The two-door convertible version of the Silver Shadow has been, without doubt, the most commercially successful convertible ever produced by Rolls-Royce.

First introduced in 1966 as the Silver Shadow Mulliner Park Ward Two-Door, Drophead Coupé, to give it its full title, the car was instantly in demand.

When Rolls-Royce launched the two-door cars, the international jet-set began to clamour for attention at the dealerships.

With waiting lists measured in years, these hugely desirable vehicles began to change hands at significant premiums over list price and one can imagine the hushed negotiations over the green baize of the gaming tables at Crockfords, the Palm Beach and Aspinalls.

Customers who ordered the Drophead were not the same people who purchased the company's sensible saloons, with the cars frequently being specified in bright colours and eventually it became apparent that this version deserved to have its own model name so, after a few cosmetic changes in 1971, the Cornic...