| 1979 Rolls-Royce Camargue Fixed Head Coupe |
Named after a region of France, the Camargue was intended to be a sophisticated, limited production, personal luxury car.
Code named “Delta” within the Company, the Camargue was announced in March 1975. Production spanned ten years
until 1984. Like the Corniche it was built on the Silver Shadow II floor pan from welded steel pressings with aluminum doors,
and boot, and bonnet lids. The Camargue’s styling by Sergio Pininfarina was quite different to that of any Rolls-Royce that
had come before it. In detail too, it was in a class apart, with its special seats upholstered in Connolly “Nuella” hide,
distinctive aircraft style fascia and the world’s first fully automatic split-level air conditioning system.
The pricing of the Camargue, at fifty percent higher than the Corniche, exploited a previously untapped market that in the
early seventies had seen Corniche automobiles changing hands at up to eighty percent above list. Buyers willing to part
with $100,000.00, a new record for a production car, were readily found, but exclusivity was assured. Only 534 Camargues
were manufactured.
The Camargue on display was the first collectable car acquired for this collection. It was accidentally found at a Rolls-Royce
dealer in Palm Springs who had taken it on trade. The Camargue is definitely a love-it or leave-it car. The design is not for
everyone. Although some may conclude that the rear looks like a Chevrolet Impala, the sides are very Italian and of course
the front is unmistakably Rolls-Royce. Note that the radiator shell is slanted forward on a 2% angle.
The Camargue was outfitted with a 412ci aluminum V-8 engine that generated 220 hp. The Corniche on display has less
than 15,000 original miles.
Code named “Delta” within the Company, the Camargue was announced in March 1975. Production spanned ten years
until 1984. Like the Corniche it was built on the Silver Shadow II floor pan from welded steel pressings with aluminum doors,
and boot, and bonnet lids. The Camargue’s styling by Sergio Pininfarina was quite different to that of any Rolls-Royce that
had come before it. In detail too, it was in a class apart, with its special seats upholstered in Connolly “Nuella” hide,
distinctive aircraft style fascia and the world’s first fully automatic split-level air conditioning system.
The pricing of the Camargue, at fifty percent higher than the Corniche, exploited a previously untapped market that in the
early seventies had seen Corniche automobiles changing hands at up to eighty percent above list. Buyers willing to part
with $100,000.00, a new record for a production car, were readily found, but exclusivity was assured. Only 534 Camargues
were manufactured.
The Camargue on display was the first collectable car acquired for this collection. It was accidentally found at a Rolls-Royce
dealer in Palm Springs who had taken it on trade. The Camargue is definitely a love-it or leave-it car. The design is not for
everyone. Although some may conclude that the rear looks like a Chevrolet Impala, the sides are very Italian and of course
the front is unmistakably Rolls-Royce. Note that the radiator shell is slanted forward on a 2% angle.
The Camargue was outfitted with a 412ci aluminum V-8 engine that generated 220 hp. The Corniche on display has less
than 15,000 original miles.
