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The Bentley Continental GT is a grand touring car manufactured and marketed by the British company Bentley Motors since 2003. A two-door coupé or convertible, it was the first new Bentley released after the company's acquisition by Volkswagen AG in 1998, and the first Bentley to employ mass production manufacturing techniques. It was later joined by the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, a four-door saloon car variant.

In 1994, Rolls-Royce Motors who at that time owned the Bentley brand, previewed a convertible concept car at the Geneva Motor Show – the Concept Java. The car was designed to be a smaller, more affordable Bentley, yet still exclusive in order to maintain the integrity of the brand. It was to appeal to a new range of potential buyers and generate increase sales volume for Rolls-Royce. At the time the current Bentley Continental R was an ultra-exclusive £180,000 in the UK, within reach of a very select market, selling only 200–300 units a year. The Concept Java never went into production in the form seen in 1994, although 13 cars were made for the Sultan of Brunei. However, the Bentley Continental GT realised the concept of the Java as a more affordable Bentley, manufactured in much larger volumes. Whilst external styling is different, the dashboard design was clearly influenced by the Java.

The vehicle debuted in 2002 at the Paris Motor Show, followed by Le Mans, the 2003 Goodwood Festival of Speed and the 2003 annual Bentley Drivers Club meeting at Silverstone. The car differed from the previous Continental R & T models in terms of its concept: although much of the car is hand assembled, it is a mass-produced car made in significantly larger numbers. It is not a coach-built car. The price at launch was less than half the price of the Continental R, giving the car a wider customer base.

The Continental GT is equipped with a 6.0 litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine, which produces a DIN-rated power output of 560 PS (412 kW; 552 bhp) at 6,100 rpm, and torque of 650 N⋅m (479 lbf⋅ft) at 1,600–6,100 rpm. A Torsen-based permanent four-wheel drive is standard. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0.0 to 62.1 mph) in 4.8 seconds, and go on to reach a top speed of 318 km/h (197.6 mph).

Early models include a choice of 6 body colours (Diamond Black, Burnt Oak, Cypress, Neptune, Spruce, and Umbrian Red), 8 hide colours (Beluga, Burnt Oak, Laurel, Nautic, Portland, Saffron, Savannah, Saddle), 5 veneer types (Burr Oak, Burr Walnut, Dark Stained Walnut, Madrona, Piano Black) and 4 carpet and seatbelt colours (Beluga, Burnt Oak, Laurel, Nautic). The dashboard clock was made by Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling.

American Musician Prince owned a 2006 Continental GT Coupe in Baby Blue. Upon his death, in April 2016, the car was placed on permanent display in the sound stage at his famous Paisley Park complex in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Changes to the Bentley Continental GT for 2005 include voice activation for the in-car telephone in six languages and increased interior trim options with the addition of magnolia hide, as well as carpets and seat belts that can be matched to either the main or secondary hide colour.

The Mulliner Driving Specification includes 20-inch 2-piece 7-spoke alloy sports wheels with bespoke Yokohama Advan Sport 275/35 R20 tyres, drilled alloy sports foot pedals and footrest, a gear lever finished in knurled chrome and hide, two-tone leather and veneer combinations, diamond quilted hide to facings, doors and rear quarter panels; embroidered 'Bentley' marque emblem to seat facings, indented hide headlining and dark-stained burr walnut or piano black veneer.

The convertible version of the Continental GT, the Continental GTC, was first presented in September 2005, and was introduced to several world markets in the autumn of 2006. The roof is produced by Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany.

The GTC uses identical powertrain detail as the GT, and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0.0 to 62.1 mph) in 5.1 seconds. With the roof up, it can reach a top speed of 314 km/h (195.1 mph), though with the roof down top speed drops to 305 km/h (189.5 mph).

The vehicle was unveiled at the 2006 New York International Auto Show, followed by the C. de Salamanca in Seville. The vehicle went on sale in late 2006.

The Mulsanne is a full-size luxury car that was manufactured and marketed by British automaker Bentley Motors from March 2010 to June 2020. It served as the flagship automobile for the company until its status was indirectly replaced by the Flying Spur in 2019. Honorifically, the Mulsanne was referred to as "The Grand Bentley" during its development.

Replacing the Rolls-Royce-based Arnage, the Mulsanne was Bentley's first independently-built automobile since the 8 Litre, of which W. O. Bentley conceived. Unveiled initially at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the Mulsanne retained two key elements from the Arnage—rear-wheel drive with the front axle centreline optimally positioned forward, and a 6.75-litre push-rod V8 engine equipped with twin-turbochargers. The individualistic headlamps were designed to resemble those of the Jaguar S-Type from the 1960s. Throughout its ten-year manufacturing period, Bentley produced approximately 7,300 examples at the Crewe facility in England. The Mulsanne has generally been well received, with Jeremy Clarkson, best known for his appearances on Top Gear, claiming that the ride is quiet and the torques were great while criticising the number of switches and the fact that it was less "tasteful" than a Rolls-Royce Ghost.

