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Bentley Continental R - the new self-confidence of a legendary brand

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Created on March 19, 2020

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Bruno von Rotz

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Bruno von Rotz

63

Archiv

8

Bruno von Rotz

63

Archiv

8

Bentley Continental R (1993) - not a cornering machine, but a handy GT

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - stately and with a classic Bentley radiator

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - the GT coupé of the nineties from Bentley

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - with 1.46 meters as high as a normal sedan, but because of the length this is not noticeable

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - 5.34 meters long, actually huge, yet the car doesn't look at all ostentatious from the side

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - flowing lines, big wheels

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - 350 liters in the trunk

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - almost two meters wide, it doesn't look that big

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - with twin headlights

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - harmonious lines

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - the rear also looks simple and pleasing

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - overtaking prestige

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - the width of 1.87 meters does not show

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - this coupé celebrates noble restraint

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - many Bentley buyers preferred the less ostentatious radiator to that of the Rolls-Royce

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - over 230 km/h fast, if need be

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - the Bentley was also delivered in really bright colors, but most of them were probably painted black or restrained

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - still an elegant creation today

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - driving pleasure even at low speeds

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - pulls away almost silently

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - Elegance and sufficient power are a beautiful combination

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - it whizzes by

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - hardly any of the buyers had to choose between a detached house and this car, they were probably able to do both

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - ready to go

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - nothing looks cheap

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - fully equipped

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - classic dashboard

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - only fine materials, hardly any plastic in the interior

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - get in and feel good

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - room for four

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - there is also plenty of room in the rear seats

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - no Continental R drove 260 km/h

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - no need for high revs

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - easy to understand controls

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - all important information at a glance

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - a quick glance and you know whether everything is in order

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - Center console with air conditioning

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - Electrically adjustable seats, with memory and heating

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - even the horn can be configured

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - fine leather for the seats

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - Leather, wood and chrome

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - door opener in traditional style

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - the body supplier

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - the certainly not overloaded V8 was given around 320 hp

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - no beauty, the 6.75-liter engine with turbocharger

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - clearly labeled, even on the engine

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - longitudinally mounted V8 with turbocharging

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - despite the large engine compartment, it's quite crowded

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - lots of technology under the hood

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - Instructions in the engine compartment

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - the winged "B" on the hood

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - once again the Bentley B on the hood

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - more than the radiator grille distinguishes this Bentley from Rolls-Royce models produced in parallel

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - wide indicators under the twin headlights

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - classic twin headlights

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - solid door handles

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - this is where you fill up - up to 108 liters

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - when they still had exhaust pipes

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - Bentley-B hides the lock to the trunk

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - Bentley-B on the hood

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Bentley Continental R (1993) - almost dainty rear lights

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Bentley Continental (1953) - Front view of the 1953 test car

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Bentley Continental (1956) - has hardly lost any of its elegance

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Bentley Continental (1956) - the fastest luxury coupé in the world at the time

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Bentley Continental R (1996) - dynamic press photo

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Bentley Continental R (1996) - elegant and luxurious

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Bentley Continental R (1996) - Interior

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Bentley Continental R Mulliner (1999) - Special model

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Bentley R-Type Continental (1954) - one of 209 Continental Coupés built between 1952 and 1955, chassis BC-16-C - at the Techno Classica Essen 2012

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Bentley Continental R Graber (1954) - still impressive today

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Summary

With the Continental R, Bentley launched the first completely independent model since the 1950s. Elegant, fast and also a little sporty - that was the look of the understated Granturismo with its V8 turbo engine. It was very expensive, but customers loved it. It was built in various versions for around 12 years. This report focuses on the early Bentley Contintental R, tells the history of the model and shows it in historical and current images.

This article contains the following chapters

The legendary ancestor
From the somewhat crude attempt ...
... to the early world premiere
Much applause
A lot of weight
Sports car with luxury genes
It went even faster
Successful rarity
"Gentleman glider"
Further information

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

In 2019, the Bentley brand was able to look back on a hundred years of history and this history includes several Le Mans victories and many legendary models. Back in 1931, the manufacturer of the famous Blower Bentley was taken over by Rolls-Royce and its independence curtailed. At the beginning of the 1980s, only five percent of all cars produced by Rolls-Royce/Bentley still had a Bentley badge and the brand was almost forgotten. While most Bentleys built after the Second World War largely corresponded to Rolls-Royce models produced in parallel, there were a few important exceptions. In the forties and fifties, coachbuilders were able to mount their own creations on the Bentley chassis and customers appreciated the individuality of these Pininfarina, Franay, Graber or Hooper one-offs. The factory also recognized this and from 1952 offered the Bentley R-Type Continental with a Mulliner coupé body ex works.

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