1992 Bentley Turbo R

Purchased by our vendor’s father 12 years ago in April 2009, this 1992-registered Bentley Turbo R is finished in the restrained, yet upmarket colour combination of blue over an ivory leather interior, and has been the pride-and-joy of the owner ever since they first laid eyes on the car.

Having enjoyed this fantastic Turbo R for a number of years - choosing to save the driving experience for special occasions, social events and leisurely drives - our vendors’ father is sadly no longer able to drive the car due to health issues, meaning this example is now back on the open market and looking for a new custodian.

Balancing sheer presence and size with understated design is a Bentley speciality, and we reckon they got it pretty well spot-on with the Turbo R. Immediately recognisable as a Bentley but without drawing undue attention, the Turbo R would happily fit in anywhere from Kensington to the south coast, and ensure you arrive in style wherever you go.

This example is in generally good condition, and looks fantastic from a distance. Up close, however, it is clear there are a few areas that need some attention and TLC.

We’ll start with the obvious - the front offside wing, rear nearside wing and nearside lower edge of the boot all have varying degrees of corrosion, which would likely require repairing or replacing by the next owner. There are also a few spots of flatted and worn-through paint, most notably on the roof and on the bonnet, which has been shown in the extensive gallery below.

There are also the usual wear-and-tear marks such as stone chips, minor blemishes and marks expected of a 100,000 mile + car, but nothing too major and the worst of the marks have been masked with touch-up paint.

All four wheels are in good condition with a few light marks, but nothing too untoward or unsightly.

Importantly, all of the headlight lenses, tail lights and glass are in excellent shape with only a few light marks to the front windows from regular use. The bumpers are also in good order without major scuffs or marks, showing this Turbo R has evidently been used sparingly and carefully during the owner’s tenure.

Settling into the comfortable leather interior, it is immediately obvious that this Turbo R has been built to exacting standards, as nearly 30 years after it was built the cabin still feels remarkably well screwed-together and high-quality.

The leather seats are generally in excellent condition, save for a major scuff on the outer driver’s bolster which can be seen in the gallery below. The passenger and rear seats, by contrast, wear only light creases and commensurate marks.

Up above, the headliner is in excellent shape with no noted sagging, though there are a few marks around the inner edges of the doors and on the A-pillars. The carpets are in generally good condition throughout, and even high-traffic areas such as the steering wheel and column-mounted shifter remain in great shape.

One thing that certainly should be noted is the condition of the wooden trim around the cabin. Whilst there are a few chips and marks in the lacquer, the overall condition is very good indeed for a car of this age and mileage.

Upon opening the nearside front passenger door, the inner trim piece has peeled away and cracked at the front near the hinges and let in what appears to be surface corrosion, though the rest of the inner sills are in good order.

As far as we could tell, all of the gauges - other than the clock - were working correctly, and the switchgear situation was similar with the exception of the passenger seat adjustment switches, which appear to be inoperable.

Despite not having been used regularly in recent times, the Turbocharged 6.75-litre V8 engine fired into life with ease and settled into an idle almost immediately. The gearbox appears to be in good health with shifts being nice and smooth as expected from the four-speed GM-sourced transmission.

Looking at the engine itself, everything looks to be in good order. The bay is nice and tidy with no immediately obvious stains, leaks or fluid misting, nor any untoward condition issues. The car showed no untoward behaviours, nor did we notice any concerning noises during our short test drive.

Underneath, this Turbo R is in good order and we didn’t see anything that set off our alarm bells during our brief inspection. There is the usual brace of surface ‘bloom’ on areas such as the exhaust, spare tyre cradle and exposed suspension components, and a few patches of what appears to be older standing around the engine, but there were no noted leaks present during our time with the car, and no noted staining underneath the car in the parking space.

The history file with this Turbo R is ever-expanding, in the sense that our vendor is digging up more documentation and paperwork regularly as they work through the sales process.

Currently, the V5 is present showing five former custodians, there are numerous MoT certificates, the stamped service record covering from new until June 2011 at 72,277 miles, owners handbook and one set of keys.

There are also several invoices showing servicing - the vendor states the car was serviced annually but some of the paperwork has gone awol - but we can see that significant work was carried out during mid-2018 by specialist Phantom Motor Cars LTD of Farnham, Surrey.

This work included a standard service, general health check to the chassis and suspension systems, two new tyres, welding work to the rear suspension including rust-proofing, work to the air-conditioning system, and later work in 2019 to the emissions control system and fuel systems, totalling to in excess of £5,000.

In December 2020, the car was again maintained by Phantom Motor cars, showing work to the emissions system once again in order to pass the MoT exam, replacement of the front nearside wing due to corrosion, and other miscellaneous work totalling to over £9,700.

The current MoT expires on 26th November 2021.

If you’re looking for a luxurious way to travel in complete comfort without appearing too outwardly ostentatious or eye-catching, the Bentley Turbo R is a wonderful prospect indeed.

This example, whilst appearing to be mechanically sound, does require some TLC and attention to the bodywork, but will make an excellent and rewarding ‘high days and holidays’ car once the work is completed. An excellent winter project for those that are handy with the spanners, we estimate a value of £8,000 - £12,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and as stated this car is with the vendor in Petworth, West Sussex. To arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’