In 2005, development work on the Mulsanne officially commenced under the codename "Project Kimberley", the name of which was inspired by the Kimberley diamond originating from South Africa. Styled by Belgian automobile designer Dirk van Braeckel, the Mulsanne is a four-door sedan which was offered in two body lengths: short- and extended-wheelbase. Incorporating various internal and external elements from the Arnage, it employs a blend of high-strength steel and lightweight aluminium. The team that assembles the Mulsanne is composed of 298 Bentley employees. The interior was designed under the direction of British automobile designer Robin Page, who also led that of the second-generation Continental GT. Each individual unit undergoes a meticulous process that takes 400 hours (2 weeks), of which 136 hours (five days) are dedicated to interior trimming.

Production of the Mulsanne concluded on 25 June 2020, signifying not only the end of its ten-year manufacture but also the end of Bentley's 6¾-litre engine after a consecutive 61-year production period.

Before the launch of the 2009 model, the Mulsanne designation was most recently employed by Bentley to denote a four-door saloon manufactured from 1980 to 1992. Subsequently, it was reinstated as the nomenclature for the successor to the Arnage, which served as Bentley's flagship model at the time. It made its first appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2009, its second at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, its third at the 2010 North American International Auto Show, and its fourth and final at the 2012 Qatar Motor Show. The first Mulsanne produced, with chassis number 00001, was sold in 2009 at the Gooding & Company Pebble Beach auction for US$500,000 (US$550,000 after buyer premium) to an undisclosed bidder. Deliveries in England began in September 2010.

Each individual Mulsanne is hand-built and undergoes a meticulous process spanning approximately 200 hours (16 days). A total of 298 employees are dedicated to each unit, with the collective effort of about 4,000 employees contributing to the completion of all 7,300 Mulsannes. The assembly area covers an extensive 521,111 m2 (5,609,190 sq ft), serving as the centre for all aspects of car production. This includes design, research and development, engineering, manufacturing, quality control, as well as operations related to sales and marketing. The first stage of the Mulsanne's assembly process involves its body in white, where Bentley metalworkers perform 5,800 individual welds, joining hundreds of meters of steel and aluminium. Bentley's objective was to render all traces of welds entirely imperceptible, creating the illusion that the body seamlessly originated from a single piece of metal. In specific areas, such as where the roof merges into the rear haunch through the deep D-pillar, a team brazes the joint by hand until it becomes entirely invisible to the human eye, particularly once the vehicle is painted. Customers are offered a choice from a palette of over 120 exterior paint colours from Bentley, or they can opt to create a custom colour, matching it to a precious object if desired. Due to the body's curvature, the paint application requires precise hand spraying at various depths to achieve a smooth and even appearance. Following the lacquering process, each car undergoes fine sanding and is polished with lamb's wool for 12 hours, resulting in a reflective finish, dubbed by Bentley as the "Mirror Finish".

Wood plays a crucial role, forming a foundation of solid walnut, cherry, or oak that runs through the dashboard and doors of the Mulsanne. Exclusive to this model, a solid wood substrate is overlaid with a selection of a dozen different veneers, sourced from sustainable origins globally, with colours ranging from red to brown and black. These veneers often come from century-old exotic trees, including vavona from California, madrona from the US, olive ash from Europe and Southwest Asia, tamo ash from China, or birds-eye maple from North America. Customers were progressively shifting from curly wood grains to more modern straight grains like eucalyptus from Australia and Spain, koa from Hawaii or liquid amber from Mississippi. Stone veneers from stone mined in India, formed over 200 million years ago, are often used. Each sheet of wood, derived from the same tree, undergoes a process where the root burl is steamed and cut into 0.6 mm (0.024 in) slices. This ensures that the pattern and colour remain consistent throughout the entire car and age uniformly. Laser-cut veneers are mirror-matched to create 33 separate components. Following sanding, each part receives five layers of lacquer, undergoes a 72-hour curing process, is then sanded and polished again before being fitted to the car.

The Mulsanne undergoes a hand-assembly process in a dedicated build area staffed by 120 employees, distinct from the main assembly hall operating lines for the Bentayga, Continental GT, and Flying Spur models. This intricate process involves connecting 2 mi (3.2 km), 50 kilograms (110 lb) wiring looms, fitting dashboards and steering wheels, marrying engines, adding brake fluids and coolants, assembling matrix grills with front fenders, attaching wheels, bonding windscreens, and installing doors and seats. Every artisan working on a Mulsanne must memorise and possess the skills to complete over 6.5 work hours on the car. With a production rate of just nine cars per week, the Mulsanne production line comprises 12 workstations fed by seven sub-assembly/trim areas. The pace is deliberate, with each workstation spending 203 minutes per car, compared to the nine minutes per station for the Continental GT. The Mulsanne is manually moved along the production line. Following this assembly, each vehicle undergoes a thorough visual inspection for quality against a 500 to 650-point checklist before receiving final sign-off.

Bentley's first SUV was previewed as the Bentley EXP 9 F concept car at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The concept car was based upon the Volkswagen Group MLB platform, powered by a 6.0 L W12 engine producing 600 hp (447 kW). The initial design of the EXP 9 F was redesigned to achieve "more traditional SUV proportions and less retro surfacing." An early name for the model was the Falcon.

The production version was announced in July 2013. The Bentley EXP 9 F's design received a mixed response from the motoring press. After some criticism for the design of the EXP 9 F, Bentley announced that it would change the styling for the production versions.

The production Bentayga debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2015 as Bentley's first SUV. it features unibody construction and full-time all-wheel drive, as well as Volkswagen Group's bi-turbo W12 engine and MLB platform, the latter shared with the second-generation Audi Q7 and the third-generation Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q8, and Lamborghini Urus. Available in seating configurations for four, five, or seven, at launch the Bentayga was claimed by the manufacturer as the second most expensive production SUV. In spite of having the highest claimed top speed (of 187 mph (301 km/h))[citation needed], it has been described by the Guardian and the Sunday Times as "huge" and by the Daily Telegraph as "gargantuan".

A total of 608 "First Edition" units (featuring the 608PS W12) were manufactured upon introduction. The original prediction for 2016 was that 3,500 Bentaygas would be sold. When the entire production volume for the year sold out in advance, production was increased and resulted in 5,586 units being sold. Despite its high price tag, the car was a sales success for Bentley in 2016 and became Bentley's most popular model. It has contributed to Bentley's increasing sales as of 2022. In 2022 about 6370 Bentley Bentaygas were sold.

Bentley revealed the name Bentayga in January 2015. The name comes from Roque Bentayga, an emblematic highland rock situated in Tejeda, Gran Canaria, the subtropical Canary Island. The company also drew inspiration from a portmanteau of Bentley and Taiga, the world's largest transcontinental snow forest, composed of the first four letters of Bentley and an altered spelling of taiga.

Originally slated by Volkswagen to be produced at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant in Slovakia where all other models based on the platform are produced, an agreement was reached with the British Government for the model to be produced at the Crewe factory. Bentley invested £800 million in a new assembly facility there and employed 1,000 new employees to support production of the new model.

Production of the Bentayga's body shell remained at the Bratislava facility, but was moved to Volkswagen's Zwickau-Mosel Plant at the end of 2016.

The 2016 Bentayga was launched with (and was first to receive) Bentley's new twin-turbo W12 engine. The engine was fitted with variable displacement technology and could deactivate 6 of the engine's 12 cylinders if needed. Bentley claimed the 6.0 L capable of 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 4.0 seconds, 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 4.1 s, and a top speed of 187 mph (301 km/h).

A second, more powerful version of the twin-turbo W12 was introduced for the Bentayga Speed in 2020 helping the car to achieve a claimed 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) of 3.9 s.

Starting in 2017, a diesel V8 derived from the VW Group diesel V8 was available. This engine is Bentley's first diesel and only offered in the Bentayga. Included are a badge on the front wing and the trapezoid quad exhaust tips. Bentley claims performance of the 4.0 L, twin-turbo diesel of 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 4.6 seconds, 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 4.8 s, and a top speed of 168 mph (270 km/h).

A V8 petrol engine became available in 2018. Bentley claimed the 4.0 L, twin-turbo will have performance figures from 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 4.4 seconds, 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 4.5 s, and a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h). Its combined cycle CO2 emissions are 272 g/km and its fuel consumption is 23.5 mpg‑imp (12.0 L/100 km; 19.6 mpg‑US).

A plug-in hybrid model was revealed at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show and went on sale in the UK, Europe, and North America in October 2019. It combines a 3.0 L V6 turbo petrol engine and an electric motor, for a system output of 449 PS (330 kW; 443 hp) and 700 N⋅m (516 lbf⋅ft) of torque. The 17.3 kWh (62 MJ) lithium-ion battery pack offers a range of 31.7 miles (51.0 km) as per NEDC testing.

