By the end of the 1970s, Bentleys accounted for a mere 3% of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ production; clearly a situation which 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 Sportscar’ was back. Bentley’s 1980s resurgence had 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 re-stated 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 Turbo R engine in the new wind-cheating shape cutting the 0-60mph time to under 6 seconds and boosting top speed to in excess of 150mph. The current (second) owner has owned this Continental R for only one year. Offered for sale with approximately 29,519 miles on the odometer, this car is finished in black with matching interior and is described by the owner as being ‘like new’. Included in this sale are tools, manuals and new Bentley wheels.
By the end of the 1970s, Bentleys accounted for a mere 3% of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ production; clearly a situation which 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 Sportscar’ was back. Bentley’s 1980s resurgence had 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 re-stated 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 Turbo R engine in the new wind-cheating shape cutting the 0-60mph time to under 6 seconds and boosting top speed to in excess of 150mph. The current (second) owner has owned this Continental R for only one year. Offered for sale with approximately 29,519 miles on the odometer, this car is finished in black with matching interior and is described by the owner as being ‘like new’. Included in this sale are tools, manuals and new Bentley wheels.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
