Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Is your brain predisposed to make you love Rolls-Royce?

XCAR has taken a look at what could very well be one of the most quintessential British cars ever built: the 1973 Rolls-Royce Corniche. The question at hand is whether or not expensive luxury items like artisan foods, designer clothing and yes, high-end automobiles are worth their monetary cost. Do they bring some undefined additional value to the table over their low-buck counterparts, or are they simply an excellent way to part a fool from his dollar bills? While the video below can't comment on four-course meals or $400 jeans, our valiant host does have a word or two on the joy a Rolls-Royce can bring to your life.

That's even true of a model like the '73 Corniche. Built during one of the darker days of the company's history, the convertible was designed and manufactured by an automaker on the verge of collapse. Still, it manages to hold on to that essential spirit of luxury so crucial to the Rolls-Royce brand.


http://www.autoblog.com/2013/06/19/i...e-rolls-royce/

mmarshall

Rolls has always been a classy ride, and arguably the ultimate not only in hood ornaments, but also in interior bling/materials (wood-paneling everywhere, flawless leather, fold-out tables, fleece/wool floor mats, etc.....)

But, to be honest, for actual comfort day in and day out on the road (and for a lot less money at that), I personally think it's hard to beat the B-I-G American full-size luxo-cruisers I grew up with in the 1960s....Olds 98, Buick Electra 225 (I owned a used Electra), Cadillac De Ville/Fleetwood, Lincoln Continental, Mercury Marquis, Chrysler New Yorker, and Imperial LeBaron. These cars were rolling isolation-chambers, had sofa-soft velour/velvet-cloth bench seats (sometimes leather), vitually bump-proof suspensions/tires, filtered out noise like cancelling-headphones, had big powerful V8 engines like a Rolls-Royce, and, especially after a hard day at work when you were tired, were, IMO, a true pleasure to drive home. The Chrysler and Imperial, though still quite comfortable, sacrificed a small amount of ride-comfort and noise-control, with their torsion/leaf suspensions and unitized bodies, for slightly better handling than the tomb-quiet Ford/GM products with pillow-soft coil springs and body-on-frame construction. The Imperial had body-on-frame construction in the early 60s for a quieter ride, but later in the decade switched to unibody to make it more comparable to other Chrysler products.

(BTW, the role of those long-gone American luxury-cars is, today, more or less, covered mainly by the non-sport Lexus LS460/600 and non-AMG Mercedes S550). Almost everything else (except maybe for a Rolls) now has underpinnings/tires that have become too stiff to be truly comfortable.

Aron9000

^If you compare the interior furnishings of those American barges of the 1960's, they just don't stack up to the hand crafted Rolls Royce interiors. Same thing for the panel fitment, quality of paint finish, etc An early 1960's Rolls Silver Cloud was really a step above any other car offered at that time. Hell the craftsmanship/quality of those cars still rivials any hand crafted car of 2013, be it a Pagani, a Ferrari, a Bentley, or a new Roller.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Rolls Royces were ok... until God created Lexus.

Now they are just souped up BMWs.

mmarshall

No arguments there...I basically agree, though GM, in those days, used distinctly better interior materials, and better detailing, than Ford or especially Chrysler. But, no, you can't compare the materials with a Rolls that cost six times as much.

The reason, though, that I brought them up is that they offered Rolls-like driving-comfort (or better) on the road for much less money. I either owned (or had the chance) to drive virtually all of them....so I can speak from some experience.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

Not I. I never cared for RR.

Most of us have a childhood dream of owning a sports car, not a big land yacht.
That seed was implanted way younger and is growing as the year goes by.

Tell me, who didn't have a poster of their favorite sports car on their bedroom wall?



Ooooooh

1sWt2GS

iTrader: (6)

The interior of the rolls royce is incomparable of that to any car even the older ones.

They spent so much attention to detail that they even risked being bankrupt (everything was hand made and crafted and no corners were cut on these cars).

1sWt2GS

iTrader: (6)

I can see where you are coming from a car enthusiast point of view but those who are so wealthy the RR is an exotic in its own way. It's a car which you get driven around in and have a designated driver.

It's also a sign of wealth (high class) in its own way. Rich wealthy people like the kardashians have both their RR and the gt3 rs (if I'm not mistaken)

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

I love the classic RRs.

Current RRs are still impeccably made, but lacks revolutionary design and engineering.

Then again, I can understand how RR wants to be more evolutionary than revolutionary to define their design language. I mean, you can see a RR coming from a mile away.

From an engineering standpoint, I would love to see a RR be more in tune with advanced engineering in terms of performance, handling, and build. In other words, I would like to see RR be faster, more efficient, sportier, and lighter; even though they are still behemoths on the road.

Sulu

Sounds like you are looking for a Bentley. At one time, people looking for a sportier RR would have crossed the floor and shopped its sister brand Bentley. But now that they are competitors, should BMW build a smaller, sportier RR to compete with the current VW Bentley Continental?

EZZ

comfort is subjective. Those big American barges made me motion sick (sea-sick really) Isn't that weird

trexlexus

I think it is pretty safe to say that it is hard to DISLIKE a Rolls Royce. The sheer presence and awe that they command is enough to speak for themselves.

Even when you go to places that regularly offer Rolls Royce limo services, being no more than 10 ft from one is still truly an awesome moment.

So yes, perhaps the brain IS predisposed to be enamored with RR.

Coconut

I'm not a fan of RR or luxury cars for that matter but whenever I see a Rolls Royce in person I can't keep my eyes off of it. It just has so much presence, more so than any other luxury car. Maybe its the marketing or exclusivity, I don't know but they are doing something right.

mmarshall

Well, at one time in my youth, I had a sample of both......a Plymouth Barracuda and a big Buick.

I also liked the Plymouth Road Runner, but couldn't afford one, as they were all 2 years od or less.

All the guys who covered their walls with big posters of Farrah-Fawcett-Majors instead.

trexlexus

See? You just can't dislike RR's vehicles!

On an off topic note: No offense intended, but since you are not a fan of luxury cars, what made you join this forum?