The Arnage was powered by a BMW M62 V8 engine, with Cosworth-engineered twin-turbo installation, and the Seraph employed a BMW M73 V12 engine. In September 2008, Bentley announced that production of the model would end during 2010.

Following an uplift in sales for all of Rolls-Royce, and a resurgence of the Bentley marque, the then-owner, Vickers, set about developing a new model to replace the derivatives of the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit/Bentley Mulsanne which it had been selling since 1980. In a complete switch from tradition, these new cars would have engines provided by a third-party vendor, and bodies built at the Crewe factory.

A number of potential engines were examined, including the GM Premium V engine and the Mercedes-Benz M119 engine, before, in late 1994, Vickers selected a pair of BMW power plants. It was decided that the Rolls-Royce model, to be called the Silver Seraph, would use BMW's naturally aspirated M73 V12 engine while the more-sporty Bentley model would use a special twin-turbocharged 354 PS (260 kW; 349 hp) and 420 lb⋅ft (569 N⋅m) of torque version of the company's 4.4-litre M62 V8 engine developed by Vickers subsidiary Cosworth Engineering.

This Arnage was renamed the Arnage Green Label for the 2000 model year. In addition, from 2000 to 2001, a special edition "Birkin" was produced, celebrating Tim Birkin of the "Bentley Boys."

During the takeover battle in 1998 between BMW and Volkswagen Group for ownership of Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors, BMW had threatened to stop supply of their engines if Volkswagen Group won. While the threat was later withdrawn in conjunction with BMW acquiring the right to manufacture Rolls-Royce automobiles at a new location, it was clear that Volkswagen could not accept the business and reputation risks associated with having their rival as a long-term business partner. Furthermore, customers were uncertain about engine and part availability (of which there turned out to be no issue) and orders for new cars dropped precipitously. Volkswagen's response was to adapt the old 16-valve, 6.75-litre pushrod engine from the (Mulsanne) Turbo R for the Arnage body, which had been designed for the smaller and much lighter BMW 32-valve V8. Coupled with an outdated 4-speed automatic gearbox from General Motors, the engine was extremely thirsty, and would not meet government-imposed emissions standards without hasty modifications.

The revised version of the car was launched as the Arnage Red Label in October 1999. At the same time, but without fanfare, Bentley made several minor modifications to the original BMW engined cars, and designated them as the "Arnage Green Label" for the 2000 model year. The most important modifications, to both Red and Green Label cars, gave them stiffer body-shells, and larger wheels and brakes. Both the stiffer body-shells and the larger brakes were necessitated by the extra heft of the large old British engine. Despite the larger brakes, braking performance worsened with the extra weight of the 6.75 engine. The braking performance of the 1999 Green Label from 113–0 km/h was 172 feet (52 m) while the later Arnage T's performance was 182 feet (55 m) from the same speed. Revisions included:

Standard Alpine pop up navigation system.

Park distance control to the front and rear.

Increased rear seat leg room (by modifying the design of the front seatbacks).

Power folding exterior mirrors.

Modifications to the steering rack to reduce steering effort at low speeds.

The glass headlight lens covers (1998–99) were revised to plastic (2000 on).

Bentley cited customer demand as driving the reversion to the old two valve per cylinder 6.75-litre unit for the Red Label.

In reality, the outgoing BMW-powered Arnage was technically more modern, considerably more fuel efficient, and had 32 valves with double overhead camshafts, twin-turbochargers and Bosch engine management technology – as opposed to the 16-valve, single turbocharger and a pushrod engine with less advanced engine management. The Red Label's increase in motive power shaved less than a second of the 0 to 97 km/h (60 mph) acceleration time. However, the BMW twin-turbocharged unit remained noticeably more agile and responsive from a driver's perspective, due to its more responsive character, better weight balance (maintaining a 51.1/48.9 weight distribution) and almost 272 kg (600 lb) lower curb weight. Ultimately the Green Label was more reliable and significantly less expensive to service in the long term. The key limiting factor of the BMW engine's output was the ZF 5HP30 transmission which was not rated to handle more than the 560 N⋅m (413 lb⋅ft) of torque that the twin-turbocharged engine was tuned to produce.

Vickers had outsourced the production of the old 6.75-litre Rolls-Royce engine for use in the contemporary Continental R and Azure models to Cosworth, so reverting to the old standby engine was a natural choice for the company.

The Red Label model reverted to the old V8 engine, which boasted torque of 835 N⋅m (616 lbf⋅ft) with a single Garrett T4 turbocharger. This was the greatest amount of torque for a four-door car at the time. Also returning was the General Motors-sourced four-speed 4L80-E automatic transmission.

