Which Bentleys can you entrust to an independent specialist?
Founded in 1919 and victorious at Le Mans in the 1920s, Bentley came under Rolls-Royce control in 1931, moved to Crewe after the war and joined the Volkswagen group in 1998. These three eras produced very different cars, and an independent Bentley specialist begins by placing yours within its family:
- S1, S2 and S3 (1955–1965), twins of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, and their separately bodied Continental versions;
- the T-Series, T1 then T2 (1965–1980), cousin of the Silver Shadow;
- the Mulsanne, Mulsanne Turbo, Eight and Turbo R, from 1980; the Continental R coupé and Azure convertible in the 1990s;
- the Arnage (1998–2009) and the 2010 Mulsanne, the last large saloons with the 6¾-litre V8;
- the Volkswagen era: Continental GT since 2003, Flying Spur and Bentayga, the marque’s first SUV.
From the T-Series to the Turbo R: one V8, several characters
Until 1980 a Bentley shared its engineering with the corresponding Rolls-Royce: the T-Series uses the monocoque body, the V8 and the high-pressure hydraulics of the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. The marque’s own character returned with the Mulsanne Turbo and then the Turbo R, whose firmer suspension answers the power of the turbocharged V8.
On these cars the workshop checks first the turbocharger and its hoses, the hard-working cooling system, the hydraulic circuit for brakes and self-levelling, and the suspension bushes that govern roadholding. The Arnage has a story of its own: launched with a twin-turbo V8 of BMW origin, it soon returned to the company’s 6¾-litre V8 with the Red Label version.
Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga
The 2003 Continental GT opened the Volkswagen era: a 6-litre twin-turbo W12, four-wheel drive, air suspension and an automatic gearbox, replaced by a dual-clutch unit on the third generation. The 4-litre twin-turbo V8 followed, and later a plug-in hybrid powertrain on the latest versions. The Flying Spur and Bentayga share most of these engines and the air suspension.
These are heavy, fast cars: brakes, tyres, running gear and air-spring bellows work hard. Bentley servicing follows the manufacturer’s programme, with a complete electronic diagnosis and a reading of stored faults before any part is replaced; the brakes, discs and calipers included, are checked at every visit.
Mulliner, diamond quilting and veneers
Mulliner, the historic coachbuilder that became Bentley’s personalisation division, lent its name to highly worked interiors: diamond quilting, contrast stitching, rare veneers, hand-stitched steering wheels. Whether repaired or renewed, these finishes demand the same precision as the original.
Bentley upholstery is carried out entirely in the workshop, which is at home with diamond stitching and quilted seats. For a Crewe Bentley, the work follows the logic of its cousin: the Rolls-Royce page describes the models and the work common to both marques.