2001 Rolls-Royce Corniche

This car is offered from outside of the European Union. It has been imported under temporary admission customs bond and is therefore subject to Dutch import tax (9%) on top of the winning bid price. Cars less than 30 years old will pay 10% Dutch import tax plus 21% VAT on the hammer. If exporting immediately to another country, then tax/duty will only be paid in that country.

The winning bidder will pay €500 customs charge on top of the ‘hammer’ price.

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, as their proof of purchase.

This vehicle has been on static display in the Middle East for a number of years and the only history or paperwork available is displayed in the photo gallery. In all cases the papers shown are photocopies unless otherwise stated. We do not have the original paperwork.

Unless otherwise stated, we have not tried to start or drive the car and cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. The car is not registered anywhere.

It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

As CARS Europe BV is the guarantor of all customs duties and taxes for vehicles within Dutch customs bond, the car cannot be released until full payment received.

All storage charges (€30 + local VAT per day commencing from the sixth day following the auction end) must be paid in full prior to the vehicle’s collection or onward transportation. Collection and viewings are strictly by appointment only.

Please send an email to the storage centre to ensure vehicle(s) are ready at time of collection. Photographic ID will be required at time of collection. If a third party is collecting for you, then written authorisation is required in advance from you and photographic ID of the third party is required at the time of collection.

CARS Europe BV will contact you after the balance payment is received to confirm onward transport requirements. For enquiries about import tax and shipping contact Madam Joanna Herlihy, +31 (0) 252 682 526, +44 7483 433912, joanna@carseurope.net.

VIN: SCAZK29E11CX68542.

In common with many vehicles from the vendor’s collection, this 2001 LHD auto Rolls-Royce Corniche does not come with any history or provenance beyond whatever photocopies are shown in the documents section.

The engine spins freely and, given a little gentle coaxing, the car starts. But we haven’t driven it or had it running for more than a few seconds because it needs properly recommissioning. As such, our appraisal is based entirely on its cosmetic appearance.

We believe it entered the vendor’s collection of static display vehicles in 2019.

We also believe, from the evidence of a service book containing three stamps, that it was delivered new to California and remained there for a few years until moving to Atlanta, Georgia sometime in or before 2008, when its mileage was recorded as being 40,588.

Today, the car’s odometer reads just 52,944 miles.

As you would expect and hope of a car that was the world’s most expensive production model when new, it’s been very well looked-after and is in really good condition, both for its age and mileage.

The car is Fountain Blue, trimmed in Oatmeal leather with dark blue piping and has a contrasting dark blue hood.

This is a seriously good-looking car.

The sort of car that turns heads, opens doors and gives you access to people and places that are usually off-limits for those less privileged.

We can report that the bodywork is really very good all round, with the panels, panel gaps and shut lines consistent and even pretty much everywhere you look.

There are no dents or creases of any real significance, and even minor dinks, scuffs and nicks are unusually scarce given the car’s age.

The pale blue metallic paintwork is still impressive in terms of depth of shine and quality of lustre.

The lights and lenses are also very good, as are the badging, trim and other exterior fixtures and fittings.

The chrome and wheels are fine, too.

We haven’t had the engine running for long enough to power the hood up and down but we’ve no reason to believe it won’t work and, based on its very good cosmetic condition (aside from a few missing white stitches around the edges), we can’t see any obvious problems with it.

Clearly, though, you’ll want to take a look for yourself.

There’s a scratch and a couple of paint chips (which have been successfully touched-up) near the front indicator on the driver’s side.

There are also some scuffs and scratches on the sill and the base of the front wing on the passenger side.

The rubber trim around the windscreen and ‘A’ pillars has a few nicks in it and there are some scuffs and scratches on the rear valance where it wraps around under the passenger-side rear wing.

There is a scratch on the bodywork between the hood and the boot, a few paint chips on the rear wing and door on the driver’s side, and a sizeable paint/lacquer chip on the rear wheel arch on the driver’s side.

The bonnet release mechanism needs attention and, while the bonnet can be opened and the engine inspected, it’s currently a fiddly business involving plenty of tugging and pulling.

The interior is really very classy and is an indulgently opulent place to spend some quality time.

The Oatmeal leather upholstery is very good, both front and back, and the minimal level of creasing is far more a reflection of the car’s low mileage than its age and would no doubt respond well to the application of some appropriate cleaning and feeding products.

The wood veneers are also fine, although there are a couple of cracks on the fascia panel.

The door cards are in very decent condition, as is the roof lining.

There is a nick in the leather above the dashboard on the passenger side.

We can’t make any claims about the full functionality of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons, dials or other electrics as we haven’t driven the car or had the engine running for more than a few seconds.

The boot is in the same impressive condition as the rest of it.

The tidy, dry engine and engine bay look really very clean and proper, suggesting that this car has been well looked-after throughout the course of its life.

The undersides of the car appear to have plenty of structural integrity from what we can see and are entirely in keeping with what we’d expect to see on a car that’s lived much of its life in California and Georgia.

The car comes with its original handbook and manual, including a service record.

This contains three dealership service stamps with the following dates and recorded mileages.

• 21.5.02 - 7,846 miles - California
• 8.4.03 - 14,087 miles - California
• 13.2.08 - 40,588 miles - Georgia

Unless otherwise stated, this car comes with no paperwork beyond whatever photocopied records are shown in the gallery.

No documents shown in the gallery in any way constitute any kind of licensing or registration certification.

It must be registered in the country of your choice and you will need to contact the appropriate vehicle licensing agency for instructions on how to do this.

We think this is a fine example of a rare model that, even by Rolls-Royce’s lofty standards, was truly a no-expense-spared luxury item aimed squarely at the world’s wealthiest elite.

Provided, of course, that the engine, electrics and mechanicals are amenable to recommissioning and are as good as the rest of it, we think this low mileage car retains all the glamour and presence with which it left the factory and should give its next owner many years of very special and classy motoring.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of €40,000 - €60,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located in a bonded warehouse near Amsterdam. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions