Niels van Roij Design has revealed Henry II, a one-off shooting brake based on a 1981 Rolls-Royce Corniche, commissioned by its long-term owner.
The Dutch coachbuilder spent two and a half years reimagining the Corniche into a bespoke grand tourer, blending 7000 hours of craftsmanship with modern CAD and 3D scanning techniques. The project replaces everything from the B-pillars back with new steel bodywork, including a redesigned roofline, C-pillars, tailgate and upper panels, all shaped using traditional panel-beating methods.
The result is an reinterpretation of the Corniche – longer, more practical and effortlessly cool – if you like shooting brakes! One of the car’s most striking innovations is a concealed, electrically operated bicycle carrier built into the rear of the car. Created at the request of the owner, a competitive triathlete, the mechanism slides out from below the tailgate and can carry two race bikes. The system required a completely new subframe and repositioned fuel tank.
Inside, the cabin has been retrimmed in beige leather, olive-green carpets and fine tweed, while the original wooden fascia – worn smooth through decades of use – has been carefully restored to preserve its patina. The interior also features rally instruments, a map light and handcrafted luggage, reflecting the owner’s intention to use the car in events such as the Baiersbronn Classic and British Classic Car Meeting in St Moritz.
Painted in its original British Racing Green, Henry II is both a restoration and a reinvention. ‘Our responsibility was to evolve the Corniche without erasing its soul,’ said founder Niels van Roij. ‘It had to feel timeless, as though this design could always have existed.’
The result is a striking modern interpretation of the traditional shooting brake – one that honours four decades of family history while demonstrating that true coachbuilding remains alive and well in the 21st century.
Read the full story and drive feature in Octane 271.
