As Rolls-Royce merged the formerly independent coachbuilders H.J.

Mulliner and Park Ward under its own umbrella in the early 1960s, it began to explore the possibilities of what the new firm could create.

Since 1959, Mulliner had been producing Drophead Coupe Adaptations, a catalogued convertible model built by heavily modifying Rolls-Royce’s “Standard Steel Saloon” body shells, on the Silver Cloud chassis.

Early in Silver Cloud III production, this design was retired in favor of literally a new line, drawn by Vilhelm Koren and featuring an aggressively modern character, with smooth slab sides, flared and crisp-edged rear fenders, and angled quad headlights.

It was a relatively lightweight body, ensuring maximum performance from its V-8 chassis, and while initially controversial among the hidebound Rolls-Royce clientele, soon acquired a major following and saw 101 examples produced, 52 of them on left-hand-drive chassis.

The drophead coupe offered here, chassis number LCSC129B, is...