1997 Bentley Turbo RT

We know this magnificent car.

It’s graced our portals before and we remember showering it in praise and plaudits at the time.

Since then it has, if anything, got even better, thanks to some recommissioning that included a major service and other repair and maintenance work, all provided by Bentley Hampshire.

The vendor is just the car’s second owner from new and he has carried on the tradition of diligent and conscientious curation established by his predecessor.

Aesthetically, mechanically and dynamically, the car appears to us to be in first-class condition.

We have driven it and can attest to its intoxicating combination of urbane class and refinement juxtaposed with sledgehammer grunt.

One minute it’s smoother than a Brylcreemed otter in an evening suit.

The next, it’s got a towel round its neck and punching sides of beef in a Bronx cold-store.

It inhabits both of these Jekyll and Hyde characters with equal capability, competence and credibility.
 

This potent yet stately automobile presents very handsomely indeed from every angle.

It is, in our opinion, very well served by its ‘Sherwood Green’ metallic finish and five-spoke Bentley sport alloys.

The doors close with all the heft and purposefulness you would wish to find in one of Crewe’s finest, and the shut lines are as crisp and consistent as you like.

Dents, dinks, creases and ripples are far more noticeable for their absence than their presence.

The paint has done well to hold onto much of its original shine and depth of lustre.

There are one or two minor blemishes to report, but nothing of any real significance or consequence.    

The most noticeable of these is the scuffing to the nearside corner of the rear bumper.

There are also a couple of scuffs and scratches on top of the rear bumper and its counterpart at the front; a small scuff under front offside headlight unit; a few paint chips to the door edges; some scuffs on the wing mirror housings; and an entirely standard number and distribution of light scratches and stone chips in the usual places – around the front valance, grille and bonnet.

Beyond that, we noticed that the seal around the front passenger window has started to lift slightly.

The wheels are in pretty decent condition, although there are a few patches of blistering under the paint in places and the odd light scuff here and there.

The matching Goodyear Eagle RS-A tyres look to have a reasonable amount of tread left on them.

The lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings are broadly beyond reproach.

It really is in very good condition.
 

The interior, you won’t be remotely surprised to hear, is following the same fine example as its exterior counterpart in terms of quality, condition and preservation.

Impressive even for the car’s low mileage, let alone the its age, the interior is a showcase for the arcane skills and crafts of the saddler, French polisher and carpet weaver.

There’s more beige-coloured hide in here than you’d find at a Jersey cattle market, and the wood veneers on the dashboard, centre console and door cappings have enough richness and gloss to embarrass a Sheraton side-table.

Aside from a few thin and barely detectable creases on the outer bolsters of the front seats, the ‘Sandstone’ leather upholstery (piped green) is pretty much pristine.
As ever, the rear seats don’t look as if they’ve ever carried the weight of much more than an Hermès headscarf or a copy of Horse & Hound.
The door cards are in fine fettle. The headlining is taut and intact. The carpets and mats are largely unimpeachable.

The green lambswool over-rugs are sufficiently thick for your trousers to think your shoes have been stolen.

The steering wheel, gear selector and controls look good, as do the other dials and instruments.

We didn’t tweak every lever, press every knob or flick every switch, but those we did tweak, press and flick did as they were told without hesitation, repetition or deviation.

The capacious boot is every bit as impressive as the rest of it. It contains a spare wheel encased in its elasticated black cover, a full and apparently original toolkit, a selection of replacement bulbs, and a car cover.  
 

The beating heart of the car is the immense 400bhp V8 turbocharged engine, which is largely hidden from view under various cowls and shrouds.

What we can see of it, however, looks clean, dry, orderly and correct.

Rest assured that with just 41,000 miles under its various belts, it’s barely had a chance to warm up or clear its throat yet.

The car’s undersides look to be possessed of plenty of structural integrity and we saw absolutely nothing to make us tut, frown or otherwise question the car’s character or honesty.
 

This really quite exceptional 1997 Bentley Turbo RT was supplied new by P&A Wood to its first owner, the car being initially registered in his name and then that of his business.

Today, it is showing just 41,585 on the odometer and its excellent condition is far more a reflection of that figure than its age.

In 2006 the mileage was recorded as being 27,425 so, as you can see, it has been living a decidedly sedate and pampered life for the last two decades.

In fact, it’s covered just 6,000 miles in the last decade and fewer than 4,000 in the last 5 years.

The car comes with plenty of paperwork covering earlier work, the bulk of which was done by Bentley Pangbourne, P&A Wood and Hofmann’s of Henley.

We understand that later routine maintenance was attended to by the penultimate owner’s local garage over more recent years when the car was barely used.

The first owner has passed away and, unfortunately, some of the paperwork, manuals, service books, etc, have gone missing.

We do, however, have plenty of invoices, bills and receipts covering the work carried out during the vendor’s tenure – work that including recommissioning and a full service, courtesy of Hampshire Bentley.

Frankly, some missing history aside, the excellent condition of this car is self-evident and speaks for itself.

The car comes with full sets of keys, plenty of old tax discs and MoTs, and a current MoT certificate – with no advisories whatsoever – that’s valid until 13th August 2026.

In fact, this car hasn’t had an advisory on any MoT certificate since 2012 – we think that speaks volumes for its condition and the quality of its curation.
 

Wetherspoons up and down the country are filled with drawn and broken-looking wretches dropping bitter tears of regret into their reasonably priced pints.

These are often people who have bought a ‘cheap’ Bentley only to find that it steals their wallet, beats them up, rescinds their golf club membership, and makes them homeless within 6 months.

Either way, and as ever, it’s a case of caveat emptor.

In this instance, with this car, you’re as near as you’re going to get to a safe bet with a Bentley.

So, not so much caveat emptor as nunc est emendum.

Go on.

It’s OK to use Google Translate.

We did.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £17,000 - £22,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.