Vehicle Description
TO BE OFFERED FOR SALE AT THE RUSSO & STEELE AUCTION IN MONTEREY, CA IN AUGUST 2016!!
West Coast Classics are proud to present an absolutely stunning and exceptional example of this gorgeous 1993 Bentley Continental R Coupe with coachwork by 'Mulliner Park Ward' with only 29K original miles in the striking original color combination of 'Magnolia' factory (Color Code 9520093) paint with its all original 'Parchment' (Trim Code A3672) Connolly hides with 'Tan' (Trim Code A4178) piping!
This car was purchased new by 'Arista Records' and gifted to Whitney Houston who owned the car for over ten years and it will be sold with a copy of the original title in Whitney's name. Purchased by only its second owner in 6/2004 with only 11,082 miles from Ms. Houston and owned by this second owner until recently sold to us.
The car was reportedly always primarily serviced at 'Rolls Royce/Bentley' specialists or dealers with no expense spared on its preventive maintenance. This beautiful example has a beautiful color combination of original factory 'Magnolia' color exterior paint, original Bentley alloy wheels and a gorgeous 'Parchment' Connolly leather hides interior with 'Tan' piping and carpeting and which is in virtually flawless condition throughout.
The original factory color paint reflects like glass, all the chrome work including the front grille and bumpers is absolutely outstanding, the leather seats and dashboard show virtually no signs of any wear whatsoever. Obviously always garaged and owned by only two owners since new with only 29K original miles!
The car drives exactly like a well maintained and serviced Bentley Continental R Coupe should and must be driven to be fully appreciated and seen to be believed! The engine is extremely strong with no oil leaks, the transmission is very smooth with Rolls Royce/Bentley's legendary almost imperceptible shift and the engine temperature always remains cool. Turn-key ready, this particular model drives exactly as it must have when it left the showroom floor over twenty years ago, you could not possible tell the difference!
The Bentley Continental R Coupe was a large, ultra exclusive, luxury coupe made by Bentley from 1991 to 2002 with only some 1,236 Continental R cars built during its 11 years production run. It was the first Bentley to feature a body not shared with a Rolls-Royce model since the S3 model of 1965 and the fastest, most expensive, and most powerful Bentley of its day. It also of note that it was the most expensive production car in the world at launch. A convertible derivative was launched in 1995 named the Azure.
The concept which later became the Continental R was displayed in Geneva in 1984 as Rolls-Royce's 'Project 90' concept car, a mock-up of a future Bentley coupé. An enthusiastic reception led the company to develop the vehicle for production as the Continental R. Based on the Turbo R platform, an aerodynamically shaped coupé body had been styled. The Continental R was launched in Geneva in 1991 and was greeted by the onlooking crowd with spontaneous applause with the Sultan of Brunei purchasing the show car on-site.
The 'Continental' designation recalls the Bentley Continental of the post-war period. The 'R' was meant to recall the R Type Bentleys from the 1950s as well as the Turbo R of the 1980s and 90's where the 'R' refers to 'Roadholding'.
The shape of the car was very different from the four door Rolls-Royce and Bentley sedans of the time. The Continental R featured roof-cut door frames, a necessity to allow easier access into the car which had a lower roof line than its 4 door contemporaries. A subtle spoiler effect was also a feature of the rear. The finished car is widely acknowledged as a very cleverly styled vehicle, disguising it's huge dimensions. The Continental R is a very well proportioned and extremely attractive car. Power output of 325 hp and torque of 450 lb·ft was estimated, as, at that time, Rolls-Royce still had a policy of not supplying official figures, preferring to describe simply as 'adequate' or 'sufficient'. At launch, top speed was 145 mph (233 km/h), and a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 6.6 seconds. The Continental R was priced at $271,780 in 1992. (over $445K adjusted in 2016 dollars!)
Bentley's history is associated with luxury and grace but another attribute is of course high performance. For those who are unfamiliar, Rolls Royce and Bentley no longer exist as they had for over one hundred years - this is one of the last in the original line of cars built in the legendary Rolls Royce/Bentley factory in Crewe, England with a quality and craftsmanship that far surpasses that of today's mass produced models with many BMW parts - this is a rare opportunity to own a piece of automobile history, from a time when Rolls Royce and Bentley were truly building the world's finest motor cars.
You will surely look long and hard to find a finer example of this low 29K miles 1993 Bentley Continental R Coupe with such a well known original owner! This increasingly collectible model is becoming harder to find in such exemplary condition, with only very limited numbers ever built, this must certainly be one of the finest examples available anywhere - so bid with confidence, this will no doubt prove a fabulous investment for the Rolls Royce or Bentley enthusiast or collector or simply a great daily driver or weekend toy for the discerning luxury classic car owner!
