・Genuine low-mileage example

・In very good all-round condition

・Extensive service history

There’s no better way of saying you’ve arrived than pulling up in a Rolls Royce or a Bentley. The products of those two famous British manufacturers exude class and style like no other and no matter how much you dress up a BMW 7 Series or an S-Class Mercedes they just don’t quite cut it like a Rolls or a Bentley. Perhaps we’ll gloss over the fact that both companies are now owned by the German manufacturers…

But back in the 1980s if you wanted to make a statement you went and bought a Rolls or a Bentley – indeed the two companies were very closely tied together at the time with the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit and the Bentley Mulsanne effectively being the same car. But even the upper echelons of society were feeling the pinch in the early ‘80s recession so in an attempt to make Bentley ownership somewhat more affordable the company launched the Eight in 1984. It was effectively a cut-price Mulsanne and with a little less equipment and a price tag that just dipped under the £50k barrier.

It proved hugely popular and during its production run from 1984 to 1992 1,736 examples were manufactured. The example we have here is an early model from 1984 and its chassis number ending 0085 suggests it’s the 85th car off the production line. As standard the Eight came with a cloth interior – one of the cost-cutting measures – but leather could be added as an option and this car has that upgraded interior.  

The Bentley was first registered in November 1984 to a Mr Horton from Stoke on Trent and it originally bore the registration number 3333KH. Over the ensuing years the Bentley has had several different owners and a variety of age-related and private number plates but several of its owners have held onto it for a number of years as evidenced by the service records.

One in particular, a physics professor at Oxford University, owned the Bentley from around 2002 to 2012 (going by the service history receipts) and he lavished plenty of love on the car covering nearly 20,000 miles and having it serviced on a regular basis. In 2013 it was taken on by a Mr Hunter who added its current UUI2236 number plate before being sold to a Mr Barr in 2015. Under Mr Barr’s ownership the Bentley covered a low annual mileage before being sold to the current custodian recently who is in the motor trade. Some minor re fettling work has been carried out to ensure the Bentley presents well today. 

While the Bentley doesn’t have every receipt and invoice to accompany it there is a comprehensive history with the car. There’s the original delivery and advice note from Rolls Royce to the selling dealer – Strattons (Wilmslow) Limited – along with the original handbook and service book. It would appear that the original speedometer failed very early in the car’s life at 2,603 miles and its replacement is detailed in the service book certified by Rolls Royce in Crewe.

There are a further 12 stamps in the service book covering the period from 1985 to 1990 and then again from 1997 to 2000 with these latter stamps being backed up by receipts from Ballard and Son Limited who carried out a variety of services and repairs.

From the first part of the 21st century there are comprehensive invoices from D.E.W. Car Services (Rolls Royce and Bentley specialists in Oxfordshire) while the Bentley was owned by the Oxford professor. Extensive services and maintenance were carried out during this period amounting to a spend of over £17,000 between 2002 and 2012. 

There are fewer receipts from its more recent owners but work that has been carried out includes a new fan coupling, thermostat and work to the rear brakes. Most recently it has had an oil service in April this year.

There is also a virtually complete set of MoT certificates to accompany the car – 28 in total – to verify the car’s mileage. The most recent MoT was carried out in April this year which expires in April 2022. Four advisories were noted – a minor oil leak, a cracked tyre, a seep from the power steering and a defective exhaust mounting. There are four keys to accompany the car.

It’s hard to believe that Bentley could get away with selling a nigh-on £50k car with a cloth interior back when the Eight was new but this example was equipped with the optional tan leather trim from the factory and today it’s still in excellent shape. The leather endows the cockpit with a sumptuous feel and would definitely be a cosseting place to while away the miles.

The leather clad roof lining is in pristine condition and the rear seats would appear to have only had minimal use during the car’s 37-year life. The front seats are still in fine condition too, although the driver’s seat does exhibit slightly more wear than the passenger side one. There are signs of some very light cracking to the surface of the leather in a couple of places but no doubt they would respond very well to some Connolisation. 

Elsewhere the controls and instrumentation all appears to be in sound order and a modern Sony stereo is fitted. The interior chrome work presents in excellent condition and even items such as the map nets on the rear of the two front seats are in great shape exhibiting no signs of sagging. The carpet is in good order with no stains, rips or tears. The wood cappings on the doors along with the wooden dash have lost their original veneer but have been sanded back to their original wood with layers of varnish being applied. Perhaps not to original specification by still presenting in very good order.

The Bentley’s exterior paint is in good condition overall and is finished in what Bentley termed Claret. Over the years the car has obviously had a little bit of attention to its paintwork and the current keeper has tidied it up here and there. Overall it presents very well with just a couple of minor blemishes apparent here and there which are commensurate with a vehicle of this age.

All the exterior brightwork is in good order including the mesh front grille which was fitted to the Eight to distinguish it from the Mulsanne. The hub caps for the steel wheels are all present and correct and in good order and while the matching set of Goodyear Eagle tyres have plenty of tread they are getting on in years and as mentioned on the MoT not in their first flush of youth.

Underneath the Bentley appears to be in a solid condition and the current keeper reports that having seen it up on a ramp he believes it to be in original unwelded condition. While we cannot confirm that from looking underneath there are no obvious defects to see other than some light corrosion on some components.

The Eight starts and runs well although we did not have a road test it idles well and revs cleanly. Under the bonnet all the components appear to be in good order from a visual check over and even the factory sound insulation on the underside of the bonnet is in good condition. Looking underneath the engine there is evidence of some very minor fluid leaks – as detailed on the MoT but there was no staining of oil where the Bentley had been parked which would suggest these are of a minor nature.

Over the car’s life it would appear to have had the correct servicing and maintenance carried out and having covered just under 74,000 miles during its 37-year life there should be plenty of miles left in the big, unstressed V8.

While the Bentley Eight was a strong seller when it was new it’s now a rare beast on the road with just 56 examples left according to howmanyleft.co.uk. This example would appear to be a very honest example and while it’s by no means perfect it does present in good condition with its sumptuous interior being a particular highlight.

The extensive service history is a desirable part of the car’s make up and when many of these cars would have been left to languish or were run on a shoestring once they reached a certain age it’s great to see this example having been well looked after over the years.

Even today it’s still a very imposing and stylish machine that will no doubt reward and delight its new owner. It might no longer be a £50,000 motor car but its old school charm and effortless aura of grace and elegance will certainly ensure a classy arrival at any venue. 

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