Bentley Continental R
The Bentley Continental R was a high-end luxury coupe that was produced by Rolls-Royce from 1991 to 2002. It was the first Bentley with a body that had not been previously shared with a Rolls-Royce model since 1965's S3, the first to include the GM 4L80-E transmission, and it was the most powerful, quickest, and most expensive Bentley at the time. An convertible edition, the Bentley Azure, was released in 1995.
Origin
Design elements for the Continental R made its first public appearance in 1984 at the Geneva Motor Show, presented as a concept car named "Project 90". Once unveiled, customer response was exceptionally positive, prompting the company to put it into production a few years later under the name Continental R. The term "Continental" was chosen to call back to Bentley's post-war models of the same name, which became renowned for their combination of lavish design, custom features, and powerful engines. The letter "R" was selected to evoke the R Type Bentleys from the 1950s, as well as the successful Turbo R from the 1980s.
The Continental R featured a curved "Coke bottle" shape, a first-time design for Bentley that deviated from the more bluntly-angled Rolls Royce cars, as well as roof-cut door frames and an added spoiler effect in the rear. Its 0.73 coefficient of drag was an upgrade from previous Bentley models. Furthermore, the exterior boasted sixteen-inch alloy wheels for a more sporty look.
The Continental R was built on the Bentley Turbo R chassis and came standard with a Garrett-turbocharged 6.75 liter engine that was estimated to output 325 hp (242 kW) and 450 ft·lbf (610 N·m) of torque, although other sources claim over 400 hp (298 kW) and 590 ft·lbf (800 N·m) were achievable. It was equipped with a 4-speed GM 4L80-E automatic transmission, ventilated disc brakes, and was capable of reaching a top speed of 145 mph (233 km/h) with a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) sprint time of 6.6 seconds. The car was priced at $271,780 USD in 1992.
The Continental S was a special performance edition produced in 1994 and 1995 which included an intercooler to boost power output. Following the creation of these 18 models, the feature was added to the regular Continental R.
From March 1999, the Continental R Mulliner model range was offered at the Geneva Motor Show. The car was designed to suit customer's individual needs and came with an upgraded engine. Power output rose to 420 hp (313 kW) and torque to 650 ft·lbf (881 N·m), making it one of the most powerful models in the world. The top speed of the vehicle could reach up to 170 mph (274 km/h).
Production
1533 Continental R models and 18 Continental S models were made.
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