Lot 235: 1987 Bentley Turbo R Long-Wheelbase Saloon

Introduced at Geneva in 1985, the Turbo R continued the modern ‘Blower Bentley’ theme, but with the added refinement of suspension better suited to the car’s increased performance. Outwardly the R differed from the preceding Mulsanne Turbo by virtue of its cast-alloy wheels shod with low-profile Pirelli tyres, while inside there was a revised fascia with rev-counter included amongst the comprehensive instrumentation. In a break with Rolls-Royce tradition, power figures were made public, revealing that the engine produced a 320bhp and a staggering 475lb/ft of torque. Few cars were - or are - better suited to fast long-distance touring.
The last registered owner of this long-wheelbase Turbo R was Mr D Collins, who died in 1997 after a long illness. His widow, Mrs Betty Collins, died in 2006. The vehicle has been in storage since before Mr Collins died and has not been licensed or used on a public road since then. It was first registered as ‘MAC 888’ and supplied by Hadley Green Garage, Barnet on 2nd October 1987. It is believed that the first owner was Lord McLaurin. Mr Collins acquired the vehicle on the 7th October 1994. The last known service by a Rolls-Royce/Bentley agent was on 11th September 1994, when the speedometer was replaced, the mileage at that time being 79,837. At its MoT in October 1996 the mileage was 1,607; thus the vehicle has covered approximately 82,000 miles from new.
Since the death of Mrs Collins, the vehicle has been re-commissioned by a former employee of a leading Rolls-Royce/Bentley agent at a cost of approximately £5,000. It is anticipated that details of the re-commissioning work will be available at time of sale. No documentation or service history has been found, save for copies of the V5 and receipt for the speedometer replacement, which will be forwarded together with the current MoT.