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This came to me tonight from my old pal “The Berg”, noted serial purchaser of old Bentley Turbos, bon vivant, and Jewish playboy extraordinaire.
I’m sure it was on a closed course, although I know Berg doesn’t hold a professional license. There’s a photo of the actual car after the jump, but for now, I just want to ask: Is there anything better in life than to pilot an authentic, made-in-England-by-an-English-company-owned-by-actual-English-people-from-England Bentley?
For my money, the answer is “no”. And the sheer majesty of these old Silver-Spirit-derived cars reveals the current Mulsanne for the crass, bulbous, offensive-looking pretender it so certainly is.
36 Comments on “What’s Wrong With This Picture: I Like The Cut Of Your (Fifteen-Year-Old) Jib, Old Man Edition...”
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Ah yes, horsepower rating of “more than adequate” . . .
Sweet ride.
150 mph @ 37-3800 rpm.
As much as I dislike the Continental GT/C/FSP and all of their “super-Phaeton”ness, I just don’t see how being nothing more than a re-bodied RR was good for Bentley. Ordinary people can buy these era cars because no one wants them. I’m sure W.O. would probably hate them.
Whether you like the Mulsanne or not (I don’t), at least its NOT just a lightly reskinned Phantom.
That’s rubbish. The Rollers were just as much rebadged Bentleys, one might say. And certainly the lines of that era of cars looked a lot better on the cool and calm Benters. With its over the top grille the Rolls-Royce really needs much stronger body work to look like a Rolls-Royce both coming and going.
Don’t forget in the books James Bond drove an old Bentley. Now it sure wasn’t one of these suckers but I think he could have found the car pictured “more than adequate.” And honestly there would have been much more room for shagging in a sedan.
+1 to you for knowing that.
145+MPH @ 3700RPM and an indicated 4500RPM redline?
That’s just incredibly wonderful.
I disagree with the above. These Bentleys ooze so much more style and class than the VW-era ones. If someone hadn’t told me, I never would have guessed the uber-VW to sticker for more than $60k. There’s no sense of occasion to them in my eyes. The older ones still make me stop and stare, especially if we’re talking about a Turbo R with rear tires smoking…
the new ones under VW doesn’t convey an opulence look. Pointed front and pointed back.
Just didnt tell the world that car worth 200grand+.
The Bentley has taste and style, comfort and materials, but the engineering seems to be troubling. Many newer cars may not have the sense of occasion, but they do have the common sense and engineering. I’d be inspired and impressed by a 7 series in ways Bentley can’t understand and vise versa, I believe. Win some lose some. I’ll create my own sense of occasion.
Sufficient power and adequate performance… There’s nothing like traversing the continent at 3-digit speeds in a vehicle (sorry, motorcar) that rides so smooth that it doesn’t ripple your morning coffee.
@ Davekaybsc
I think you’d be well advised to check your facts. These aren’t merely re-badged Silver Spirits/Spurs. The Turbo R/Mulsanne/Brooklands are very different animals indeed. I think you’re confused with the 1970s Bentley T Series cars which were indeed, re-badged Silver Shadows. When Bentley introduced the Mulsanne Turbo (note: NOT the same thing as a Turbo R, but later morphed into the Turbo R), they completely re-engineered the existing RR chassis from the ground up. These are fabulous machines, however they do require the expertise of a Crewe-trained mechanic as well as a healthy account at Goldman Sachs to keep them happy. But, you pays your money….
Cheers!
Being named Aaron by my parents some 38 years ago, having Berg in my last name, and just over the past year or so being asked by my wife WTF are you looking at or reading, this article seriously freaked me out. I too am a huge fan of RR and Bentley’s that are proper Made In England products available on Ebay or wherever. I am well aware I will never be able to afford one of these vehicles (I possibly could buy one, maintaining it is another issue). The rest of the time was spent finding Mr. Baruth’s posts over many websites. At this point in time, it may be more advantageous for me to start looking for free porn, then maybe I will get a response of something other than being disgusted that I am looking at or reading about yet another car.
Bentleys made in Crewe, RRs in Goodwood. Aren’t those both around England somewhere? ASSEMBLED, fine. But all the wood is sanded there.
It’s wrong to be so sure you’ll never afford one, or five. You’re your own worst enemy.
Wrong! At least the Bentley top-end bodies are stamped and welded up in the U.K. Plus the Bentley’s RR-orginated L410 V-8 engine is still made in merry old England, unlike the entire BMW/RR lineup. So the top-end Bentleys are the last remaining vestige of “Englishness”.
Aaron, I share your affliction for retro RR/Bentley. Crewe rules.
While the new Bentley Continentals don’t do much for me, the Mulsanne is another matter entirely. I applaud Bentley for finding a way to integrate modern design themes in to their classic styling. The new Jaguars are modern with hardly any nods to the traditional style of the XJ, the Mulsanne on the other hand still looks every bit like a Bentley.
