1998 Bentley Brooklands Mulliner R

Although mechanically identical to other models - that is if you remember this is a light-pressure turbo (300bhp) Brooklands - this is actually quite a rare variant of the model. Well-known Bentley/Rolls-Royce coachbuilder and partner Mulliner produced only 100 of these. The ‘R Mulliner’ sported mesh-grilled wing vents, green Bentley badges and a body-coloured, Turbo-style radiator shell, but with the mesh grill from the ‘Eight’. The body-coloured (chromed-topped) bumpers also came from the Turbo, while the oval exhaust pipe was all its own. The whole ensemble sat on

18in wheels shod with 255 section tyres. As the little plaque on the dashboard will tell you, this is number 75; finished in ‘Black Emerald’ metallic with a sand/pebble leather interior.

Well-known to be a hefty beast, this example still manages to feel comparatively nimble on the road. (This reviewer also photographed and drove the car). It accelerates briskly, changes gear without fuss and steers and handles without a chorus of creaks or groans. It’s a style of motoring one could quickly get used to.

In the mid 20-teens, the car was stored for some five years and also, sometime before 2016 lost much of its history which had previously been described (in a previous sales report) as full, with a sheaf of invoices. Still, the Bentley gives a good account of itself and should prove an interesting and rewarding purchase.

‘Black emerald’ is quite an intriguing shade of green, which can look a bit blueish or even black in some light. Overall, the finish gives a very good impression, showing a good gloss across the paintwork - and there’s a lot of it. What blemishes there are, are small. There’s a small bubble in the lower wing behind the front wheel on the driver’s side, and the lacquer is peeling a little on the scuttle just under the windscreen on the same side. On the opposite side, there is a scrape to the edge of the wing mirror and a small crack in the front wing grill surround. There is another small area of corrosion around the rear off-side passenger door handle and under the near-side rear wheel arch.

There are some pretty hefty sheets of steel in these Bentley bodies, but the whole structure hangs together well, showing no signs of sagging in the doors and narrow and consistent shut lines all round. There’s also a fair bit of chrome, and this too is in good condition. All those bumper tops are shiny (there’s a gap in a join at the back) and all the window surrounds look very neat and bright. The badges are similarly good (with perhaps a little oxidation under the rear ‘Mulliner’ plate), and this example sports a flying B atop the bonnet (not all do), which is in good nick.

The rubber mounts and seals backing up the chrome are, in the main, very healthy. The only real exception seems to be a strip under the rear off-side window which is cracked in places.

All in all, a pretty good-looking car.

The Brooklands’ interior retains all of the ambience for which the marque is famed. The two-tone leather remains in fine fettle, with supple hides and a good colour across the cabin. The green roll top has not faded. The rear seats look as if they have seen little use. The edges of the cushions (all round) retain their shape and the potentially more abused armrests show only the odd small scuff at the edge. The embroidered flying Bs on the headrests look very smart.

The driver’s seat understandably shows a little more wear, but its patina is still gentle. The steering wheel and gear selector show a few small handling marks, but still look very presentable.

The doors sport more detailed ribbed panels with thick armrests (slightly darker) and lots of pretty heavy chromed door furniture. All remains well mounted, and the bright metal is in very good condition. There is a speaker surround missing on the driver’s door.

Above all this, the burr walnut door capping is looking good with some nice figuring. The one at the rear near side shows some peeling at the bottom. The wood across the dash is pretty good, though there are a couple of cracks around the glove box. All instruments are present and correct and the plaque tells you that this car is number 75 out of the 100 made.

Topping and tailing the cabin, the headlining and carpets are good - the roof lining especially so. The blue rungs and carpets are clean and the leather edging to the mats are clean and pretty straight. The carpeted side of the transmission tunnel has come away slightly on the passenger side.

Under the bonnet, much is hidden by plastic cowling, but the engine components that are visible may look a little dusty, but still appear strong and healthy. Hoses look supple,as do steel fuel lines, and there is a decided lack of corrosion or dirt around clips, bolts and screw heads. Nothing around the turbo (including the under bonnet sound proofing) looks to have suffered from heat damage. The radiator and its cowling appear to be in good shape, and the shock absorber/spring towers look sturdy. Fluids are clean and at their correct levels.

The underside displays a general weathering and a dusting of surface rust. There are no significant holes. Brackets and crossmembers look strong and the overall underside of the big saloon generally robust. The exhaust appears - and sounds - in good order and is well mounted.

Suspension components appear sturdy and the big wheels are in pretty good shape with some small areas of light corrosion on the alloy. Tyres have a lot of life left in them. There are some scuffs to the edges of those deep front and rear aprons, and the off-side rear bumper corner shows a scuff.

Looking under the doors, the metal is mostly very sound with a couple of light scuffs and some very small areas of surface corrosion on one or two.

As mentioned, there isn’t a lot of history remaining with the car, though the machine’s overall feel suggests it has not been neglected. As well as the V5 (showing five owners), the Bentley carries an MOT certificate expiring in January 2021. The car had work done on the ignition in 2016 and a new ECU the following year. In 2018, the Brooklands had a comprehensive service and some more general suspension fettling (and a new ball joint) at a cost of some £1500.

The square-shouldered Bentleys of the late Eighties and Nineties are an evergreen of the classic car market and often represent a lot of bang for your bucks, and the limited editions from the likes of Mulliner command a premium among enthusiasts. This one remains an eminently drivable and pleasant ride with small faults that can be taken care of piecemeal. There is nothing really endangering the car’s overall condition and a lot to recommend it as a longer term investment.

As such, we think it will command a value of between £22,000 and £25,000.

The big Bentleys of the Nineties still represent a lot of bang for your buck.  

Although mechanically identical to other models, this is quite a rare variant.