Description
The Bentley Continental R was first presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1991. It was the first coupé in Bentley's model range since the production of the Bentley Corniche ceased in 1980. The Continental R was the first coupé to be marketed exclusively as a Bentley variant and for which no Rolls-Royce version was introduced.
The Bentley is equipped with the legendary 6, 750 cc V8 engine with a large turbo, intended to boost Bentley's sporting ambitions. This V8 turbo gives the new coupé 360 hp at 4200 rpm. The power was transferred via a newly introduced four-speed gearbox from ZF. The well-known sprint from 0 to 100 km/ h is therefore possible in 6. 5 seconds. By today's standards still quite impressive considering the size and weight of this Bentley.
The new Continental R was an immediate success for Bentley and the brand managed to attract a new target group of dynamic and successful customers with this model. In the following model years, the Bentley Continental R received various upgrades, such as a three-dimensional matrix grille, sporty alloy wheels, two airbags as standard, the seats from the Bentley Azure, and engine covers. In 1997, the power was increased to 385 hp. For model year 1998, the Continental R was equipped with new bumpers and new wheels and the seats were given a new design of leather upholstery with curved pleats. A total of 748 units of the left-hand drive basic version of the Continental R were produced, while only 92 of the version from model year 1998 were made.
The Continental R that we are offering on behalf of the current owner is such a rare Continental R from model year 1998. The Bentley is painted in beautiful Midnight blue and has a contrasting beige leather interior, which gives the car a sporty yet understated and distinguished look. Paint and upholstery are in good original condition. The car was put into service on March 26, 1999 by the first German owner and was delivered by dealer Alfred Gohm from Singen in Germany. On May 11, 2000, the Bentley was sold to a resident of Tettnang, Germany, again via Gohm. In 2003, dealer Gohm offered the car for sale again, the new owner was a resident of Hoofddorp in the Netherlands. He sold the car in 2009 to the fourth owner, a man from Eemdijk in the Netherlands. He was the owner for 13 years until the car was purchased by the current Dutch owner in 2022. We are selling the car on behalf of this owner.
The Continental R has a beautiful, completely traceable history with numerous invoices. The original manuals and service booklet are of course also present with the car. This original European delivered, left-hand drive Continental R is a classic in the making with a low demonstrable mileage of only 86, 049 km, an attractive colour scheme and the rare sought-after MY ’98 version. A car for the connoisseur.
