The Rolls-Royce Camargue is a 2-door luxurysaloon manufactured and marketed by Rolls-Royce Motors from 1975–1986. Designed by Paolo Martin at Pininfarina,[1][2][3] the Camargue was the first[citation needed] post-war production Rolls-Royce not designed in-house (not including the more prolific coachbuilt Corniche by Mulliner-Park Ward, and the coachbuilt variants of production models such as Silver Wraith, Silver Cloud, and Silver Shadow which were built by firms such as James Young, Mulliner, Park Ward, Hooper, et al).
At launch, the Camargue was the Rolls-Royce flagship and the most expensive production car in the world. At its official U.S. launch, the Camargue had already been on sale in the UK for over a year. The New York Times noted that the U.S. price at this stage was approximately $5,000 higher than the UK price.[citation needed] In the 1970s, many European models retailed for significantly less in the U.S. than they did in Europe in order to compete with prices set aggressively by Detroit's Big Three and Japanese importers.[5] The manufacturer rejected this approach with the Camargue, referencing the high cost of safety and pollution engineering needed to adapt the few cars (approximately 30 per year) it expected to send to North America in 1976.[5]
At its 1975 press debut, Rolls-Royce highlighted automatic split-level climate control system, the first of its kind.[citation needed] According to Rolls-Royce, the system's development took eight years.[6] The recommended price of a new Camargue at launch on the UK market in March 1975 was £29,250, including sales taxes.[6] Rapid currency depreciation would greatly raise the price of the Camargue in the late 1970s, both in the UK and North America.
The Camargue shared its platform with the Rolls-Royce Corniche and Silver Shadow and was powered by the same 6.75-litre (412 cu in) V8 engine as the Silver Shadow, although the Camargue engine was slightly more powerful. The transmission was also carried over – a General MotorsTurbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic. The first 65 Camargues produced used SUcarburettors, while the remaining carburetted cars used Solex units. US delivered cars used Bosch Jetronic fuel injection during the 1980s which it shared with the Corniche and Silver Spirit/Spur. The Camargue was fitted with the Silver Shadow II's power rack and pinion steering rack in February 1977. In 1979, it received the rear independent suspension of the Silver Spirit.
With a 3,048 mm (120 in) wheelbase, the Camargue was the first Rolls-Royce automobile to be designed to metric dimensions,[citation needed] and was the first Rolls-Royce to feature an inclined rather than perfectly vertical grille; the Camargue's grille was slanted at an angle of seven degrees.
The car was sold in very limited numbers in European, American, Canadian, Australian and Asian markets. Several of the cars have since been modified into convertibles by after-market customizers.
Reception
The Camargue received a varied reception, having ranked as one of the "10 Worst Cars"'as chosen in 2010 by readers of The Globe and Mail;[7] having ranked 38 in the 2005 book Crap Cars by Richard Porter (the author saying the car "looked utterly terrible)"[8] and having ranked 92 in a 2008 poll of the 100 ugliest cars of all time by readers of The Daily Telegraph.[9] Autoblog said the Camargue had been ranked "conspicuously low on the list," adding the Camargue "really was horrid, no matter how well it sold."[10]
In response, noted automotive journalist James May said the Camargue "is not ugly, either. It has presence, like that pug-faced but well-dressed bloke down the pub."[11]
References
^ ab. Traumautoarchiv.de (in German). Archived from the original on 14 September 2019.
^ abChapman, Giles (15 March 2005). "Italian style for the many and the few". The Independent.
^Lewis, Martin (1998). A-Z of Cars of the 1980s. Bay View Books Ltd. p. 121. ISBN978-1901432107.
^ abGarnier, Peter, ed. (1 May 1976). "News: Biggest ever price rise?". Autocar. Vol. 144, no. 4147. p. 27.
^ abDaniels, J.R. (8 March 1975). "New Rolls-Royce: The Delta becomes Camargue". Autocar. Vol. 142, no. 4089. pp. 48–49.
^Cheney, Peter (22 February 2010). "In Pictures: 10 worst cars chosen by our readers". The Globe and Mail.
^Crap Cars, Richard Porter, p.32. Bloomsbury USA, 2005. October 2005. ISBN9781582346380.
^"The 100 ugliest cars". The Daily Telegraph. 25 August 2008.
^"Tie a pork chop around its neck - Telegraph counts down 100 ugliest cars". Autoblog.com. 30 August 2008.
^May, James (26 May 2011). . The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rolls-Royce Camargue.
