﹒“Six and Three-Quarter litre” turbocharged 328 Bhp ﹒12 months MOT ﹒Original handbooks ﹒Luxurious interior
The Background
Bentley Motors Limited in Crewe, Cheshire produced the extremely successful Turbo R from 1985-1997. The Turbo R was sold alongside the Mulsanne for a few months as the Mulsanne ceased production in 1985. As Its predecessor was coming to the end of production the Turbo R was given some welcomed upgrades to set the new model aside from the Mulsanne. In october 1986 ready for the 1987 model the Turbo R benefited from receiving fuel injection, anti-lock brakes, slimmer sports seats and a higher rear axle ratio.
“R” stands for “roadholding”. In a bid to make the Turbo R better handling than the Mulsanne the Bentley engineers upped the front anti-roll bar rates by 100% and the rear by 60%, also with increased damping. A Panhard anchor to the rear sub-frame was also introduced, which reduced the side to side movement. This resulted in a much more stable vehicle especially when driving with some spirit.
Originally sold by Strattons (Wilmslow) Ltd in Cheshire, this 1987 Balmoral Green Bentley Turbo R has had just 2 previous keepers. The current seller of the Turbo R acquired the car only a couple of months ago with a view to adding it to his already large collection of vehicles. It came from London where it had been owned for a number of years by an elderly gentleman.
As already mentioned the seller has a number of vehicles including another Bentley and a Rolls Royce and he has decided to let this Bentley Turbo R go to a new owner. It has been given a fresh MOT, a full valet and is now ready for its new home.
The Bentley has had the V5 mislaid by the previous keeper, but the car does come with a covering letter from the previous keeper stating that he was the second owner of the Turbo R.
Complete with the car are the Bentley owner’s manuals, folder, service book, which has a total of 9 service stamps, and it even has the built in car phone instructions. The Turbo R has MOT until 8th December 2021 and looking back over the MOT history the car has only completed just over 3000 miles in the past 10 years, so has definitely not been used to its full potential.
Tan Leather with Green piping and walnut trim on the dash was the order of the day when this Bentley was completed in 1987. As soon as you open the door you can see the luxurious build quality that you would come to expect from such a high-end manufacturer.
The interior of a Bentley is a mix of your most comfortable armchair and a luxury hotel room. Slipping into the comfy leather electric seats which are worn in just nice (like your best armchair) you are faced with the lovely walnut dash which is trimmed in green leather on the upper half and tan leather on the lower half. All the clocks and dials appear in good condition with the mileage showing 103304. There are no fault lights showing on the display and the seller comments that everything works as it should apart from the rear windows, which do stick every now and again.
The walnut door tops have been replaced and are in excellent condition. In between the front seats we have the center armrest which also houses the classic 80’s original car phone. Moving into the rear, passengers get the same comfort with the plush leather, walnut trim and nice vanity mirrors and lights fitted to the C pillars.
The carpets are deep pile in matching green to the paintwork with the addition of having the edges trimmed in tan leather. They are in good condition with just some sign of wear where the driver's heel has been.
Finished in Balmoral Green paint code 9510455, with a twin gold pinstriping, is what sets this Bentley off. That and the sheer size of it. At just over 5.2 meters long and nearly 2.5 tons the car is huge! The paintwork has been touched up at various places over the past years and there are some chips and the odd dink here and there.
Starting at the front is the most recognisable grille and 4 headlamp set up, as seen on many Bentleys and Rolls-Royce of this era. The bumpers are in good condition as are the headlights, apart from one that does have a chip, with just a few stone chips to the twin headlight surrounds. One thing to point out is the rare gold Bentley flying B mascot that the seller fitted will be removed before the sale and replaced with the original trim piece.
Moving around to the sides the Turbo badges are present at the base of both front wings and the panel gaps are all aligned, straight and equal. There are some chips to the nearside front door and the window rubbers have started to crack on all of the doors. The glass on the car is in nice condition with no real noticeable scratches and the rear screen still holds a dealer decal. The main thing to notice when talking about the sides of the car is the rear wheel arches. These are showing signs of rust and have had a previous repair. This is however a common area to look at on a Bentley of this age. The bottom of the rear quarter where it meets the wheel arch is also showing signs of some rust. Both optional extra Bentley B badges are present on the C pillars.
The rear of the Turbo R is nice and straight. Again the panels align as they should and the rear bumper is in good condition with no scuffs. The aerial for the radio has broken but the seller reports that the radio still picks up a good signal.
Onto the Bentleys wheels. They do have a small amount of corrosion and a couple of scuffs but generally in good condition and the locking cap key is also present. The tyres are matching Avon 255/65R15 with good tread left on them.
The Bentley Turbo R uses the massive 6.750 cc also known as the “Six and Three-Quarter” fuel injected turbocharged V8 engine. This is known as the L series and this particular one is known as the L410IT engine that has been developed by Bentley since it was released in 1952. The Rolls-Royce/Bentley V8 can be considered to be the engine with the longest production run in history that is still fitted to a vehicle from factory.
Bentley previously used this engine in the Bentley Mulsanne which in the early days was fitted with Solex carburetors. As it came to the end of production in 1985 Bentley introduced fuel injection to the Turbo R to replace the carburetors which resulted in added torque.
So how does it sound? Well quite simply it purrs! On tickover you can hardly hear the silky smooth V8 and it cruises along with no effort. A few revs and you can tell you have an engine that is happy just to travel about, in no particular rush, just happy to have the V8’s throttle tickled every now and again.
The gear change is smooth, no nasty knocks or noises and the Turbo R suspension just soaks up everything it comes up against on today’s roads. The seller is unaware of any problems and everything operates the way it should. He has fitted a new radiator which does come with a parts warranty.
The Bentley Turbo R is definitely an icon of its era, fast, sturdy, with more luxury than you can imagine, so this is your chance to step into that luxury automobile at a fraction of what it cost in 1987. The Bentley doesn’t disappoint as you slide into those comfy leather seats, flick the ignition, and the turbocharged V8 gently wakes purring into life. Yes, there are some bodywork flaws that should be addressed, but this won't stop you feeling like a lord just cruising off his estate in his Bentley Turbo R.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the sellers discretion.
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
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1987 Bentley Turbo R
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