Bentley Continental R Mulliner

by Gerardo Cruz

"You drive a Bentley, but you are driven in a Rolls-Royce," opined John Crawford, the Public Relations Director for Rolls Royce and Bentley Motor Cars in North America, when asked about the differences between both brands.

Bentleys were widely known for their achievements during the 24 hours of Le Mans in the 20's and 30's, so their heritage as sports cars for gentlemen lives on not just with the Continental, the 4 doors Arnage belongs to the same breed. Acquired by Rolls Royce in the 1930s, both brands shared many components and in some instance their designs, leaving Bentley in the shadow of Rolls Royce for decades.

For those whose passion derives from experiencing marvelous machines, the Bentley Continental R Mulliner is the right answer. A renowned coachbuilder, Mulliner joined the Rolls Royce group in the late 50's to perform special commissions from the brand's clients and the engineering of the Continental model. The restyled body and large wheels made obvious its nature of a "Continental-on-steroids" without affecting the fine craftsmanship from the Mulliner experts.

A huge and impressive coupe in candy apple red arrived at my office with the usual combination of real wood and Connolly leather. Aware of the brand's reputation for being distinctive and powerful, the car still caught my attention with the great amount of power delivered by the classic 6.8 liter V-8, also found in the Rolls. Developed along with Cosworth and Zytek, this supercharged and intercooled engine delivers 420 hp and 650lb ft. of torque at just 2200 rpm, no wonder its endless acceleration despite its dimensions. However, all these virtues come at a price. The Bentley Continental is a "heavy drinker", considering its consumption not just during heavy traffic but also in the motorway, averages 14-15 mpg.

That being said, it did not scare me from my planned trip from Washington DC to Pennsylvania. That same Friday I took I-95 north with the excuse of visiting my relatives in Philadelphia. Although it only takes a bit more than two hours to get from U.S. capital to Philly, leaving on a Friday in the evening meant dealing with hectic traffic. Yet, this is not the kind of issue that matters at the wheel of an exotic. Yep, at USD $316,000, you definitely can brag about it in front of a celebrity driving their Aston Martin or Ferrari.

A complete radio with CD changer and GPS (Global Positioning system) made the night, especially listening to your favorite CDs, the best way possible on Earth to make that drive. The smell of genuine leather, the wood and the efficient dual zone air conditioner as well as its unequal performance evince Bentley's reputation for a rich combination of tradition and the latest technology. Its potent ABS brakes and the traction control are just two elements that complement its classy lines and presence. All these great features, and the fact that you have almost every other motorist slowing down just to admire your car (and trying to figure out who are you) certainly turned a simple trip into something else.

After a safe arrival from my weekend trip, I realized I had not thought about the magnitude of the experience I just had had moments before returning the car. Would there be a chance of driving a Bentley again?. in this life? I might not be certain of the answer, but experiencing this car really changed my views toward automobiles. The Bentley still conserves the heritage of early versions of the Le Mans racers in the glorious 20s and 30s, a story repeated last year when the brand participated in Le Mans for the first time in 70 years. A tradition that promises to continue in this challenging new century with new projects such as the Continental GT or the Hunaudieres, a concept vehicle with a 16-cylinder engine in a "W" configuration with more than 600 hp. Is it going to remain a dream? Perhaps the answer will rest on the brand's desire to make dreams come true.

Gerardo Cruz : His interest in cars dates back from his childhood in Puerto Rico, where he started collecting car magazines from the United States, Latin America and Europe. After completing a degree in Journalism in 1996, Gerardo fulfilled his dream of becoming an automotive when a friend working in the local newspaper asked him to submit articles for their car section. "That's when I started writing about the latest models, classic car and auto trivia."

In February 2000, he moved to Washington DC, where he started doing reviews on luxury and sports cars for "Expressions", a magazine for American Express cardholders in Latin America and for COPA airlines in-flight magazine. He intends to establish a presence on different media outlets in North America and Latin America. To contact him e-mail

Racerchicks.com wishes to thank Gerardo Cruz for his article. We welcome his contribution and look forward to more...