1993 Bentley Continental R Coupé, Registration no. L798 CVM Chassis no. SCBZB03C6RCH52021
* Landmark modern Bentley
* One enthusiast owner since 1999
* Maintained with no expense spared
* Substantial history file
By the end of the 1970s, Bentleys accounted for a mere 3% of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' production, clearly a situation that could not be tolerated if the once-famous marque was to avoid extinction. The solution was to seek to re-establish Bentley's credentials as the purveyor of high-performance luxury cars, and in a move calculated to evoke memories of the company's glorious past achievements at Le Mans, the name 'Mulsanne' was chosen for the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit's counterpart. This strategy would succeed brilliantly. Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1982, the Mulsanne Turbo provoked a rash of headlines in the motoring press hailing the return of the 'Blower Bentley' - the 'Silent Sports Car' was back.
Bentley's 1980s resurgence had hitherto relied exclusively on models whose basic architecture was shared with other Rolls-Royce products, but on display at Geneva in '85 was 'Project 90', a mocked-up coupé intended to gauge public response to the idea of a high-performance car unique to Bentley. When the real thing - the Bentley Continental R - was unveiled six years later, the waiting crowd burst into spontaneous applause. Styled with the assistance of consultants International Automotive Design, the Continental R benefited from computer-aided design and wind tunnel testing in the devising of its sleekly streamlined shape. Despite the need to incorporate non-traditional features such as doors recessed into the roof, the result looked every bit a Bentley, albeit one restated for the 1990s. Also new was the gearbox, a four-speed automatic with an 'overdrive' top ratio, but the main focus of interest was the newcomer's performance. Needless to say, this was outstanding, the combination of the 385bhp Turbo R engine in the new wind-cheating shape cutting the 0-60mph time to 6.1 seconds and boosting top speed to 151mph.
This particular Continental R was acquired from Broughtons of Cheltenham by the enthusiast vendor in May 1999 at 55,000 miles having undergone an extensive service prior to purchase (see bill for £5,691 on file). Between 2000 and 2004, the car was maintained by S C Gordon Bentley, followed by Bentley Pangbourne from 2006 to 2010 (see bills totalling circa £38,500). Since then, maintenance has been entrusted to Sargeants of Goudhurst and Frank Dale & Stepsons, who fitted a new radiator and refurbished the interior in 2014. Spellbound Cars of Farnham have maintained the Continental since 2015 (bills total circa £8,500).
A delightfully honest motor car, running and driving well, this elegant modern Bentley is offered with a most impressive history file containing the original sales brochure, sales receipt, warranty documents, owner's manual, and service booklet. Also present is the aforementioned service history, current MoT, a V5C Registration Certificate, and a quantity of expired MoTs dating back to 2000.
It should be noted that although the odometer reading is circa 80,000 miles, this car has actually covered a little over 96,000 miles from new.
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* Landmark modern Bentley
* One enthusiast owner since 1999
* Maintained with no expense spared
* Substantial history file
By the end of the 1970s, Bentleys accounted for a mere 3% of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' production, clearly a situation that could not be tolerated if the once-famous marque was to avoid extinction. The solution was to seek to re-establish Bentley's credentials as the purveyor of high-performance luxury cars, and in a move calculated to evoke memories of the company's glorious past achievements at Le Mans, the name 'Mulsanne' was chosen for the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit's counterpart. This strategy would succeed brilliantly. Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1982, the Mulsanne Turbo provoked a rash of headlines in the motoring press hailing the return of the 'Blower Bentley' - the 'Silent Sports Car' was back.
Bentley's 1980s resurgence had hitherto relied exclusively on models whose basic architecture was shared with other Rolls-Royce products, but on display at Geneva in '85 was 'Project 90', a mocked-up coupé intended to gauge public response to the idea of a high-performance car unique to Bentley. When the real thing - the Bentley Continental R - was unveiled six years later, the waiting crowd burst into spontaneous applause. Styled with the assistance of consultants International Automotive Design, the Continental R benefited from computer-aided design and wind tunnel testing in the devising of its sleekly streamlined shape. Despite the need to incorporate non-traditional features such as doors recessed into the roof, the result looked every bit a Bentley, albeit one restated for the 1990s. Also new was the gearbox, a four-speed automatic with an 'overdrive' top ratio, but the main focus of interest was the newcomer's performance. Needless to say, this was outstanding, the combination of the 385bhp Turbo R engine in the new wind-cheating shape cutting the 0-60mph time to 6.1 seconds and boosting top speed to 151mph.
This particular Continental R was acquired from Broughtons of Cheltenham by the enthusiast vendor in May 1999 at 55,000 miles having undergone an extensive service prior to purchase (see bill for £5,691 on file). Between 2000 and 2004, the car was maintained by S C Gordon Bentley, followed by Bentley Pangbourne from 2006 to 2010 (see bills totalling circa £38,500). Since then, maintenance has been entrusted to Sargeants of Goudhurst and Frank Dale & Stepsons, who fitted a new radiator and refurbished the interior in 2014. Spellbound Cars of Farnham have maintained the Continental since 2015 (bills total circa £8,500).
A delightfully honest motor car, running and driving well, this elegant modern Bentley is offered with a most impressive history file containing the original sales brochure, sales receipt, warranty documents, owner's manual, and service booklet. Also present is the aforementioned service history, current MoT, a V5C Registration Certificate, and a quantity of expired MoTs dating back to 2000.
It should be noted that although the odometer reading is circa 80,000 miles, this car has actually covered a little over 96,000 miles from new.
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