1998 Bentley Turbo R400

Finished in Red Pearl Mica with a Sandstone hide, ‘S4 PDG’ would be a cracking example of the Bentley Turbo R even if the story ended there.

But it doesn’t because it is also one of only six bespoke Turbo R400s commissioned by Mead of Burnham. Built on the long-wheelbase chassis by Mulliner Park Ward, they are so lavishly appointed that Sir Elton John, a man never knowingly underlavished, bought the very first one.

The cars feature the Continental’s 18-inch alloy wheels, a wider rear track, a quicker steering rack, and a large-bore exhaust system, all of which help the driver make the most of the 400bhp the V8 engine serves up.

MPW also fitted flared wheelarches to cover the bigger wheels, wing vents to help keep the engine bay a bit cooler, and a chrome radiator shell just because it looks nice.

It fitted Turbo 400 badges too, before moving moved inside to fit uprated front seats that have additional lateral support, a sports steering wheel, chrome bezels, a red start button, and turbo-boost gauge from Lucas in addition to ‘Turbo R 400’ embroidered on the backrest of all four seats and a commemorative plaque on the dashboard.

Rolls-Royce charged Mead of Burnham another £28,000 on top of the car’s base price, which would be the equivalent of almost £55,000 today – plus another £149 for a leather-covered gear knob

This one, number six of six built, is one of three that are believed to have stayed in the UK, with the other three going to the ‘States. As for the colours they built them in, Elton’s was green, a blue one popped up on Pistonheads in 2014, and this red one formed part of the private collection of Sir Anthony Jolliffe, a petrolhead who also happens to have been Lord Mayor of London.

The seller bought it in November 2023 and has lavished a little over £6,000 on it to bring it up to his personal standard. Why then, we hear you ask, is he selling it so soon?

Well, the reason is no more sinister than the fact he’s found his dream car, a Bristol 411.

Yes, that’s right; he’s only gone and bought the only car you could argue is a step up from a Bentley Turbo R 400. 
 

Cars like the Bentley Turbo R start life being washed by chauffeurs and often end their lives being washed, if, indeed they are washed at all, by a pop-up car valeter on a derelict forecourt.

Not this one though, because it still gleams in what can only be described as an ethereal way. Bright and cheery, the Red Pearl Mica treads the line between stylish and gaudy without ever putting a foot wrong – and because the aristocracy never worried about adding a dash of flash to their lives, neither should you.

It’s got more in its favour than its colour though, as the panels are still straight and beautifully aligned. Admire the shutlines too, before squatting down and appreciating the ripple-free flanks while you’re at it; all have only a good story to tell.

As do the alloy wheels. Fully 18-inches in diameter, they shift the Bentley’s look from the seventies to the nineties but do so so subtly that it’s hard to pinpoint the cause of your good humour.

Of course, the Turbo R 400’s wing vents and chrome radiator shell play their part too, as do the flared wheelarches that cover those vast tyres.

And what tyres they are! Matching 255/50ZR18 Pirelli P-Zero Rosso, all were made in 2019 and all have good tread, even if the nearside rear had a nail in it when it was MoT’d back in February.

Nonetheless, we will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The alloy wheels are a bit shabby, and the seller told us that if he were keeping it then refurbishing them would be next on his list of jobs. Mind you, if he hadn’t mentioned them, we’re not sure we would have because they only have a few light kerbing nibbles and the odd patch of peeling lacquer.

And it’s not just the paint and panels and tyres that impress because the lamp lenses are in fine fettle, the bespoke badges are present and correct, and the mesh grilles are all straight and free of damage.

Yes, there are a few light scratches here and there, but there’s nothing in the photos that would worry us.

Which means we’re free to move onto the next section, the interior. 
 

The Turbo R 400’s cabin is finished in Sandstone leather with red accents, no opportunity has been lost in reminding the car’s owners where their money went and just how sporty it was always meant to be too, doing away with superfluous and weight-adding picnic tables, cocktail cabinets, footrests and umbrellas found in standard R's.

Interestingly, the Turbo R400 is the first and only Turbo R to have a push button start, which is a cool and unique feature.

Because, in addition to more luxury than most of us will experience in any other part of our life, the Bentley also features ‘Turbo R 400’ embroidered on the backrest of those heavily bolstered front seats.

All four sills bear an impressive chrome plate emblazoned with the legend “Specially commissioned for Mead of Burnham coachbuilt by Mulliner Park Ward” too, and let’s not forget the plaque on the dashboard.

Of course, space is the ultimate luxury and the R400 doesn’t disappoint here either. Based on the long-wheelbase version of the car, those in the back enjoy epic legroom, which they’ll be able to enjoy from the comfort of their beautifully preserved and incredibly comfortable seats.

