For Sale at Auction: 1996 Bentley Turbo in Monterey, California

Chassis No. SCBZR15C2TCX58286

Ordered new through Japan's official Rolls-Royce and Bentley importer, Cornes & Company, this 1996 Bentley is one of only 20 Turbo R Sport models ever produced. The invoice from Rolls-Royce Ltd. on 24 June 1996 shows the car was specified as a left-hand drive example finished in Black Garnet with matching radiator vanes. As a Sport, it is distinguished from the standard production Turbo R by its set of wheels typically found on the Continental T. The cabin featured electronically heated front sports-style seats covered in two-tone Slate and Silverstone Connolly leather, and the lower areas were covered in Wilton wool carpeting. Unlike nearly every other Turbo R, this Sport was ordered new with Carbon Check trim, featured on the center console, dashboard, door panels, and on the outside of the rear picnic tables. As completed, the invoice totaled just over £105,000, or over $262,000 today. The car traveled via the NYK Line from Crewe on 9 August 1996, through the port of Liverpool, before arriving in Kobe, Japan, where it arrived on 7 October.

Powering the Turbo R Sport is a 6.75-liter V8 engine featuring a single Garrett turbocharger. While it is a long-held tradition at Rolls-Royce to refer to their cars' power levels as "sufficient," the stout engine is estimated to produce nearly 400 horsepower and over 550 lb-ft of torque. With the "R" standing for "Roadholding," this potent performer featured a retuned sport suspension, perfectly complementing its turbocharged power. Quelling this zesty performer are impressive 340 mm front brakes, one of the first production cars with brakes of this size.

This Turbo R Sport was imported to the United States in early 2024, having remained in Japan prior to that. It is accompanied by digital copies of its Bentley build sheets, order forms, and shipping documentation that record the ordering process from the time it arrived in Japan.