INTO DESIGN 001: inspiration behind Henry II coachbuilt Shooting Brake | Niels van Roij Design

NIELS VAN ROIJ DESIGN UNVEILS STUNNING BESPOKE
CORNICHE SHOOTING BRAKE

● Project transforms 1981 Corniche coupe into alluring, understated, one-of-one, grand tourer shooting brake
● Restored and coachbuilt to exemplary standards; every detail meticulously considered and exquisitely executed
● Having been in the same family for 40 years, the cherished Corniche, christened ‘Henry’, now evolves to ‘Henry II’
● Features a newly engineered steel body from the B-pillar rearward, including a redesigned roofline, C-pillars, trunk lid and upper rear panels. Also introduces a concealed, electric extending bike carrier system capable of transporting two triathlon bicycles
● Created by a unique combination of CAD, 3D-scanning, 3D-printing and traditional panel-beating, leather and wood handcraft skills
● Rally instruments, map pocket, personalised travel bags and electric foldable rear bench seat with flat floor subtly re-envision ‘Henry II’ for next glorious chapter, ready to master any journey
● Award-winning design studio Niels van Roij Design dedicated to leading global renaissance in automotive coachbuilding

Niels van Roij Design has today unveiled its latest bespoke commission, a one-of-one Corniche shooting brake. The 1981 Corniche coupe, cherished by the same family for over forty years, was entrusted to the award-winning, Netherlands-based automotive design and coachbuilding company, to be restored and re-envisioned for a new chapter.

Affectionately known as 'Henry' by the family it has faithfully served since new, the Corniche coupe has been reborn as a grand tourer shooting brake under Niels van Roij Design’s painstaking stewardship. Rechristened ‘Henry II,’ the Corniche now features a new roofline and upper bodywork from the rear of the doors, a bespoke interior, and a custom concealed electric extending carrying mechanism designed to transport two triathlon bicycles.

Led by accomplished automotive designer Niels van Roij, supported by weekly design and engineering consultations with the car’s owner, the forensically detailed commission took two and a half years to complete. To ensure the highest possible standards at every step, Niels van Roij Design meticulously deployed a full suite of OEM-level Computer-Aided Design (CAD), 3D-scanning and 3D-printing technology in tandem with traditional panel-beating, leather and wood artisan handcraft skills.

Fully restored and re-imagined, Henry II has been reborn to meet the needs of its current custodians’ contemporary and dynamic lifestyles while preserving and celebrating the heritage, ethos and peerless design values of the original vehicle.


Defining the brief – preparing for a new chapter

“Each coachbuild commission we undertake at Niels van Roij Design has a unique story behind it, and it is crucial we fully understand that story before carrying out any work. The story behind ‘Henry’ is especially intriguing as the car had been in the one family for more than four decades,” explains company founder and design director Niels van Roij.

“Coming to us, he said, 'Henry is showing his age a little bit, and he needs some restoration. But while we are doing that, I would also like to undertake some alterations to make Henry a bit more mine as it were, without losing the character and heritage of the car.’ So, that was the starting point for the commission.”

To ensure that the final incarnation of each bespoke vehicle fulfils each client’s wishes, van Roij believes it is essential to ask numerous and frequent questions to delve into the minutiae of the details of precisely how the car will be used. That process doesn’t stop until a few months before the completion of the project, and van Roij also requests to speak to each client’s spouse or partner independently to gain additional insight.

With Henry, though, the overarching brief was quite clear. The client wanted the car to be capable of transporting two bicycles, as he and his wife are keen triathletes who compete worldwide. To achieve this, the client wanted to explore the possibility of two bicycles being carried inside without compromising the car’s exterior proportions or interior usability.


Strip-down process – uncovering the past

The first step was to conduct a full 3D-measurement scan, during which it was discovered that the left-hand side was 7mm longer than the right side. As the team of experts commissioned by Niels van Roij Design began taking the car apart, further discoveries were made.

“We always prefer to start with ‘good’ cars – no accident damage and not completely rusted out. Otherwise, you have to undertake so much restoration work that the wait for the project to be completed is just too long for clients,” explains van Roij. “But of course, you can never be quite sure what you will find when you begin stripping a car down, especially one of Henry’s advanced years.”