The Rolls-Royce Corniche V is a large, high-end, two-door, four-seater luxury convertible car, made in the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2002.
It debuted in January 2000 making it Rolls-Royce's first new model in the 21st century, as well as the first largely new model to bear the Corniche name, after four series derived from the Silver Shadow. Contrary to all its predecessors, this Corniche was also the first Rolls-Royce with a soft top that folds into the car's body.
Nevertheless, despite all-new sheet metal, bearing a strong resemblance to the Silver Seraph, it had instead been derived from the pre-BMW era Bentley Azure, thus continuing the use of the traditional Rolls-Royce 6.75L V8 engine block, in common with its predecessors, albeit significantly modernized, and with much better performance, thanks to the Bentley-borrowed turbocharger - a first for a series Corniche.
Released after a five-year hiatus, this fifth-generation Corniche was Rolls-Royce's most expensive model and flagship car, with a base price of US$359,900. From 2003, Rolls-Royce motor car production was handed over to BMW, who did not prolong the production of any of the existing models, but instead reintroduced the brand with an all-new Phantom VII, costing $300,000 in 2003, even when Pound Sterling was stronger to the US dollar and the dollar was weaker to US consumer prices.
The Corniche V is the only Rolls-Royce model launched under Volkswagen holding ownership; the last Rolls-Royce Corniche to date, and with just 384 units built, it remains one of the brand's most exclusive modern series production models.