In total, only seven Arnage Green Label units were built, all of which were left-hand-drive versions. There was a final series of cars built in 2000 with the 4.4-litre BMW engine designated the Arnage Birkin, of which 52 units were produced and are distinguishable by their three-dial as opposed to five-dial instrument centre dashboard configuration.

A long-wheelbase version of the Red Label was launched at the North American International Auto Show in 2001. The Red Label models were replaced in 2002 by the Arnage R.

In 2001, the Arnage LWB (renamed the RL from MY2003), a long-wheelbase model (250 mm (9.8 in) longer than the Arnage), was launched. The extra length is added to the car at both its front and rear doors and its C-pillar to maintain its proportions. With the standard Arnage model, the rear wheel wells butt up against the rear door frames, but with the LWB & RL they are a few inches further back. The overall effect is a larger rear area inside the car. This style of saloon stretch is sometimes called "double-cut" in the United States, due to the two main points where the car is extended. (Jankel and Andy Hotton Associates, for example, are two aftermarket coachbuilders especially known for this style.) Available only as a bespoke ("Mulliner") model, each LWB & RL is customized to the desires of the buyer. The LWB, however, was also the first of a new series of Arnages which would finally cure the Bentley Arnage of the reliability and performance deficiencies experienced following its forced deprivation of the modern BMW engines it was designed to use. The RL would also present a credible challenge to BMW's attempts to revive the Rolls-Royce brand with its planned new model, the Phantom.

Wheelbases ranged from 3,336 mm (131.3 in) (or only slightly longer than the standard Arnage) to 3,566 mm (140.4 in), and even 3,844 mm (151.3 in), the latter two including a 100 mm (3.9 in) increase in the height of the roof. The 3,800 mm (151 in) wheelbase version is stretched between the front and rear doors (rather than at the C-pillar and at the rear doors). The suspension was retuned for the added weight, allowing the larger car to still handle well.

RL models were available with armoured elements, reflecting the car's clientele. A full B6 package was available for $243,000 to $300,000, offering protection from assault weapons and grenades.

Though not particularly well advertised for reasons stated above, the LWB&RL's introduction saw the introduction of an entirely reworked version of the 6.75-litre V8 engine. Where the engine used in the Red Label was a quickly and less-than-completely-satisfactorily modified version of the Turbo R's unit, the RL featured an entirely reworked version of the old 6.75-litre V8. More than half of the engine's parts were completely new, with Bosch Motronic ME7.1.1 engine management replacing the old Zytek system, and two small Garrett T3 turbochargers replacing the single large T4. This new engine was rated at 405 PS (298 kW; 399 hp) and 835 N⋅m (616 lb⋅ft) of torque and was said to be capable of meeting all future emissions requirements. The Arnage was now powered by a modern twin-turbocharged unit with state-of-the-art electronic management system similar to the original Cosworth-BMW unit developed for the model in 1998.

In 2002, Bentley updated the Red Label as the series two Arnage R. This model was launched to contrast the Arnage T, which was developed to be a more sporty variant. The Arnage R features two Garrett T3 turbochargers fitted to the engine as with the RL.

The Arnage T, also from 2002, was claimed to be the most powerful roadgoing Bentley at its launch at the Detroit Motor Show. As with the Arnage R, there were twin-turbochargers, but the engine was tuned and rated at a higher power output of 456 PS (335 kW; 450 hp) and 875 N⋅m (645 lbf⋅ft) of torque. The Arnage T's 0–97 km/h (60 mph) time is 5.5 seconds and it has a claimed top speed of 274 km/h (170 mph).

All Arnage R and T models share the same 3,116 mm (122.7 in) wheelbase. The Arnage range was facelifted in 2005, with a front end resembling that of the new Continental GT and old Continental R.

The Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph is a large luxury automobile produced by Rolls-Royce Motors from 1998 to 2002. First unveiled on 3 March 1998 at the Geneva Motor Show, it replaced the Silver Spirit, which ended production in 1997. Silver Seraph production was discontinued when the licence to use the Rolls-Royce marque was sold to BMW, which began manufacture of an unrelated line of vehicles under a new corporation, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Development of the Silver Seraph began in the late 1980s, with design work commencing in October 1990. By April 1991, the conceptual design was frozen and approved by the management in June 1991. After several refinements were made, the definitive design was reached in 1994. On 28 July 1995 design patents were filed for both the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph and Bentley Arnage utilizing production design prototypes as representations. Development concluded after nearly a decade in late 1997, with pilot production models being produced into early 1998 bearing R396 DTU registration plates. The Silver Seraph was launched at the 1998 Geneva Motor Show.

