Wearing a price tag close to $1,000,000 in today's money, the Bentley Continental R is top-shelf motoring
This ball-tearer is also swift, suave and utterly decadent
Bentley cars represent the peak.
They are the end result for people who love playing all the games and winning all the prizes in business. As one of the most expensive production cars of 1993, it was the default choice of monarchs, CEOs, and the world’s elite.
Aside from being the best, it was also the first bespoke-bodied Bentley since the 1960s and the first Bentley in forever that didn’t have a Rolls-Royce equivalent. The Continental’s design embodied the essence of a Bentley, echoing the brand’s original reputation for swift and opulent grand tourers.
With a 3.0-metre-long wheelbase sitting under a 5.3-metre hand-built body, it exudes class. Where all other Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars from this era are slab-sided and bulky, the Continental R is seductively curvy and elegant.
But that’s where the pleasantries stop. Powering the aerodynamic coupe is Bentley’s legendary 6.75-litre turbocharged V8. Tracing its roots back to the 1950s, this old-fashioned torque monster has become just as legendary as its bodywork.
It’s since garnered a reputation as a bit of a workhorse, too. Known for functioning well past 300,000 km, its old-school nature makes it relatively simple to keep on the road.
Given its high price tag, only 76 Bentley Continental Rs were produced in 1993. It was one of a handful ordered and delivered new to Japan by its sole licensed Bentley agent, Cornes Motors. Japanese-new Bentleys were often configured in desirable and timeless configurations, like this example’s Peacock blue exterior over Magnolia leather.
It’s utterly timeless and far nicer than the boring maroons and silvers ordered by Westerns of the same era. Aside from its rare and desirable colourway, this example is a single-owner car that comes with a detailed and complete Bentley service history from new.
It is an exceptionally rare car globally and only one of 544 right-hand drive examples ever built over an 11-year production run.
If you like the best, well, you ought to indulge.
The car pictured – Bentley Continental R Turbo
This Bentley Continental R was ordered new in Japan and configured in Peacock Blue with a Magnolia leather trim and Burr Walnut inlays. The secondary interior colour for accents, piping and details is a deep blue that complements its exterior.
The vehicle was kept by a single owner for its entire life before being acquired by Cult&Classic. Certified & graded 4.0B in Japan in terms of condition. It comes with its owner’s manual, a detailed Bentley dealership service history, two keys and all corresponding paperwork from new.
The service history consists of over 14 detailed condition reports that note the car’s condition, advisories, and what was replaced. At 60,000 km, the vehicle had a significant overhaul by an official Bentley dealer, which included a reseal of the whole engine, the replacement of all cooling system parts including the coolant tank, thermostat housing and all hoses, new engine mounts, new drive belts, new bearings for the engine’s pulleys, a rebuild of the eight brake callipers, 4x oil return hoses, replacement of height control valves and hoses, new accumulators/spheres, and a rebuilt power steering rack.
Later in 2022, its turbocharger was rebuilt by leading engineering firm Showa Engineering in Nagoya. The vehicle has had extensive upkeep over the years, and this is evident in how it drives and performs today. There are no oil leaks, and the car drives and stops like it should.
The bodywork presents extremely well for its age, with the underside being corrosion-free. The 6.75-litre turbocharged V8 is still potent, and the GM four-speed automatic shifts crisply. On the inside, the interior has aged just as well. The timber veneers are intact, and their original lacquer is in excellent shape. The driver’s seat shows minor, expected wear.
Quick facts
- 1993 Bentley Continental R
- One-of-73 made in 1993, one-of-544 ever built
- One-owner car with a full Bentley service history
- 6.75-litre V8 turbo
- 75,350km
- Peacock Blue exterior / Magnolia interior
- Exceptional and original condition overall
- Corrosion-free and beautiful underneath
- Recent extensive overhaul & continual maintenance since new
- A true modern classic – once the most expensive car in the world and a watershed moment for Bentley as brand
- Globally rare vehicle
- Vehicle comes with three-month NSW registration
- Vehicle comes with engineering compliance certificate
- Vehicles comes with NSW roadworthy
- Affordable interstate transport available
That V8 is the strong, slow-beating heart of the Continental R Mulliner and fundamental to its appeal all these years later. It’s a car with a monumental quality, arguably the ultimate expression of a line that can be traced right back to the late 1960s. A car of unique character. The full English.Evo Magazine, Peter Tomalin,
