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Closed Auction- Unsold

1989 Bentley Turbo R

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  • Mileage~65,000
  • TransmissionAutomatic
  • Engine6.75L
  • LocationScunthorpe

AUCTION CLOSED

1989 Bentley Turbo R

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Introduction

Isaac Wass
Professional Consigner

Combining classic elegance with thrilling power, exuding prestige and performance in equal measure.

The Bentley Turbo R was first introduced in 1985 and was produced for 12 years. The "R" stood for road-holding to set it apart from its predecessor. It initially inherited the turbocharged engine from the Mulsanne Turbo and also sported a retuned suspension setup with wider tyres on aluminium alloy wheels, a first for a Bentley. Firmer damping, stiffer anti-roll bars and a Panhard bar for the rear subframe were among the measures to deliver this increased focus. The Turbo R is an icon of its era - hand-built, fast and sturdy, full to the brim of decadent luxury. The engineering team at Bentley increased the roll stiffness some 50% compared to the Mulsanne Turbo, a vast improvement that allowed the turbo V8 power to be put to good use. In 1988 the Bentley Turbo R received the new front-end style, with four circular lamps replacing the original rectangular units.

Coming to market from a long ownership of ~25 years, it has covered just ~65,000 miles in its life and barely 6,000 with the current vendor. The early service history carries 9 Rolls-Royce service stamps. A car that exudes charm, confidence and sophistication, the Turbo R is well set up for many more luxurious miles on the road.

This listing was written from information supplied by Isaac after meeting Alan the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

I've always loved these classic Bentley Turbo's.

The Bentley Turbo R comes to market after ~25 years of ownership with the current keeper, Alan, "I adore this car, there's just something about the style of it and craftsmanship from being hand built".

With travel plans on the horizon and less room in the garage for storage, the car comes to market "It's something that I don't particularly want to let go, but the time has come for the Bentley to go to a home who will care for it as much as I have done". Alan will be available to answer any questions about the car in the comments below.

Alan
Vehicle Owner

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CONTACT OWNER

Exterior

The Turbo R commands presence on the road as it brings sophistication and style.

Wheels and Tyres

The car is fitted with 15" original silver Bentley Turbo R alloys with red centre 'B' emblems. The wheels look in great condition, we did notice slight signs of age related wear to the centre wheel emblems although this wasn't a major concern.

Fitted with Avon Turbospeed CR27 tyres, 225/65R15, these are dated from 2019. The tyres appear to have a good amount of tread left, in line with the limited use of the car. For a more detailed view of the Turbo R's exterior and a closer inspection of the wheels and tyres, please refer to the photos and videos.

Bodywork

The Bentley maintains well-aligned panel gaps and all four doors, bonnet, and the boot open and close smoothly when we visited the car. During our visit, we didn't note any major concerns on any of the panels. A very minor point if we're being picky is the slightest signs of corrosion to the lower sides of some of the wheel arches.

We've highlighted our observations in more detail through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take the time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer and to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

Presented in a smart and stylish blue, overall the paint is even in finish and colour with a lovely lustre to it across all the panels. There were a handful of minor stone chips to the exterior of the body, although well within the expectation of a car of this age, and certainly nothing that distracts from the overall appearance.

Again, we have taken high-resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork and paint for yourselves. The images are taken from various angles to provide a comprehensive view of the car. Please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos to form your own opinion about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass appears in line with the rest of the car for its age and mileage, all the panels look great without any cracks, chips, or marks to note, and the window seals look great too. The front and rear lights looked well-maintained. A minor point, but the rear wheel arch plastic trims do show their age as pictured.

Take a look through the exterior gallery and review video. We take you across all areas of the car as if you were standing there yourself. This way, you can see in greater detail how the car is presented.

Interior

Finished with magnolia leather, plush blue carpets, and walnut wood trim across the cabin – this is a really luxurious place to be.

Seats and Carpets

The Bentley is adorned with a beautiful leather interior, overall the magnolia seats look great, we only noted minor age related wear to the seats with slight creasing to the leathers, but otherwise nothing concerning stood out. The seat backs looked in great condition too.

The main carpet of the interior showed in a great condition, underneath the wool carpets was good too. Over in the boot section, the carpet areas looked great with only slight age related markings. We cover the cabin area of the Turbo R in further detail in our interior review video.

Dashboard

A beautiful walnut veneer dashboard with contrasting blue leather was in place on this stunning example, very elegant. The Bentley dash and instrument cluster are impeccably clean and smart, with all the numbers appearing clean, clear, and legible. The odometer displayed ~65,000 miles at the time of our visit.