Rolls-Royce Camargue
March 11, 2023
rolls, royce, camargue, other, uses, camargue, disambiguation, door, luxury, saloon, manufactured, marketed, rolls, royce, motors, from, 1975, 1986, designed, paolo, martin, pininfarina, camargue, first, citation, needed, post, production, rolls, royce, design. For other uses see Camargue disambiguation The Rolls Royce Camargue is a 2 door luxury saloon manufactured and marketed by Rolls Royce Motors from 1975 1986 Designed by Paolo Martin at Pininfarina 1 2 3 the Camargue was the first citation needed post war production Rolls Royce not designed in house not including the more prolific coachbuilt Corniche by Mulliner Park Ward and the coachbuilt variants of production models such as Silver Wraith Silver Cloud and Silver Shadow which were built by firms such as James Young Mulliner Park Ward Hooper et al Rolls Royce CamargueOverviewManufacturerRolls Royce MotorsProduction1975 1986531 producedDesignerPaolo Martin at Pininfarina 1 2 3 Body and chassisClassLuxury carBody style2 door saloon 4 LayoutFR layoutRelatedRolls Royce Silver ShadowRolls Royce CornicheBentley T seriesPowertrainEngine6 75 L 412 cid Rolls Royce V8Transmission3 speed TH400 automaticDimensionsWheelbase3 048 mm 120 in Length5 169 mm 203 5 in Width1 918 mm 75 5 in Height1 473 mm 58 in Curb weight2 329 kg 5 135 lb 1982 Rolls Royce Camargue rear The Camargue derives its name from the coastal region in southern France Contents 1 Debut and design 2 Reception 3 References 4 External linksDebut and design EditAt launch the Camargue was the Rolls Royce flagship and the most expensive production car in the world At its official U S launch the Camargue had already been on sale in the UK for over a year The New York Times noted that the U S price at this stage was approximately 5 000 higher than the UK price citation needed In the 1970s many European models retailed for significantly less in the U S than they did in Europe in order to compete with prices set aggressively by Detroit s Big Three and Japanese importers 5 The manufacturer rejected this approach with the Camargue referencing the high cost of safety and pollution engineering needed to adapt the few cars approximately 30 per year it expected to send to North America in 1976 5 At its 1975 press debut Rolls Royce highlighted automatic split level climate control system the first of its kind citation needed According to Rolls Royce the system s development took eight years 6 The recommended price of a new Camargue at launch on the UK market in March 1975 was 29 250 including sales taxes 6 Rapid currency depreciation would greatly raise the price of the Camargue in the late 1970s both in the UK and North America The Camargue shared its platform with the Rolls Royce Corniche and Silver Shadow and was powered by the same 6 75 litre 412 cu in V8 engine as the Silver Shadow although the Camargue engine was slightly more powerful The transmission was also carried over a General Motors Turbo Hydramatic 3 speed automatic The first 65 Camargues produced used SU carburettors while the remaining carburetted cars used Solex units US delivered cars used Bosch Jetronic fuel injection during the 1980s which it shared with the Corniche and Silver Spirit Spur The Camargue was fitted with the Silver Shadow II s power rack and pinion steering rack in February 1977 In 1979 it received the rear independent suspension of the Silver Spirit With a 3 048 mm 120 in wheelbase the Camargue was the first Rolls Royce automobile to be designed to metric dimensions citation needed and was the first Rolls Royce to feature an inclined rather than perfectly vertical grille the Camargue s grille was slanted at an angle of seven degrees The car was sold in very limited numbers in European American Canadian Australian and Asian markets Several of the cars have since been modified into convertibles by after market customizers Reception EditThe Camargue received a varied reception having ranked as one of the 10 Worst Cars as chosen in 2010 by readers of The Globe and Mail 7 having ranked 38 in the 2005 book Crap Cars by Richard Porter the author saying the car looked utterly terrible 8 and having ranked 92 in a 2008 poll of the 100 ugliest cars of all time by readers of The Daily Telegraph 9 Autoblog said the Camargue had been ranked conspicuously low on the list adding the Camargue really was horrid no matter how well it sold 10 In response noted automotive journalist James May said the Camargue is not ugly either It has presence like that pug faced but well dressed bloke down the pub 11 References Edit a b Rolls Royce Camargue 1975 Traumautoarchiv de in German Archived from the original on 14 September 2019 a b Chapman Giles 15 March 2005 Italian style for the many and the few The Independent a b Rolls Royce Camargue Archived from the original on 28 May 2008 Lewis Martin 1998 A Z of Cars of the 1980s Bay View Books Ltd p 121 ISBN 978 1901432107 a b Garnier Peter ed 1 May 1976 News Biggest ever price rise Autocar Vol 144 no 4147 p 27 a b Daniels J R 8 March 1975 New Rolls Royce The Delta becomes Camargue Autocar Vol 142 no 4089 pp 48 49 Cheney Peter 22 February 2010 In Pictures 10 worst cars chosen by our readers The Globe and Mail Crap Cars Richard Porter p 32 Bloomsbury USA 2005 October 2005 ISBN 9781582346380 The 100 ugliest cars The Daily Telegraph 25 August 2008 Tie a pork chop around its neck Telegraph counts down 100 ugliest cars Autoblog com 30 August 2008 May James 26 May 2011 James May s greatest hits the ugliest cars of all time The Telegraph Archived from the original on 9 February 2012 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rolls Royce Camargue Rolls Royce Camargue Technical data Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rolls Royce Camargue amp oldid 1117750057, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
