Description
Turbo R Model 6-month Warranty, Mileage 110, 600 km, Price €28, 500, First registered January 1991, Optional services: Delivery available anywhere in France. Warranty extension up to 12 months. vehicle appraisal
Chapter 1: The Model
Since 1965 and the release of the Silver Shadow, there has not been a Bentley in the classic sense. Indeed, if the well‑heeled gentleman driver could still gravitate towards the splendid Bentley Flying Spur or Continental in previous years, the Bentley T1 is nothing more than a Silver Shadow with a different grille. At the Geneva Motor Show in 1982, Bentley surprised everyone by unveiling a proper, standalone model: the Mulsanne Turbo. While its exterior remained very close to its Silver Spirit cousin, the “cheap” grille, but above all the noticeably more aerodynamic profile, allowed a gain of around 35 horsepower. The old “6¾” engine was fitted with a massive Garrett turbocharger. The in‑house engineers managed to make it completely disappear from sight. After all, it would be unfashionable to shake up the crew like a vulgar 911 Turbo. Powered by a carburettor, fuel consumption was enormous, but performance was there, as was the success. Rolls‑Royce decided to push the development and, in 1985, presented the Turbo R, for “Road Holding”, literally “on‑the‑road manners”. If the Mulsanne had only a powerful engine, the Turbo R offered, in addition, extraordinary on‑road capabilities. No other luxury limousine had delivered such road performance up to that point. A specialised suspension was designed specifically, and Avon developed a 255/ 65 R15 tyre capable of withstanding the unimaginable stresses of a 2, 500 kg weight launched beyond 220 km/ h. The addition of fuel injection helped to drastically reduce fuel consumption. As usual, the venerable house gave no power figure, estimated at about 320 bhp. Beyond this relatively modest figure, it is the torque, well over 600 Newton‑metres, that makes the car. Immune to load, immune to rough roads, the engine feels like a generator that nothing seems able to stop. The exterior styling becomes assertive, with a specific body kit and four menacing headlights. One can easily imagine these flashing on the left lane of the motorway to clear the way and leave behind the thief and his ordinary BMW… To perfect it all, and justify a price that allows one to collect Mercedes, the interior is specific. The instrument panel combines with a superb centre console, and the instrumentation includes an electronic control system for vehicle functions, with a multifunction display responsible for informing the driver of the slightest malfunction. The Turbo R marries sportiness, technology, luxury and tradition as well as possible. Faithful to Sir Henry Royce’s creed, Crewe’s engineers continued to evolve the Turbo R without ever revolutionising it. Thus, if the exterior remained almost unchanged until the end of production, the mechanicals evolved regularly, and in significant ways. From 1992, the automatic gearbox changed from 3 speeds to 4, and gained electronic management. The biggest evolution came with the 1995 models. On the programme, Zytec engine management and cooling of forced induction by an intercooler. Already a gas‑guzzler, the turbocharged V8 became a nuclear powerhouse. So many elements were added to the engine that the engineers opted for a plastic cover to hide piping, ducts and various wiring. There was so little space that the bonnet bulge nearly rose. Thus equipped, power was estimated at around 385 bhp. This would be the ultimate mechanical development, with only a few cosmetic modifications for the final versions (removal of wind deflectors on the front windows, new mirrors, more enveloping bumpers, larger wheels…), and a few special editions to clear the last chassis produced in 1997.
Chapter 2: The History of this Bentley Turbo R
Factory‑new in April 1991, this example was ordered for the Gulf emirates, but it seems it was never shipped there. We do not know the country of first registration; the first French registration dates from 2003. The service book is stamped from 2002, at 92, 000 km, by the Bentley dealer in Monaco. From 2003 to 2018, the car remained in the hands of the same owner on the Côte d’Azur. We bought it in June 2018, and, after a major overhaul, we quickly sold it to one of our clients; it had then 101, 000 miles. Its last owner took the greatest care of it, entrusting us each year to carry out the maintenance in good order.