I could never justify the purchase of one unless I had at least eight figures worth of liquid assets, but a British Racing Green Mulsanne with dark mahogany leather and rich burled wood is my current dream car.
The Ghost owns the Mulsanne.
Also, have you seen the CGT update? DAMB
Finally a car worthy of aspiration. Forget the Audis, Bimmers Caddis, etc., this is a real car.
Is there anything better in life than to pilot an authentic, made-in-England-by-an-English-company-owned-by-actual-English-people-from-England Bentley?
a steamer trunk is more roadworthy, probably handles better too- colonial hides, wood and steel can’t mask a mechanical and electrical disaster.
Why would you think that? You’re making a broad and arguably racist assumption that any British vehicle is poorly engineered and prone to electrical faults. Certainly some classic British cars were, but generally they were no more prone to faults than their US contemporaries. My experience of Bentleys and Rolls-Royces of this era is that they were extremely reliable and well built. Mechanically the big unstressed engine combined with a brilliant GM gearbox made for a bulletproof car.
Not all British cars are Leyland-engineered sh*tcans. Just the Jags of the 1970s & 80s and a bunch of other cars that we were thankfully spared from in the US market.
Racist? Perhaps dictionary.com would be a better hangout for you. “England” is not a race. If you have trouble with that kind of sweeping generalization, you aren’t going to last long around here.
Besides, the man speaks the truth.
England is one of the countries that make up the United Kindom of Great Britain of Northern Ireland. Those from England are called the ‘English’ With me so far? Good.
Now the Crown Prosecution Service in the UK for the purpose of providing a framework for anti-Racial Descrimination criminal law define a racial group thus:
“Racial group – this means any group of people who are defined by reference to their race, colour, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origin.”
It’s here if you don’t believe me. The united nations have a similar definition too. The point being that the English as a group most definately have a unique cultural and national identity (“fight them on the beaches” and all that)
So indeed by this definition, suggesting that the English are somehow inherently unable to design a motorcar to a certain standard merely because they are English, be viewed as a racist position.
Did Bentley just move stuff around the instrument panel for the hell of it? I’ve driven two Turbo Rs, and they had their ignition keys in two different locations, but both of those locations were to the left of the steering column. One was the mirror image of this instrument panel, and the other had a circular air vent where the first one had the ignition with the key moved to lower location. This one is a third layout, yet nobody ever thought to redesign the gear selector, which looks like it uses a then-ten-years-old accessory cruise control from K-mart auto center as a shifter handle. Rolls Royce was doing their own thing prior to being sold off for badge engineering purposes.
My first thought was “That’s a pretty quick old diesel…”
is the car in pic is a Right hand drive?
as the cruise control is usually on the turn signal.
Plus the keys is on the right side, usually left side.
So as Porsches, keys on the left of steering wheel. Something i read its got to do with Le Mans racing.
Le Mans race on right turn more favourable to RHDs.
That’s ’80s GM dash styling at it’s best. Hmm, now where did they put the ‘Ego-On’ light? Does it still come with a monkey in the trunk to change your flat tire for you? Hand-made can also mean the parts just don’t fit right.
I’ve seen fixable drivers under $20,000. A de teaks of the waste gates on the turbos and you have quite the torque-o-Matic for multi-state cruising.
How is the body rigidity/integrity? I’ve heard that driving one is like driving around in a well appointed china cabinet – due to all the squeaks and rattles.
Are we sure this photo was actually taken at speed, or is it just a shot of the electric instruments in the midst of some kind of start-up-induced voltage freak-out?
If it actually was at that speed, perhaps switching off the camera’s flash would have been a prudent move. The glare off the burlwood could be a tad blinding, no?
+100 for use of the word ‘burl’
Except that being English, the correct term is ‘Burr’ in this case burr walnut.
The photos would appear to be of two different cars. These US cars had ignition and cruise(which they don’t all have) on the left side of the column. One appears to be a speedo converted RHD( which is common as these arent very collectible at the moment) and the other a good old USA delivery. The exterior picture does appear to be a red label which is the more desirable. Must be a slow news day, the Berg appears to be making up stories.
CJinSd all the older RR and bentleys have that same gear indicator..
So when is the owner going to fix the speedometer?
Won’t you spill less bubbly in your Ford Granada?
I think the author noted that these are two different cars. “There is a photo of the actual car after the jump…” would tell me that. Nevertheless, those cars will run 150mph all day long….you should feel their power/torque output. The car in the second photo will have a DIP (driver information panel) in-between the instruments, which will contain the gear selector legend, rather than the older, on-the-column style, as the first photo shows. The first photo is of a 20,000 series car while the second one is of a 50,000 series car. I know Berg had a 20,000 series car prior to the black one shown in the second photo, so I think the Author’s point was to highlight the prowess of these Bentleys, both in the aesthetics department and the performance department.