The Bentley Continental R was a luxury coupé made by Bentley Motors from 1991 to 2003. It was the first Bentley since the 1965 S3 Continental to have a body not shared with a Rolls-Royce, the first to use the GM 4L80-E transmission, and at its launch the fastest, most powerful and most expensive Bentley of the day.
Bentley Continental R at a glance
| Maker | Bentley Motors, Crewe |
|---|---|
| Production | 1991–2003 |
| Type | two-door 2+2 grand touring coupé |
| Engine | 6.75-litre V8, Garrett turbocharger |
| Power | 325 hp at launch; 407 PS in 1996–2001 form; 426 PS in the T |
| Torque | 610 N·m at launch, later up to 875 N·m |
| Transmission | GM 4L80-E four-speed automatic |
| Top speed | 145 mph (233 km/h) at launch |
| Platform | Rolls-Royce SZ |
| Built | 1,292 Continental R |
History of the Bentley Continental R
A Bentley of its own
In the early 1980s David Plastow, managing director of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars under Vickers, saw potential in the neglected Bentley brand. The first step was the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo of 1982; then marketing director Peter Ward wanted a Bentley that was more than a re-badged Rolls-Royce. Designers John Heffernan and Ken Greenley produced ideas for a new coupé, shown as a fibreglass mock-up at the 1985 Geneva Motor Show under the name Project 90. The project was largely shelved while the company worked on a Corniche replacement, until chief designer Graham Hull suggested that the Corniche sketches would suit a Bentley coupé better. His 1986 rendering became the Continental R.
The car was built on the Rolls-Royce SZ platform, an evolution of the SY, with an aerodynamically shaped two-door body of Cd 0.37 and roof-cut door frames to ease access under the lower roofline. A subtle spoiler effect was worked into the rear. The name recalled the post-war Bentley Continental, while the R referred to the R Type of the 1950s and the Turbo R, where it stood for roadholding. The revival that began with the Mulsanne Turbo and continued with the Continental R is widely credited with saving Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and with laying the groundwork for the split of the two brands in 1998.
The 1991 launch
A completed pre-production car, developed under the codename Nepal, was taken secretly to Switzerland and driven out from behind a wall on the Rolls-Royce stand at the 1991 Geneva Motor Show, a year earlier than expected. Handel’s Zadok the Priest was chosen for the launch. The Sultan of Brunei, impressed by the car, bought the show car at the event for over £2 million, and the new Bentley upstaged the Mercedes-Benz W140 that also appeared at the show.
Engineering and model years
The Continental R used the 6.75-litre Garrett-turbocharged V8 from the Turbo R. Early cars, built from 1991 to 1993, had about 325 hp at 4,000 rpm and 610 N·m at 2,000 rpm, though Rolls-Royce still refused to publish official figures and preferred to call the output “sufficient”. The GM 4L80-E four-speed automatic had been tested by Rolls-Royce over 1,000,000 miles and modified for refinement. The car had self-levelling hydraulic suspension with adaptive ride control, ventilated front disc brakes with twin calipers and MK-Motronic engine management with mapped ignition. The advertised top speed at launch was 145 mph.
Output rose over the years: 360 PS from September 1993, 389 PS in 1996, 407 PS from September 1996 to February 2001 and 389 PS again to the end of production. The limited Continental S of 1994–1995 had 408 PS and 821 N·m; the Mulliner versions from 1998 used a 426 PS engine. The Continental T of 1996–2003 had a wheelbase 100 mm shorter, a body 180 mm wider and 426 PS with 875 N·m, reaching 270 km/h and accelerating to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. The open-roof Continental SC Sedanca was built from 1998 to 2000. Production of the Continental R itself came to 1,292 cars, and its convertible derivative, the Azure, arrived in 1995.
Design and features
- Its own body: the first Bentley since 1965 not to share its styling with a Rolls-Royce.
- Turbo V8: the 6.75-litre Garrett-turbocharged engine from the Turbo R, up to 426 PS in later versions.
- Modern driveline: the first Bentley with the GM 4L80-E four-speed automatic, tested over a million miles.
- Adaptive suspension: self-levelling hydraulics with automatic ride control.
Bentley Continental R versions
- Continental R (1991–2003): the standard coupé, 1,292 built.
- Continental S (1994–1995): a limited edition of 18 cars with 408 PS.
- Continental R Mulliner (1998–2003): bespoke trim and a 426 PS engine.
- Continental T (1996–2003): shorter wheelbase, wider body, 426 PS and 270 km/h.
- Continental SC Sedanca (1998–2000): the targa-roof version of the T.
The Continental R’s convertible sister was the Bentley Azure, and its successor in the range was the Continental GT. More cars are in the Bentley collection.
Video: Bentley Continental R coupe test drive **Faulty Sound**
Video by gadjann on YouTube.
Sources
- Bentley Continental R, English Wikipedia: origin, launch, engineering
- Bentley Continental R, Italian Wikipedia: model years, variants, production numbers
