2000 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL

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.

As with all our vehicles, an entire digital folder is available upon request and contains more images, walk-around videos, and scans of the service history. The car can also be viewed by appointment at our West London showroom.