1991 Bentley Continental R Saloon

As the 1970s came to a close, Bentley sales accounted for a minimal 3-percent of Rolls-Royce Motor cars' production. In an effort to avoid extinction the company eliminated the feeling of 'badge engineering' and to re-establish Bentley's credentials as the pre-eminent purveyor of high-performance luxury cars. The name 'Mulsanne' was chosen for Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit's counterpart, a strategic and calculated move meant to evoke memories of the company's glorious past at Le Mans.

Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 1982, the Mulsanne Turbo was very well received and go well beyond everyone's expectations. Nonetheless, it shared a body with its Rolls-Royce sister. The next logical step was to introduce a dramatically different-looking car available only as a Bentley.

Six years later, Bentley introduced the two-door Continental R. Styled at the Worthing based International Automotive Design with the assistance of consultants John Heffernan and Ken Greenley, the new car benefitted from new computer aided design and wind tunnel testing. The result was an elegant, sporty, sleekly streamlined shape.

The design was every bit a Bentley, with non-traditional features such as doors recessed into the roof. Also new was the four-speed automatic with an 'overdrive' top ratio. Power was from the 325 horsepower Turbo R engine which could carry the car from zero-to-sixty in under 7 seconds and boosting top speed to around 150 mph.

This left-hand drive Continental R was special order for a leading Dubai family. The car was sold in Dubai in 2007 and use sparingly until it was imported to the United Kingdom in the spring of 2010.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at Coys 'Legende et Passion' Monaco sale where it was estimated to sell for €45,000 - €55,000.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2012