Grand Tour presenter James May has announced he is to sell his beloved Rolls-Royce Corniche because he may be allergic to its leather seats.
May, who made his name on Top Gear, has been aware that his 1972 Corniche made him “itchy” for a number of years, after admitting he needed “a very thorough shower” after driving it.
Now, it appears he has scratched that itch once too often and the car will be auctioned by Bonhams next month.
The Corniche, which has a 6.75-litre V8 engine and a top speed of 120mph, will go under the hammer at the Goodwood Member’s Meeting on March 19.
May explained on Drivetribe: “I’ve decided my 1972 Rolls-Royce Corniche has to go, because I’ve become allergic to it.
“If I drive it for more than half an hour I start itching, and then have to boil all my clothes.
“So it’s going into auction next month and it’s expected to fetch one-and-a-half times what I paid for it. Maybe twice.” Good business!
It seems the allergic reaction may be caused by the dimethyl fumarate used to preserve the Corniche’s leather seats.
Assuming you have no allergic reactions to leather and you are minded to make a bid for May’s classic old Corniche – the auctioneer’s valuation is £25,000 to £30,000 – it might be a good idea to find out how much it will cost to insure first.
Other illustrious classics in the catalogue are a 1961 Aston Martin DP214 Replica GT Competition Coupe valued at £60,000 to £70,000; a 1903 Clement 12/16HP Tonneau (£250,000 to £300,000); a 1966 Ferrari 330GT 2+2 Berlinetta (£180,000 to £220,000); a 1975 Lamborghini Urraco (£60,000 to £80,000); a 1968 Mini Cooper ‘S’ Mk II (£15,000 to £20,000); and a jamboree of variously valued Jaguars (jamboree being the collective noun for Jaguars!)
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