Which Rolls-Royce Corniche version to buy
There is no third engine, no coupe row, and no extra gearbox in the data. Both cars are Cabrio, Gasoline, 8 cylinders, V-shaped, 2 valves per cylinder, Automatic, RWD, with Disc front and Disc rear brakes. The split is power, boost, gearbox ratios, injection, and what was actually measured.
There is no third engine, no coupe row, and no extra gearbox in the data. Both cars are Cabrio, Gasoline, 8 cylinders, V-shaped, 2 valves per cylinder, Automatic, RWD, with Disc front and Disc rear brakes. The split is power, boost, gearbox ratios, injection, and what was actually measured.
- 6.8 AT (260 hp) — 1 generation, 1971–1995. Peak 260 hp (191 kW) at 4500 rpm, 550 Nm at 2500 rpm, 6750 cm³, boost No, Carburetor, compression 9, 3-speed Automatic. 0–100 km/h 9.7 s, top speed 203 km/h. Kerb weight, gross weight, tank, clearance, wheels, and fuel use: not measured.
- 6.8 AT (329 hp) — 5 generation, 2000–2002. Peak 329 hp (242 kW) at 4000 rpm, 738 Nm at 2100 rpm, 6748 cm³, boost Turbo, Distributed injection (multi-point), compression 8, engine Front, longitudinal, 4-speed Automatic. 0–100 km/h 8.5 s, top speed 225 km/h. Mixed fuel use 19, tank 100 l, kerb 2735 kg, gross 3100 kg, clearance 140 mm. Wheels: not measured.
If the extra output is the reason to buy, the later 6.8 AT is the one: +69 hp and +188 Nm on essentially the same swept volume. If the brief is the long 1971–1995 Cabrio with independent spring at both ends and a 3-speed Automatic, that is only the 260 hp 6.8 AT.
People search Corniche II, IV, V, coupe, and asking prices. This file has two generations labelled 1 generation and 5 generation, both Cabrio, both 6.8 AT, and no sale prices.
Rolls-Royce Corniche generations compared
1 generation (1971-01-01 to 1995-12-31): Cabrio, 1 version — 6.8 AT at 260 hp. Front and rear suspension both Independent, spring. Engine position: not measured. Fuel grade: not measured.
5 generation (2000-01-01 to 2002-12-31): Cabrio, 1 version — 6.8 AT at 329 hp. Front Independent, spring; rear Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem. That rear label is the catalogue string for this version. Production window is 3 calendar years against 25 years on 1 generation.
What changed between generations on the numbers: boost No → Turbo; Carburetor → Distributed injection (multi-point); 3-speed Automatic → 4-speed Automatic; peak power 4500 → 4000 rpm; peak torque 2500 → 2100 rpm; compression 9 → 8; rear suspension independent → the semi-independent string above. Body type did not change: Cabrio to Cabrio. Drive did not change: RWD to RWD.
Engine specs: both 6.8 AT versions
| Version | Generation | hp | kW | rpm (hp) | Nm | rpm (Nm) | cm³ | Fuel | Cylinders | Layout | Boost | Gearbox | Gears | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.8 AT (260 hp) | 1 generation | 260 | 191 | 4500 | 550 | 2500 | 6750 | Gasoline | 8 | V-shaped | No | Automatic | 3 | RWD |
| 6.8 AT (329 hp) | 5 generation | 329 | 242 | 4000 | 738 | 2100 | 6748 | Gasoline | 8 | V-shaped | Turbo | Automatic | 4 | RWD |
Bore and stroke is 104.1 × 99.1 on both. Displacement differs by 2 cm³ (6750 vs 6748). Power per litre: 260 / 6.750 = 38.5 hp/l on 6.8 AT (260 hp); 329 / 6.748 = 48.8 hp/l on 6.8 AT (329 hp) — +10.3 hp/l. Torque per litre: 550 / 6.750 = 81.5 Nm/l vs 738 / 6.748 = 109.4 Nm/l — +27.9 Nm/l. Specific output in kW: 191 / 6.750 = 28.3 kW/l vs 242 / 6.748 = 35.9 kW/l.
The later engine makes 329 / 260 = 1.27 times the horsepower and 738 / 550 = 1.34 times the torque. Peak torque arrives 400 rpm earlier; peak power 500 rpm earlier. Compression is 1 point lower (8 vs 9) on the Turbo car. Fuel for 5 generation is 95; for 1 generation fuel grade is not measured. Valves per cylinder stay 2.
Performance, mpg, and what the extra output buys
0–100 km/h: 6.8 AT (260 hp) 9.7 s; 6.8 AT (329 hp) 8.5 s — 1.2 s quicker. Top speed: 203 km/h vs 225 km/h — +22 km/h.
City / highway / mixed on 6.8 AT (329 hp): 27.5 / 14.2 / 19. On 6.8 AT (260 hp) all three are not measured, so you cannot rank economy between generations from this file.
CO2 and eco class: not measured on both.
The 69 extra hp and 188 extra Nm buy a 4th Automatic ratio, Turbo, multi-point injection, and the 1.2 s / 22 km/h step. They do not buy a different body, a different drive layout, or a measured fuel-use figure on the older car.
Dimensions, weight, tank, wheels
6.8 AT (329 hp), 5 generation: kerb 2735 kg, gross 3100 kg, payload 3100 − 2735 = 365 kg, ground clearance 140 mm, tank 100 l. Wheels: not measured. Weight per horsepower: 2735 / 329 = 8.31 kg/hp. Weight per kW: 2735 / 242 = 11.3 kg/kW. Mixed litres per 100 km at 19 on a 100 l tank is a 100 / 19 ≈ 5.3 mixed tank-range multiple of 100 km (arithmetic on the two measured figures only).
6.8 AT (260 hp), 1 generation: kerb not measured, gross not measured, clearance not measured, tank not measured, wheels not measured. kg/hp for that version cannot be calculated.
You cannot say the later car is heavier or lighter than the earlier one from this data.
Reliability and problems: what the spec sheet does and does not show
There is no failure-rate, recall, or service-interval field in the source. What can be stated as hardware differences that affect ownership, not as a reliability score:
- Induction: Carburetor vs Distributed injection (multi-point) plus Turbo.
- Gearbox: 3 vs 4 Automatic ratios.
- Rear axle: Independent, spring vs Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem.
- Engine location listed only on 5 generation: Front, longitudinal; on 1 generation that field is not measured.
- Brakes stay Disc / Disc.
A “problems” search on Corniche will not be answered by inventing faults. The measurable gaps are the not measured cells on 1 generation (mass, tank, mpg, clearance, wheels, engine position, fuel grade).
Which version to choose, in one pass
Choose 6.8 AT (329 hp), 5 generation, if the numbers that matter are power density, torque, acceleration, and a filled-in weight/tank sheet: 48.8 hp/l, 738 Nm at 2100 rpm, 8.5 s to 100, 225 km/h, 2735 kg kerb, 8.31 kg/hp, 100 l tank, fuel 95, mixed 19. Production is the short 2000–2002 Cabrio window.
Choose 6.8 AT (260 hp), 1 generation, if the numbers that matter are the 1971–1995 span, fully Independent, spring at both ends, No boost, Carburetor, compression 9, and a 3-speed Automatic at 260 hp / 550 Nm, 9.7 s and 203 km/h. Accept that mass, mpg, tank, and wheels stay not measured.
There is no 6.8 AT third row to split the difference. Same name, two outputs: 260 hp vs 329 hp. Match the horsepower to the generation before you match the badge.