Aside from the radiator grille, badges and wheels, the Seraph was externally identical to the contemporary Bentley Arnage, sharing both its platform and body shell. It was powered by the BMW M73 engine, a 5.4L aluminium alloy V12 engine coupled to a 5-speed automatic transmission, making it the first twelve-cylinder Rolls-Royce since the 1939 Phantom III. The car conforms to the Euro III emission standards.

The body was 65 per cent stiffer than that of its predecessor. Standard electronics included digital engine management, adaptive ride control and anti-lock brakes. The exterior was available in one and two-tone finishes.

Inside, the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph and the Bentley Arnage were similar yet distinct. The Seraph's gear selector was column-mounted, and gauges followed a traditional Rolls-Royce layout. In both cars, the seats and dashboard were upholstered in Connolly Leather, with dashboard trim and folding picnic trays for rear passengers faced with glossy burl walnut veneer.

The Seraph was known for its relatively limited acceleration and comfortable handling, in comparison to the Arnage, which had a twin-turbocharged V8 of its own design and firmer suspension. However, the Seraph still had a top speed of 225 km/h or 140 mph.

The RAC gave the car a rating of 7.6/10, stating "The Silver Seraph marks a new start for Rolls-Royce in their quest to once more be recognized as manufacturers of the world's best cars. And it's quite a credible effort.

All Seraphs were hand-built at the Rolls-Royce factory in Crewe, England. The car had a base price of £155,175 in the UK and $220,695 in the US. It was second in cost and exclusivity only to the Rolls-Royce Corniche, though it was the cheapest Rolls-Royce per se after the discontinuation of the Silver Spur.

A total of 1,570 Silver Seraphs were produced before manufacture ceased in 2002 with the last 170 cars being under the "Last of Line" Specification. (Distinguished by Wing badges, Commemorative Plaque, Chromed Mirror caps, Spirit of Ecstasy Hubcaps & Red Rolls Royce badging).

An extended wheelbase 5-passenger version of the Silver Seraph called the Park Ward debuted at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show. Introduced for the 2001 model year, it had 250 mm (9.8 in) added to the size of the doors (mostly the rear), resulting in more legroom for passengers. Rolls-Royce initially planned to build 200 of the model. However, it was discontinued after 2002, with a total of 127 having been produced. It was the last model to use the Park Ward label.

Bentley Brooklands is the name of two distinct models produced by British automobile manufacturer Bentley Motors. The first Brooklands was a full-size luxury saloon, launched in 1992 to replace the Bentley Mulsanne and in turn succeeded by the Bentley Arnage in 1998.

Bentley resurrected the nameplate in 2007 with the Brooklands Coupé, a 2-door, 4-seater hardtop coupé version of the Bentley Azure. It was made between 2008 and 2011 in limited numbers.

These cars were named after Brooklands, a banked race track in Surrey, where Bentley obtained some of its greatest triumphs in the 1920s and 1930s.

The Bentley Brooklands was introduced in 1992 as a replacement for the Bentley Mulsanne S and Bentley Eight models. It was intended as a slightly less expensive alternative to the Bentley Turbo R, featuring the same styling, underpinnings and the Rolls-Royce 6.75-litre V8 engine, but initially without the more powerful model's turbocharger. A turbocharged version appeared in 1996.

The Brooklands continued Bentley's relatively angular design theme, which was also used on contemporary Rolls-Royce vehicles, throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The exterior design featured the classic Bentley waterfall grille as well as dual headlights with wraparound parking lights. As in many Bentley and Rolls-Royce vehicles, the Brooklands also featured the trademark descending boot lid and chrome B-pillars.

The interior remained relatively unchanged from previous Bentley models, with more curvaceous design elements surrounding the leather-wrapped centre console. The steering wheel and interior door panels remained largely unchanged; the major change arrived in the form of relocating the gear selector to the centre console - for decades the standard practice among R-R and Bentley models utilised a steering column mounted selector. The interior continued to be surrounded by ample woodgrain which featured engraved, lighter-coloured outlines on the door panels. In the U.S., prices for the Brooklands started at around $156,500.

The 1992–1997 Brooklands was driven by a 6.75-litre Rolls-Royce V8 engine with a four-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle was rear-wheel drive, and featured independent front and rear suspension. While not as large as some other ultra-luxury cars, the Brooklands remained quite large with an overall length of 5,370 millimetres (211.4 in) and wheelbase of 3,162 millimetres (124.5 in) (5,268 millimetres (207.4 in) and respectively 3,061 millimetres (120.5 in) in SWB trim).

In autumn of 1996 Brooklands received an update in a form of light-pressure turbo, boosting power output to 300 bhp.

In 1998, there also was a Brooklands R derivative available, with a suspension upgrade borrowed from Turbo R model and with a light-pressure turbo, that should be seen as a replacement for standard Brooklands. Cars were badged as 'Brooklands R'.

