Bentley R Type

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Bentley R Type

Manufacturer	Bentley
Also called	Bentley R Continental
Production	1952–1955 2528 built
Predecessor	Mark VI
Successor	S1
Engine(s)	4.6 L I6 4.9 L I6
Wheelbase	120 in (3048 mm) ^[1]
Length	200 in (5080 mm) ^[1]
Width	69 in (1753 mm) ^[1]
Height	64.5 in (1638 mm) ^[1]

Bentley R Type Continental (1955)

Bentley R-Type 4-Door Saloon 1953

The R Type was the second series of post-war Bentley automobile, replacing the Mark VI. The front of the saloon model was identical to the Mark VI, but the boot (trunk) was almost doubled in size and the engine increased in displacement from 4.25 to 4.5 litres. A decreasing percentage had custom coachwork.

All R Type models used an iron-block/aluminium-head straight-6 engine fed by twin SU carburettors. The basic engine displaced 4.6 L (4566 cc/278 in³) with a 92.08 mm (3.6 in) bore and 114.3 mm (4.5 in) stroke. The Continental had a larger bore of 94.62 mm (3.7 in) for a total displacement of 4.9 L (4887 cc/298 in³).

A 4-speed manual transmission was standard with a 4-speed automatic optional becoming standard on later cars.

The suspension was independent at the front using coil springs with semi elliptic leaf springs at the rear. The brakes used 12.25 in (311 mm) drums all round and were operated hydraulically.

A four door saloon with automatic transmission tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1953 had a top speed of 101.7 mph (163.7 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 13.25 seconds. A fuel consumption of 15.5 miles per imperial gallon (18.2 L/100 km/12.9 mpg US) was recorded. The test car cost £4481 including taxes. ^[1]

1 R-Type Continental
2 Production numbers
3 References
4 See also

[edit] R-Type Continental

The rare two door Continental model with its long flowing tail was produced specially for continental Europe, and was coachbuilt by H. J. Mulliner & Co. This would be the first appearance of the famed Bentley Continental name. The 1952 Continental was the most expensive production automobile in the world, at an extravagant £7,608, the equivalent of 750,000 USD today. A Bentley R Type Continental was used in the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy

[edit] Production numbers

R Type: 2320 (303 with coachbuilt bodies)^[2]
R Continental: 207 (plus one prototype)^[2]

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "The B7 Bentley with automatic transmission" (October 14 1953). The Motor.
^ ^a ^b Sedgwick, M.; Gillies.M (1986). A-Z of Cars 1945-1970. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-39-7.

v • d • e Bentley ownership and road car timeline, 1920s–present – now a marque of the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen AG) (VWAG)
Type	1920s		1930s	1940s		1950s		1960s		1970s		1980s		1990s				2000s
Type	Independent		Rolls-Royce														Volkswagen Group

Sports car	3 L	4½ L		WWII
Saloon		6½/Six	4L/3½ 4¼L/V		VI	R	S1/S2/S3		T1		T2	Mulsanne								CFS
Premium		8 L									Camargue						Arnage
Coupé										Corniche			Continental & C Turbo		Continental R/S/T				C GT
Convertible										Corniche			Continental & C Turbo			Azure				C GTC
Founder: Walter Owen Bentley • Bentley Motors corporate website • A marque of the VWAG group • Bentley Boys