2001 Bentley Continental R Mulliner Wide Body Coupé

Introduced in 1991, the Continental R was the first Bentley in 26 years to not share a body style with a concurrent Rolls-Royce and was inspired by the highly collectible Continental R-Type of the 1950s. The elegant two-door coachwork was styled by John Heffernan and Ken Greenley, a duo whose résumé included sports cars like the Aston Martin Virage. Five years later, Bentley introduced a short-wheelbase version, dubbed the Continental T, that was equipped with an uprated engine developing 420bhp and an impressive 650lbs/ft of torque available at only 2,200rpm. 

Bentley customers soon expressed interest in equipping the 'wide-body' Continental R model with the T’s more powerful engine, and the Continental R Mulliner was consequently introduced, as a completely new model, at the 1999 Geneva Salon. The nomenclature was an homage to H.J. Mulliner, the British coachbuilder responsible for the original R-Type’s breathtaking fastback bodywork. The R Mulliner’s wide-body configuration offered spacious interior elegance, whilst the big Garret-turbocharged V8 could rocket the car to a top speed of nearly 170mph, with brisk 5.6 second sprints to 60mph from standstill. Individually tailored to customer order, the R Mulliner was Bentley’s ultimate 20th century combination of luxury and performance, produced in a modest total quantity of 148 cars with 63 in right-hand drive. Without question one of the finest Bentleys ever made, the Continental R is also historically significant as one of the last hand-built Bentleys produced before the company's acquisition by Volkswagen.

The example presented here is a 2001 Bentley Continental R Mulliner wide-bodied Coupé (SCBZB25EX1CH63540) that is finished in Black Sapphire, which essentially is a very dark blue, and sits on a set of very rare 'Sedanca' chromed alloys with very good Pirelli P Zero Asimmetrico tyres (new at 44,000 miles). The interior looks simply fabulous in a combination of French Navy and Barley hides with dark blue carpets, dark blue Lambswool rugs and Burr Walnut veneers. The Bentley Vehicle Specification in the car's history file runs to two A4 pages and makes fascinating reading.

The car was purchased from us (Silverstone Auctions) by our vendor over four years ago with an indicated mileage of 43,765 and has since been subject to cosmetic improvement with a two week paint correction and detailing and further mechanical correction and preventative maintenance with details in the owner's file. Also within the file are the up to date service history and earlier maintenance invoices (£15,000 alone in 2021) indicating that this elegant Coupé has been maintained and looked after regardless of cost. Reassuringly the Continental has very recently treated to an engine service by a Bentley Specialist where they reported ‘a clean bill of health’.

This is an opportunity to acquire one of the very best Bentley Wide Body examples on the road today with just over 53,000 miles indicated, in a very stylish colourway and at a very sensible estimate.