2001 Bentley Continental R Mulliner Coupé

• Landmark modern Bentley
• Three former keepers
• Circa 37,000 miles on the odometer
• Present ownership since 2016
• Offered for recommissioning

By the end of the 1970s, Bentleys accounted for a mere 3% of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' production, clearly a situation that could not be tolerated if the once-famous marque was to avoid extinction. The solution was to seek to re-establish Bentley's credentials as the purveyor of high-performance luxury cars, and in a move calculated to evoke memories of the company's glorious past achievements at Le Mans, the name 'Mulsanne' was chosen for the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit's counterpart. This strategy would succeed brilliantly. Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1982, the Mulsanne Turbo provoked a rash of headlines in the motoring press hailing the return of the 'Blower Bentley' - the 'Silent Sports Car' was back.

Bentley's 1980s resurgence had hitherto relied exclusively on models whose basic architecture was shared with other Rolls-Royce products, but on display at Geneva in '85 was 'Project 90', a mocked-up coupé intended to gauge public response to the idea of a high-performance car unique to Bentley. When the real thing - the Bentley Continental R - was unveiled six years later, the waiting crowd burst into spontaneous applause. Styled by John Heffernan and Ken Greenley, the Continental R benefited from computer-aided design and wind tunnel testing in the devising of its sleekly streamlined shape. Despite the need to incorporate non-traditional features such as doors recessed into the roof, the result looked every bit a Bentley, albeit one restated for the 1990s. Also new was the gearbox, a four-speed automatic with an 'overdrive' top ratio, but the main focus of interest was the newcomer's performance. Needless to say, this was outstanding, the combination of the 385bhp Turbo R engine in the new wind-cheating shape cutting the 0-60mph time to 6.1 seconds and boosting top speed to 151mph.

Introduced at Geneva in the spring of 1999, the Continental R Mulliner was as powerful as the short-wheelbase Continental T, boasting a maximum output of 420bhp and a staggering 650ft/lb of torque, the latter delivered at all of 2,200rpm. The 0-60mph time dropped to a fraction under 6 seconds, while top speed increased to 167mph (268km/h). Improved suspension, quicker steering, switchable traction control and massive 18" diameter wheels helped keep the 2,450kg plot under control.

Finished in dark blue, this particular Continental R Mulliner has had three former keepers and has belonged to the current owner since 2016. The car is offered with a V5C document, but there are no books or history with this Lot. The car has been kept on static display for some time, last being MOT'd in January 2023 at 36,677 miles and as such is offered for recommissioning.