The Bentley Brooklands Coupé is a fixed-head version of the Bentley Azure (itself related to the Bentley Arnage), featuring a two-door, four-seater pillarless hardtop coupé body, eliminating the B-pillars. It was unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, to be built for the 2008 model year. As a hand-assembled car made in very small numbers, employing traditional coach-building techniques and craftsmanship skills in wood and leather, the Brooklands Coupé was the true successor to the discontinued Bentley Continental R and T. Planned lifetime production was limited at 550 cars, and deliveries started in the first half of 2008.

The Brooklands is powered by a 6.75-litre Bentley L Series twin-turbocharged OHV V8 engine, producing 530 bhp (395 kW; 537 PS) at 4,000 rpm and 1,050 N⋅m (774 lb⋅ft) at 3,250 rpm, at the time the highest torque ever developed by a production petrol V8 engine. The engine was linked to a reinforced 6-speed ZF torque converter automatic, with a Tiptronic manual gear selection function.

A Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) ceramic composite braking system with 14-inch SGL Carbon brake discs was optional, with 20-inch wheels only.

The Bentley Azure is a four-seater convertible grand tourer produced by British automobile manufacturer Bentley Motors. The first version debuted in 1995 on the Bentley Continental R platform and was made until 2003. After a three-year break, a completely new version debuted in 2006 and was produced until 2009. It was powered by a significantly updated engine and based on the newer Arnage platform.

The name was taken from earlier Robert Jankel sportier 2-door conversions that evolved into the Continental R. The Azure debuted in March 1995 at the Geneva Motor Show on the platform of the Continental R model, which had been originally launched in 1991. Production only crept to a start, with a mere nine examples finished in the first year – in 1996, after full production had started, no less than 251 cars were finished. Pininfarina assisted in the two-year process of turning the Continental R into a full four-seater convertible, and also built the shell and soft-top at their factory in Italy, largely from parts sourced in the UK. Final assembly was then carried out at Crewe. A roll-bar was never considered, which necessitated extensive reinforcing of the chassis. At 210 in (5,340 mm) in length and 2,608 kg (5,750 lb) in weight, the Azure often surprised onlookers with its size and bulk, intended to both convey a sense of "presence" and allow for comfortable seating of four adult passengers.

Power came from the company's stalwart 6.75-litre V8, featuring a single, inter-cooled Garrett turbocharger and rated in the region of 365 PS (268 kW; 360 hp) – Rolls-Royce and Bentley did not yet give official power numbers at the time of the Azure's introduction. By the time production began in earnest, a new engine management system from Zytek meant a slight power increase to 390 PS (287 kW; 385 hp) at 4,000 rpm and 750 N⋅m (553 lb⋅ft) of torque at 2,000 rpm; power was routed to the rear wheels via a modified, General Motors sourced, four-speed 4L80-E automatic transmission. With a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph), the Azure was very fast for a car of its size, weight and poor aerodynamic profile.

Owing to the limited space and workforce at Bentley's Crewe factory, the Azure's electrically powered convertible top made from thick fabric was designed and manufactured by Pininfarina, which significantly added to the vehicle's cost. New in 1995, the Azure was priced at £215,167 – £22,590 more than the Continental R on which it was based.

From 1999 until the end of production, the Azure was also available in "Mulliner" trim, which added special bespoke trim and additional equipment and allowed the buyer the option for further customisation during the build process; pricing varied by car, as equipment could be significantly different from one to the next depending on customer requests.

2003 Bentley Azure "Final Series Performance" Just like its Rolls-Royce counterpart, towards the end of its production, it also had a final edition, called "Final Series Performance", created from 2002 to 2003, only 62 were made. The Last RHD sold was Chassis no. CH01228 while the very last Azure was retained at the Crewe plant.

Volkswagen purchased Bentley from Vickers in 1998 when the Azure had been in production for three years. Volkswagen executives decided to keep the then-current Azure in production until 2003, and then introduce its successor at a later date. Production of the new Azure began for the 2006 model year.

Now based on the Arnage platform, power came from the then-current variant of the Bentley twin-turbocharged V8 rated at 456 PS (335 kW; 450 hp) and 875 N⋅m (645 lb⋅ft) of torque. The Arnage was designed for the BMW 4.4-litre engine. However, due to the takeover battle in 1998 between BMW and Volkswagen Group for ownership of Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors, BMW threatened to stop the supply of their engines if Volkswagen Group won. While the threat was later withdrawn in conjunction with BMW acquiring the right to manufacture Rolls-Royce automobiles at a new location, it was clear that Volkswagen could not accept the business and reputation risks associated with having their rival as a long-term business partner. Furthermore, customers were uncertain about engine and part availability. Volkswagen was thus forced to significantly re-work the "original" 6.75-liter Rolls-Royce/Bentley V8 in 2001, including a switch from the old single-turbo system to a modern twin-turbocharger setup, reducing turbo-lag and increasing horsepower output. A new, 6-speed ZF 6HP-32 automatic transmission fed power to the rear wheels.

