Lot 314 - 1994 Bentley Continental R

Though launched at the Geneva Salon of 1991, many elements of the John Heffernan/Ken Greenley-penned Continental R had been seen at the same event as far back as 1984, when Bentley unveiled their `Project 90' concept car; a suitably enthusiastic reception leading the company to develop the car for production. Clearly the Sultan of Brunei approved of the end result, as he bought the 1991 show car at the exhibition. The new car was based on the Turbo R floor-pan and powered by that model's 6.75 litre turbocharged, V8 engine, which was believed (the Rolls-Royce/Bentley company of the day never quoted horsepower figures) to produce in the region of 325bhp. Whatever, it was sufficient to give a top speed of some 145mph and a 0-60mph acceleration time of around 6.6 seconds - no mean performance for a car weighing in at some 2.5 tons and the best of any Bentley in its day. The engine drove through the then new four-speed transmission. Unlike all other Bentleys since the S3 of 1965, its body was unique to the marque and not shared with any model of Rolls-Royce.

This 1995 model Bentley Continental R, built by Mulliner Park Ward, was first registered in December 1994 and owned by Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd. It was used for the first year as the press car and shown all over Europe with the registration 1800 TU. Finished in red pearl with sandstone piped in red leather interior, this has recently had the head gaskets replaced and new front tyres fitted. Acquired by the vendor in 2014, this is supplied with a V5C registration document, an MoT test certificate which expires in January 2018, an owner’s manual, a service book with a good service history as well as a file containing old MoT’s and invoices. A car which is a pleasure to drive and be driven in, this is most certainly the ultimate high-speed gentleman's club.