1997 Bentley Turbo R RL 6.75 V8 with turbocharger from UK and Ireland
Summary:
Fabulous rising classic all round
Faults:
Mainly electrics, as in central locking.
Head gasket replacement around 60k, but this is to be expected and is not the fault of the car, but the fault in change of gasket sealant being used; to be in line with EU rules probably. Many head gaskets on cars in the last decades, it's all change now, especially if you keep the car for a long time and it was manufactured in last 40 years or so.
The central locking on these cars is a known problem, but usually sorted by competent independent.
General Comments:
The 1997 Turbo R was one of the last hand built Bentleys, and is not to be confused with the later VW built Bentley models, which seem to be on the aftermarket in huge numbers.
This is a classic automobile, and although a bit to handle financially, the reward of owning and driving such a classic eclipses the downtime.
Keeping the car well maintained is a must; plenty of stamps in the book, and prices are slowly rising for the best examples, and believe me, these are a whole lot of car for the asking price.
Every driver should have a drive in one of these; they are akin to driving around in a sitting room, and have the ability to get a superb amount of acceleration for such a large vehicle that can really surprise.
As one owner said, when someone is driving at 100 miles an hour and a Bentley Turbo R passes them, it does tend to make one sit up and think!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 6th August, 2015
6th Aug 2015, 21:28
It would certainly make a UK traffic policeman sit up - not sure about the thinking side of things.