Arguably the ultimate 1970s and 1980s status symbol of wealth and success, the Rolls-Royce Corniche was a car sought by many but one that only the fortunate few could afford. Designed to be enjoyed by its lucky owner in warm-weather climates, each Corniche took four months to be hand-built, with two weeks spent on the convertible top alone. With a list price of over $200,000, each car was crafted of only the finest materials Britain had to offer, including Wilton wool carpeting, Connolly leather, and carefully selected burl walnut veneer.

First introduced in 1971, the Corniche remained in production for nearly 25 years and over this time, these cars were periodically updated to keep them both modern and relevant.

The Corniche II offered here was ordered to US specifications, finished in Magnolia with Tan striping, Parchment interior piped in Tan, and a Cream Everflex convertible top; its order paperwork notes that the top of the dashboard was to be trimmed in Tan, and the interior equipped with Cumberland Stone lambswool rugs.

At its completion the car was shipped to Los Angeles in November of 1988. That New Year’s Eve, it was sold through the auspices of Encino, California’s Terry York Motor Cars to Thanh and Douglas Matthews of Playa Del Rey. Mr. Matthews, a talented Louisiana-born chef and Vietnam veteran, and his wife retained the car well into the early 1990s, with copies of early service invoices included within the history file. Later it was acquired by longtime Rolls-Royce Owners' Club member K.B. Drysdale of Beverly Hills, who when advertising it for sale in 2015 noted that he was only the second owner.

Well-kept in The Ray and Bonnie Kinney Collection since 2017, this especially handsome Corniche, in the Magnolia hue so beloved by the Kinneys and so iconic to its era, has been a much-loved companion to the couple’s Silver Cloud III. It awaits a new caretaker who will enjoy and appreciate it as much as they have—and would still look right at home cruising on sunny Southern California highways and back roads.