2000 Bentley Continental R

A Bentley parked on the drive is a pretty clear signal you’ve made it. Your suits are British, your shoes Italian, and your cigars? Cuban, naturally. 

But not all Bentleys are created equal. For a time, Bentley was subjugated to Rolls-Royce. Producing the cruellest examples of British badge-engineering, but glimmers of hope shone through. The Continental R was a glimmer. For the first time in more than two decades, a Bentley left a production line with a unique body. 

This example was supplied new in 2000, finished in yellow over a red leather interior. A previous owner deemed this specification too lairy for their tastes and opted to have the car refinished in Fireglow red, a factory Bentley colour. 

It is a striking hue, with plenty of flake to accentuate the flared arches and smooth-styled 18” alloys. The paintwork is in great shape, protected by a full covering of paint protection film; however, the sacrificial film shows some areas of imperfection. 

The exterior makeover necessitated a similar interior restyle. The red leather was dispatched, with the full interior subjected to a total retrim in black hide. The leather is supple, the wood is warm, and the carpet is deep; it’s as much a car as it is a cigar lounge. 

There is an elephant in the room… the Continental R is not a small car. It weighs in at around 2.4 tonnes, a similar weight to the much maligned G90 BMW M5. Like the M5, though, the Continental can hustle, and that is thanks to a 6.75-litre turbocharged V8. 

At the time, Rolls-Royce and Bentley preferred not to divulge power figures, but we know today that it’s somewhere around 385bhp. The engine is mated to a GM-sourced automatic transmission; after all, the Americans are rather good at automatics. 

As you’d expect of a car of this calibre, it comes complete with an extensive history file, which comprises regular servicing, routine maintenance and overhauls alike. The service records show: 

• 02/2001 — Serviced at 1,764 miles by Michael Powles Ltd
• 10/2001 — Serviced at 8,322 miles by Michael Powles Ltd 
• 09/2002 — Serviced at 17,567 miles by Bentley Manchester 
• 05/2005 — Serviced at 31,206 miles by Bentley Pangbourne 
• 05/2006 — Serviced at 40,680 miles by Hanwell Car Centre 
• 07/2007 — Serviced at 50,424 miles by Bentley Hampshire 
• 02/2013 — Serviced at 76,934 miles by Bentley Hampshire 
• 12/2013 — Serviced at 79,074 miles by Thomas Barclay Ltd
• 10/2014 — Top-end engine refresh at 79,896 miles by Silver Lady Services 
• 03/2015 — Major Service at 80,179 miles by Cris Lee’s Specialist Cars Ltd
• 10/2017 — Serviced at 82,120 miles by Iconic Motors Ltd 
• 07/2019 — Service, N/S/R damper rebuild and O/S/R calliper rebuild at 82,736 miles by Cresta Motors 
• 11/2024 — Service, coolant radiator and fuel pipe replacement at 87,746 miles by The Chelsea Workshop 

Corner cutting is not in the vocabulary of this Bentley, with its most recent service totalling nearly £5,000, no expense has been spared. 

It’s no secret that we’re big Bentley fans here, but even more so of the Continental R. They’re ineffably cool, seamlessly blending muscle car tendencies with a subdued regal elegance.