (or 5) so we improvised....

 

 

We did use a Rolls-Royce key.

 

Here's the first series (an 'I', I guess... but first series cars never really had "one' prefixes)

 

 

Then a II, III & IV in a row:

Try and guess in which order.

 

 

 

 

 

Just remember this:

 

The press release for the new Corniche in 1971.

Note the fact that the bankruptcy receiver's name (E.R.Nicholson) is on it too...

 

 

 

 

Now is Mr. E.R. Nicholson the man who gave Sir David the 'Go-ahead' for the Camargue project after he saw the styling buck....?

"How much?" - "Euh, one million Pounds please..."

"Oh, and retooling..... One million Pounds more please and thankyou..."

 

That's what happened. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars were alive and well - it was the bloody aero engine division that caused the Kerfuffle.

 

Hey, I'm speculating here.

 

By the way, I must add the fact that this morning Sir David Plastow was waiting outside the hotel for his limo when he saw us in '1800TU' and actually came over to us to say 'Goodbye'.

A priceless photo of him leaning on my passenger door to say Farewell to us.

 

 

A wonderful man, indeed.

I am honoured to have met him and so glad he recognized me again.

The 34 year old press cutting I had of him with his dogs (which I did post 2 days ago) meant a lot to him.

I'm so glad I was able to show it to him again...

 

 

 

 

(Posted by David Irvine)