Even today, more than 30 years after the launch of the Bentley Continental R, it is still one of the most attention-grabbing grand tourers available.
This particular example, registration P76 LTF, was supplied new by H.R. Owen of London in September 1996 and finished in Black Emerald with a Sandstone leather interior. You only need to look through its history file to see that this was a car specified by an enthusiast and someone who wanted to get the most out of their ownership.
Developed under the codename ‘Nepal’, the Continental R arrived at a time when most Bentleys shared platforms with their Rolls-Royce counterparts; the Continental R was the first Bentley of the modern era to feature a unique body design and helped re-establish the marque as a luxury performance brand in its own right.
Built by hand at Bentley’s Crewe factory, the Continental R was one of the most expensive production cars available anywhere in the world. The original invoice supplied with P76 LTF shows a total purchase price of £170,393.33. This was huge money in 1996 and the equivalent of well over £400,000 today.
The factory documentation that comes with the car details the high specification chosen by its original owner. Alongside its Black Emerald paintwork and Sandstone hide upholstery, the car was ordered with Ascot Green piping and dashboard top roll, highly figured burr walnut veneers, fully veneered waist rails, a chrome radiator grille, painted grille vanes, top-tint windscreen and rear shaded screen.
Our Continental R has a 6.75-litre turbocharged V8 engine, paired with a four-speed GM automatic gearbox. An impressive feature of this car is that, despite weighing around 2.4 tonnes, it can go from 0- 60mph in just over six seconds before continuing up to around 150mph.
Over the years, the car has clearly benefited from attentive ownership and specialist care. The history file contains maintenance records from Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialists including Hanwells of London and Leslie James Ltd of Suffolk. These invoices document ongoing servicing and maintenance, ranging from routine maintenance through to suspension work, hydraulic system attention, brake repairs and electrical work. Recent specialist maintenance includes repairs to the seat ECU system, replacement front dampers and suspension components, hydraulic brake work and MOT-related servicing.
When the car arrived at Bridge Classic Cars, the team stripped and inspected various areas of the vehicle, uncovering corrosion in several known Continental R trouble spots, including areas around the rear quarter windows and hidden body seams. Rather than opting for cosmetic repairs, new metal sections were fabricated and welded in where required before being properly sealed and prepared for paint.
The bodywork was also given attention. Exterior trim, bumpers and brightwork were removed to allow repairs to be completed correctly, and it had a full respray to bring the Black Emerald colour back to its former glory. During the project, the team also investigated and rectified gearbox leaks, replaced worn components, addressed braking issues including leaking rear callipers, and corrected suspension geometry concerns after excessive front camber was identified.
Today, our 1996 Bentley Continental R is a fantastic example of one of Bentley’s most important modern classics. As it also has a substantial history file, its story is supported by its original factory paperwork and extensive maintenance history.
You can win our 1996 Bentley Continental R for £15.
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