It is truly a "finishing touch" vehicle.

*This is a translation done by a machine.

Explanation of the sibling cars, Bentley Continental and Rolls Royce Corniche.

What is the "finishing touch" or "destination" for a car enthusiast? The Rolls-Royce Corniche is probably the best example.

Originally, Corniche was the name used for a prototype Bentley car (made in 1939).

Bentley has been incorporated under Rolls-Royce since 1931. After the war, in the late 1960s, Rolls-Royce and Bentley had coachbuilder Mulliner Park Ward build two-door coupes and drophead coupes (open) based on the Silver Shadow and T1 four-door saloons.

Similar to Italian carrozzeria, pre-war Rolls-Royce manufacturers built the chassis and powertrain, while the body panels were produced by outsourced coachbuilders according to customer preferences. After the war, Rolls-Royce produced its own body panels for standard models, but it still relied on coachbuilders for special models such as coupes and convertibles. Mulliner Park Ward (MPW) was a company with technology that could be called the pinnacle of coach bulders that existed in the UK at that time.

In 1971, Rolls-Royce and Bentley began using the name "Corniche" for their two-door coupe and convertible models. From 1982 onwards, the Corniche was only available as a convertible model, and from 1984 onwards, Bentley was given its own name, the Continental, making the Corniche the exclusive name for Rolls-Royce and the Continental the exclusive name for Bentley's two-door models.

The engine is a traditional 6747cc aluminum alloy V8 OHV, hand-built by skilled craftsmen. The Continental and Corniche mechanisms are essentially from saloons of the same vintage, but the body panels are from MPW. The image is similar to that of the Silver Shadow, but there are no identical parts at all. In other words, it was a completely independent work of art with different finishes.

The number of the Continental series is very small compared to the Cornish series, and when comparing the production volume of the series 1 to 4, the Cornish was about 3400 units, while the Continental was only 470 units, or just over 10%.


Jun Nishikawa's Highlights!

This is a 1991 Bentley Continental Series 3. This is one of only 180 produced, and it was imported by Cones & Co. which was the official distributor at the time. It was imported by Cornes & Co. When it was new, just 30 years ago, the price tag was 39 million yen.

The current owner is an enthusiast who loves Bentleys of this era. He purchased the car four years ago from Caesar Trading in Tokyo, which is said to be the only place to find Rolls Royce and Bentleys of this era in Japan. Since then, the mileage has only increased by about 3,000 km, and the odometer is currently showing 27,000 km.

The condition of the interior and exterior, as well as the engine system, is perfect, as it was sold as a "Caesar approved car". It's so perfect that even if you don't check the actual car, you can't go wrong buying it based on the pictures.

However, since we went all the way to the current owner's garage to check out the car, we got a little pissed off and looked for any problems. The left side of the front bumper and the right side of the rear bumper both had scratches of about 2 mm. The only other thing is that the cover on the back of the hood is about to come off. In any case, it's not a big problem.

By the way, the tires and wheels are non-original. The current owner prefers Continental T tires. He says it's more comfortable to ride. Of course, the original wheels are included.

In addition to the aforementioned European specifications, the white body, cream-colored top and St. James red interior are the number one most popular coordination. The gloss of the urethane paint and the red leather interior make it hard to believe that this model is 30 years old. The two red coach lines are still intact. We are happy to see that the top is in good condition and the expensive top cover is still intact. I was told by Mr. Miyamoto of Caesar Trading that the soft top, which is partly made of wood, will have to be completely replaced if it rots. The top cover was an expensive option at the time, and there are very few of them left in good condition.

This is the ultimate car, complete with popular optional items such as a wood-paneled picnic table, front spoiler, and Flying B mascot. Probably, it is hard to find a condition comparable to this one, including the Corniche type.

I want a true enthusiast to drive it. This is your chance to have a Bentley Continental in your garage.

Vehicle Specifications

Model Year1991
Year of PurchaseDec 1991
Engine Capacity6,747cc
Mileage27,000km
Transmission3AT
Steering WheelLeft
ColorWhite
Chassis No.SCBZD02A8HCX30604
Engine No.
InspectionDecember 2022
AreaTokyo, Japan
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