Comme c’est bizarre! Cars that strike us as nothing else but bizarre tend to boggle our minds, assault our aesthetic tastes, and force us to ask: “Why?” The Bizarre Car of the Month Award for December is given to none other than the Rolls-Royce Camargue. The competition, especially from many contemporary models from Stuttgart, was stiff. However, this mastodon of over two decades ago must be pointed to as an anomaly in Rolls-Royce, and indeed, automotive history.
The History: The Camargue (1975-1986) was supposed to lead Rolls-Royce into a bold new direction for the marque. The company approached Italian automotive designing icon Sergio Pininfarina in the early 70s to devise the first Rolls that would not be designed by a British house. As with all other Rolls-Royces, the body was hand-built by coach maker Mulliner Park Ward and would share the Silver Shadow platform. The differences would be marked by a larger body and much sportier appearance.
The styling changes were indeed bold. To most Rolls enthusiasts the changes amounted to nothing less than heresy. The first excommunicable act was the infamous “slanting of the grille”. Long known for being proudly adroit, Pininfarina slanted the famous Greek temple grille inward as a styling effect. Yet another offense was the new sporty appearance- Rolls-Royces were not supposed to be deliberately sporty in character- the Camargue had lean, boxy lines that echoed lesser British car makers like Triumph and TVR. Gone as well, was the chromed divider line that visually split the hood in two. The trademark line had graced Rolls-Royce bonnets since the days when such divisions had functional purpose in the Silver Ghost of 1910 (the current Phantom continues this tradition). And as if to compensate for the unorthodox design, Pininfarina opted to put a full pre-War size Spirit of Ecstasy on top of the grille (the Rolls emblem has been steadily downsized over the decades).
Sales numbers for the 11 year production were a dismal 526 Camargues- a small figure even for low output Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The Camargue was billed as the flagship of the Rolls-Royce line; an odd designation considering that it was coupé and not a long wheelbase sedan. Needless to say, the more traditional “lesser” siblings, the Silver Shadow and Corniche, proved to be much more popular and have aged gracefully into desirable classics.
The Camargue did have its perks, however. These included all the best refinements that Rolls-Royce could cosset drivers and passengers with in the 70s and 80s. The engine was a massive 6,750cc V-8 that mustered Herculean torque, albeit through a lax GM 3-speed automatic transmission. The car’s grand proportions would ensure that it commanded attention.
Indeed, the one and only time I have ever spotted a Camargue (two years ago in Rolls-Royce haven Palm Beach) it captured my attention and held it. The lines are still controversial to the Rolls enthusiast. Some may (and do) call it ugly. I can appreciate the boldness of the thought behind it, though, the Camargue has not aged well, and does look like a car of the 70s (a terrible decade for automobiles).
The Camargue, however, may be the story of the ugly duckling turning into the beautiful swan. Many of the lines that Pininfarina drew on the Camargue were carried over to the Italian designed Bentley Continental and Azure Convertible of the late 80s and 90s. The Azure, especially, was one of the most beautiful cars ever built. If the success of ensuing Bentleys could be added to the Camargue’s legacy, we could be more forgiving. Otherwise, it will remain just one bizarre car.
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