Lot 009: 1990 BENTLEY EIGHT

The Bentley Mulsanne, along with its Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit cousin, was launched in the autumn of 1980 to replace the Bentley T-Series which had been in production since 1965. The significance of the Mulsanne and its descendents was only to be realised later as Rolls-Royce used this model as a basis to relaunch the Bentley marque as a more sporting alternative to the Rolls. This policy was so successful that it was to see a full reversal in the traditional sales ratio between Rolls-Royce and Bentley in favour of the later marque. First step in this direction was the launch of the Mulsanne Turbo in 1982 followed in summer 1984 by the Bentley Eight. An entry level model but with a more sporting flavour than the standard Mulsanne, the Eight featured a mesh grille harking back to the famous Le Mans Bentleys of the 1920s/30s. Steadily developed with the introduction of fuel injection in October 1986, twin circular headlamps and standard alloy wheels in January 1989 and a redesigned facia in October the same year, the Eight remained a popular model right up until its replacement in 1992 by the Brooklands. Finished in Balmoral Green with magnolia leather upholstery, this particular example has been in the current ownership from new (though, we understand that it was initially company registered). Apparently converted to run on LPG with advice from Bentley (a fuel it readily tolerates except for a tendency to stall in sharp turns), 'G929 EFX' is said to have been in "regular daily use until two months ago". Showing a recorded mileage of 139,600 the Eight is described by the vendor as being in "good" condition with regard to its chassis, interior trim, automatic transmission and engine (the latter "fully serviced by Bentley Manchester"). However, he also notes that the saloon is let down by an "inoperative / fused radio, minor / dent scrape above the offside rear wheel arch and broken passenger wing mirror". Only being offered for sale due to the arrival of a Brooklands model, this one-owner Bentley is accompanied by a MOT certificate valid until June 27th 2007 and road tax valid until May 31st 2007.