The dials, switches, and controls all appeared to be in excellent condition, with surfaces appearing free from fogging or scratching. Our interior gallery section offers a closer look at the Turbo R's dashboard.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

An original 3 spoke Bentley sports steering wheel is found on this 1989 example. The black leather looks in excellent condition, in line with the rest of the car. The gear selector is a stick on the steering wheel column, which is also in excellent condition.

We've captured high-resolution photos for you to review and appreciate the condition of the interior in our gallery section.

Mechanics

The 6.75L V8 turbo-charged engine unleashed ~296BHP from factory, enough to deliver a 0-60MPH time in just ~7.0 seconds.

Engine and Gearbox

Starting up the car, we noted no concerns with the engine, and the car idled smoothly. The current owner, Alan, reports that the engine and gearbox are very smooth, as you would expect, and everything is working as it should to his knowledge.

We took the car out on some local roads with the Alan, to get a better feel for what this vehicle is all about. During the drive, we went through the motions, shifting through the automatic gearbox, and seeing how the car performs. Take a look at the mechanical video also, for a closer look underneath the Bentley and an overview of the engine bay.

Suspension and Brakes

We noted no knocks, bangs, or issues from the suspension when we were on the road, and it gave us no concerns in its performance or handling. The brakes felt great and were easily able to bring the Bentley to a stop.

We cover the underside of the car in our 'Mechanical Gallery' section. Head over to our video section, where we've summarised our visit in more detail for you to view for yourself. We take you around the mechanical elements of the car and give you an overview of what's on offer here.

The Drive

Hidden beneath its elegant facade, the 6.75L turbocharged V8 of the Turbo R is a true sleeper. While it purrs along quietly, its turbo setup unleashes a surge of power. The R, doesn't just fly—it soars.

Despite its weight of steel, leather, and woodwork, it achieved a remarkable 0-60 in ~7.0 seconds from factory. A truly impressive performance from a luxury powerhouse like the Turbo R.

Electrics and Other

All switches, dials, and gauges appear undamaged and in good condition. Alan mentioned that he's had no issues with the electrical elements of the car and believes that everything should be working correctly to the best of his knowledge.

History and Paperwork

Coming out of ~25 years of ownership, this car has covered a modest mileage over its life and presents well in a lovely colourway.

This Turbo R offers serious luxury motoring for many more miles to come. The car has covered less than 1,000 miles in the last ~15 years. For a comprehensive look at the car's history and maintenance, please refer to the history and paperwork media, which includes previous MOT reports and service receipts.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

Should any questions be required, Alan would be happy to answer these in the 'ask the owner' section.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
13.07.2023 MOT 64,999
23.05.2022 MOT 64,990
04.05.2021 MOT 64,948
03.10.2019 MOT 64,932
25.10.2018 MOT 64,877
30.10.2017 MOT 64,793
02.11.2016 MOT 64,726
08.09.2015 MOT 64,699
17.09.2014 MOT 64,630
17.09.2014 Service 64,630
16.09.2013 MOT 64,607
21.09.2012 MOT 64,499
21.09.2011 MOT 64,458
20.09.2010 MOT 64,427
14.07.2009 MOT 64,328
17.07.2008 MOT 64,144
09.12.1997 Service 58,795
24.06.1996 Service 56,982
Engine Oil & Filter 50,236
15.03.1993 Service 44,016
07.04.1992 Service 39,678
05.11.1991 Service 34,043
15.07.1991 Service 27,908
11.02.1991 Service 21,289
18.09.1990 Service 14,614
24.04.1990 Service 8,425
14.12.1989 Service 3,460
Key Details
  • ModelTurbo R
  • TransmissionAutomatic
  • Reg. Date17.10.1989
  • CC6,750
  • Mileage~65,000
  • ColourBlue
  • Interior ColourMagnolia
  • Interior TrimLeather
  • Chassis #SCBZR04A2LCH31201
  • Engine #70315L4101/TEL
  • Last Service2014
  • MOTYes. Exp 12.07.2024
  • HPi ClearYes
  • Former Keepers3
  • Tyre TreadGood
  • Tyre BrandAvon
  • Tyre Age2019
  • LHD or RHDRHD
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned~25 years
  • Key FeatureLong ownership and great condition
  • Auction ID1889






Auction Closed

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This car didn't meet its reserve price and may soon be available as a private sale - please contact us for more information.

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Ask Questions
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6 Comments
Bonk
Bonk
7 months ago

Being an ‘89, does it even have air suspension?

PeteThePilot
PeteThePilot
7 months ago

Hell Alan,

Do you know/have documented evidence of the head gasket having been changed? Apart from the arches are there any areas of corrosion particularly oxidation around where brightwork meets metal body? When we’re the gas suspension spheres last serviced?

Tvm

PeterDunn
PeterDunn
7 months ago

I am an 80 year old pensioner, my wife is 70 years old and we would love this car. What is the least you would accept for this car?

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Vehicle Location

Scunthorpe

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