You might be wondering what a restored vintage Rolls-Royce is doing on a site that mostly focuses on outdoor gear and vehicles that support it. Well, the thing about cars is that they can help get you through the triathlon of life, but also the actual triathlons. This one has been custom-made to do both, adding a very clever bike rack to this lovingly renewed 1981 Rolls-Royce Corniche shooting brake.
Henry Has Gone From Coupe to Wagon
The car, called Henry by the family that has owned it since new, started life as a coupe. Recently, its owners sent it to Niels van Roij Design for a complete makeover. Van Roij has created many amazing coachbuilt vehicles over the years — two-door Range Rovers, a Tesla wagon, and, of course, now Henry.
Van Roij transformed the car into a shooting brake design. That’s what the Brits call this unique two-door station wagon shape. Traditionally, they were used for hunting parties (back in the horse-and-buggy days). Today, they’re mainly used for being cool.
This car, now called Henry II, is ready to help the owner hunt down adventure.
Custom Luggage Space Holds Bespoke Gear Bags
The low wagon roofline leaves plenty of room for cargo, like the specially crafted luggage that holds sneakers, swim gear, and everything else you need to compete in triathlons around the world. But it doesn’t leave room for the bikes the owner and his wife need for the middle leg of the event.
To fix that little problem, the van Roij design team designed a very special rack. The bike rack uses electric motors to power out from underneath the car. The rear bumper slides out, exposing the two-bike rack with it. It’s all very James Bond, at least if Bond competed in sports other than skiing, power drinking, and espionage.
Van Roij had to move the fuel tank to accommodate the cargo floor. It needed to be moved again to fit the rack. “The space was incredibly tight. We had to work with millimetre precision, and install an electric power system … but eventually, we fabricated a new subframe that integrates both the bike carrying system and the fuel tank,” said van Roij. After all, a hitch rack on a car like this simply wouldn’t do.
This Adventure-Ready Rolls Will Also Compete in Vintage Rally
Fitting of a vintage car like this, the owner also plans to use it on vintage car road rallies like the Raid from Switzerland and the British Classic Car Meeting in St. Moritz. For those events, van Roij has installed a Brantz rally meter hidden in a fold-down wooden panel. A map light in the headliner helps out when the rally drive extends into the dark.
We can’t imagine tossing wet gear and a bike into the back of a one-off Rolls-Royce. On the other hand, we can’t think of a more comfortable way to get home when you’re exhausted from the event. Lambswool mats, tweed, and buttery leather sound a lot nicer than whatever sandpaper was on the seats of our last rental car.
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