They can also admire themselves in the vanity mirrors that can be found in the C-pillars, and wriggle their tootsies in the deep-pile lamb’s wool mats.

Everything in the cabin is in good shape, even in details like the tautness of the pockets in the back of the front seats, the shine to the unblemished walnut veneer, and the crisp precision of the chromed switches and controls.

The headlining is clean and taut too, the carpets are fluffy and unworn, and the door cards are excellent.

Oh, and that two-tone gear knob that set Sir Anthony back a hundred and fifty quid at the end of the 20th century was probably a shrewd investment as it matches perfectly the two-tone steering wheel and dashboard top.

A stick-on mobile phone holder has been fastened to the dashboard to the right of the steering wheel. The front and rear armrests also contain mounting brackets for long-gone mobile phones. These could be removed, or you could scour eBay for suitable phones and use them as a non-talking talking point.

The boot is vast and as impeccably trimmed as everywhere else, and that we should all be as lucky as the tool kit, spare wheel, and first aid kit, none of which look like they’ve ever been put to work.

A fire extinguisher has been fitted next to the battery, which feels like a prudent move.

As for flaws, there is some wear to the edge of the front armrest, the veneer around the gear-lever is slightly scratched and rippled, and some of the stitching on that infamous gear knob has worn away. 
 

The service history is pretty good, comprising:

•    10.11.1998 and 256 miles – service by Mead of Burnham 
•    20.04.1999 and 1,555 miles – service by Mead of Burnham 
•    09.11.1999 and 4,882 miles – service by Mead of Burnham 
•    03.04.2000 and 6,413 miles – service by Mead of Burnham 
•    13.09.2000 and 10,829 miles – service by Weybridge Automobiles 
•    23.02.2001 and 14,461 miles – service by Broughton’s of Cheltenham 
•    15.11.2002 and 19,993 miles – service by Broughton’s of Surrey 
•    24.06.2003 and 23,346 miles – service by Broughton’s of Cheltenham
•    09.01.2004 and 26,075 miles – service by Broughton’s of Cheltenham 
•    05.11.2004 and 30,307 miles – service by Bloomvale Hall Garage 
•    07.09.2005 and 34,397 miles – service by P&A Wood 
•    15.09.2006 and 37,139 miles – service by P&A Wood 
•    28.09.2007 and 38,342 miles – service by Bloomvale Hall Garage 
•    23.06.2015 and 41,026 miles – service by Bentley Cheltenham 
•    Unknown date and 45,970 miles – service by P&A Wood
•    08.11.2023 and 50,570 miles – PDI and MoT by Classic Car Warehouse

Bridge Garage also replaced the labour-intensive temperature sensor in 2024 and fitted two new suspension spheres at the same time correcting the recent advisories in May of this year, running up a bill for £4,233 in the process. The wheel bearing was checked and no issue found.

As you can see, pressing the big, red starter button brings the V8 engine to life, and it revs very agreeably.

Cosmetically, the engine and underbonnet area present very well. Clean and tidy without being obsessively so, you’ll be able to lift the bonnet in any company without embarrassment, while not needing to spend twice as long cleaning it as you did driving it.

You could maybe touch up the underseal, but there’s probably no hurry because no MoT test has ever mentioned either rust or structural corrosion in any context, which is hugely reassuring; rot is one of the issues the Turbo R can suffer from, and a rotten example will bankrupt you faster than marrying your Vegas holiday romance.
 

The Bentley’s MoT certificate is valid until February 2026, and while there are three advisories, it has had 13 clear passes since the online record began in 2006.

The recent Vehicle History Check is also clear, and the history file includes the 124-page build record, the original invoice from Rolls-Royce to Mead of Burnham, an agreed valuation from the Bentley Oners’ Club, a stamped service history booklet, both keys, and the owner’s manual.

There is also a bottle of Red Pearl Mica paint to touch up any small chips and scratches, plus a bottle of lacquer to go on top.
 

Offering more real estate than your average London flat, the Bentley Turbo R 400 has immense presence.

Power too, with the handling to match, as well as one of the most sumptuous cabins of its time.

All of which could be yours for the staggeringly small sum of between £25,000 and £30,000.

“Staggeringly small”?

No, we haven’t lost our minds.

Our argument is that the first owner would have paid a little over £153,000, which would be the equivalent of around £300,000 in today’s money – or about ten times what we think it’ll fetch now; depreciation might be a nightmare if you’ve bought a new car, but it’s your best friend when you’re thinking of picking up an uber-luxury super-saloon.

And this is, you’ll recall, the pinnacle of sporting luxury in the 1990s, the sort of car only folk like the Lord Mayor of London and Elton John could carry off.

Anyone for the Goodwood Revival or the Le Mans Classic? 

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