Stereotypes: The Typical Rolls-Royce Corniche Driver
by Gunnar Heinrich ::: img Gene Hackman in Heartbreakers (2001) ::: Rolls-Royce Corniche II
STEREOTYPES are a part of car culture. The BMW driver. The Porsche guy. For better or for worse each is classified with his/her own set of personality traits, driving styles, and general temperaments. It’s a kind of hard truth to the vain adage that you are what you drive.
If this is true, then sadly no one should want to drive a Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible. Ever.
In my experience 99% of the Silver Shadow-era Corniche convertibles that I’ve witnessed have been piloted by heavy, balding old men with the most foul attitudes. Almost without exception and regardless of geography, weather, or traffic patterns.
The most recent real life confirmation happened last week when I spied a rather pompous, (bald, old, etc.) driver trying to muscle his Brewster Green Bentley Corniche through midtown Manhattan.
Why so sour? Good question. It seems over the years that Hollywood’s picked up on this stereotype as well.
Richard Dreyfuss’ puss-faced character in Down and Out in Beverly Hills seemed tone-perfect behind the helm of a white Corniche . Michael Caine was the consummate conman in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; a brown Corniche played a supporting role to his sly character. And not least, Gene Hackman was a curmudgeonly, womanizing, tobacco tycoon in Heartbreakers. We can imagine his character’s brown Corniche, Series II to be stained with as much Nicotine as bad karma.
Seems a shame that the classic, upright Corniche should be linked with such dour characters both on and off the screen. Alas, with some stereotypes it seems that the truth can be every bit as strange as fiction.
About the Author: Gunnar Heinrich is publisher of Automobiles De Luxe online and is executive producer of the Automobiles De Luxe Television series on PBS member station CPTV.
Jim | Jul 27, 2010 | Reply
Maybe. The only Corniche owner/driver I’ve known was ad agency owner, gay, mildly effeminate and a snappy dresser. Who, in every interaction I ever had with him, came across as sardonic, with a wink and self deprecating. Perhaps he had an alter ego?
Brad Starcevich | Jul 27, 2010 | Reply
Gunnar,
Great post. I was involved in a biz venture some time ago. One closely “associated” with the biz drove a white Corniche drophead coupe. He was absolutely unlikeable in every respect. Cured me from ever wanting a Corniche convertible. I wonder if the same holds true for the Bentley
version?
Best regards,
Brad
G | Jul 27, 2010 | Reply
Gents,
The only exception I’ve ever encountered was when one time I followed a young couple carefully piloting a brown Corniche along a country road somewhere near Washington, Conn. I had a sense that the car wasn’t theirs, though.
Brad, Ive found that my observations don’t apply to later Azure drivers or the last gen (Azure based) Corniche. These are very different customers, it would seem.
Best,
G
jmdesp | Oct 5, 2010 | Reply
Well, if you want a very atypical Corniche driver it would be Billy Smart the late English circus impresario, former performer, who sported the BS1 plate on his striking purple Corniche (he had allowed for the use of the plate in _The Persuaders!_). And his wife’s car had, out of anything, the FU2 plate.