Bentley claims a 0 to 97 km/h acceleration time of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 270 km/h (168 mph), slightly faster than the previous model and still very good for a vehicle of this size and weight.

The United States Department of Energy lists the Bentley Azure as the least fuel-efficient car in its class with only 9 miles per US gallon (26 L/100 km; 11 mpg‑imp) in the city and 15 miles per US gallon (16 L/100 km; 18 mpg‑imp) on the highway.

The "T" is a higher-performance version of the Azure. Styling changes include 8.5J x 20-inch five-spoke, two-piece alloy wheels with 255/40 ZR20 Pirelli P Zero tyres, 'Le Mans' lower front wing air vents, dark-tinted upper and lower grilles, 'jewel' fuel filler cap (made from billet aluminium) and wing mirror mountings finished in body colour. The exterior styling was inspired by the Bentley Mark VI.

Audio system includes large display audio head unit with Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot, iPod/USB/3.5 mm AUX interface; with optional 'Naim for Bentley' 10-speaker, 1,100W audio system. Electronic Stability Programme, Tire Pressure Monitoring System are now standard equipment.

The twin-turbocharged engine was now rated 507 PS (373 kW; 500 hp) and 1,000 N⋅m (738 lb⋅ft) torque. It has a 0–97 km/h acceleration time of 5.1 seconds (0–100 km/h acceleration time of 5.5 seconds), 0–160 km/h acceleration time of 12.0 seconds and a top speed of 288 km/h (179 mph).

The Azure T was unveiled at the 2008 LA Auto Show.

The Azure had no immediate successor. However, at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, Bentley unveiled a concept car built on the Mulsanne platform that followed the same formula as the two generations of the Azure that proceeded it. Bentley did not use the Azure name again with the concept, simply calling it the Grand Convertible.

The production version of the Grand Convertible was unveiled at the 2017 Dubai Motor Show. The production version was also based on the Mulsanne platform but is 99 mm (3.9 in) shorter due to the elimination of rear doors. The production version retained the wooden deck as shown on the concept car and the deck is described to be the biggest piece of wood ever applied to a production car. Mulliner, Bentley's internal coachbuilder, was tasked with the production of the Grand Convertible which was limited to 19 units only.

The Rolls-Royce Camargue is a 2-door luxury saloon manufactured and marketed by Rolls-Royce Motors from 1975–1986. Designed by Paolo Martin at Pininfarina, the Camargue was the first post-war production Rolls-Royce not designed in-house (not including the more prolific coachbuilt Corniche by Mulliner-Park Ward, and the coachbuilt variants of production models such as Silver Wraith, Silver Cloud, and Silver Shadow which were built by firms such as James Young, Mulliner, Park Ward, Hooper, et al).

The Camargue derives its name from the coastal region in southern France.

At launch, the Camargue was the Rolls-Royce flagship and the most expensive production car in the world. At its official U.S. launch, the Camargue had already been on sale in the UK for over a year. The New York Times noted that the U.S. price at this stage was approximately $5,000 higher than the UK price. In the 1970s, many European models retailed for significantly less in the U.S. than they did in Europe in order to compete with prices set aggressively by Detroit's Big Three and Japanese importers. The manufacturer rejected this approach with the Camargue, referencing the high cost of safety and pollution engineering needed to adapt the few cars (approximately 30 per year) it expected to send to North America in 1976.

At its 1975 press debut, Rolls-Royce highlighted an automatic split-level climate control system, the first of its kind. According to Rolls-Royce, the system's development took eight years. The recommended price of a new Camargue at launch on the UK market in March 1975 was £29,250, including sales taxes. Rapid currency depreciation would greatly raise the price of the Camargue in the late 1970s, both in the UK and North America.

The Camargue shared its platform with the Rolls-Royce Corniche and Silver Shadow and was powered by the same 6.75-litre (412 cu in) V8 engine as the Silver Shadow, although the Camargue engine was slightly more powerful. The transmission was also carried over – a General Motors Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic. The first 65 Camargues produced used SU carburettors, while the remaining carburetted cars used Solex units. US delivered cars used Bosch Jetronic fuel injection during the 1980s which it shared with the Corniche and Silver Spirit/Spur. The Camargue was fitted with the Silver Shadow II's power rack and pinion steering rack in February 1977. In 1979, it received the rear independent suspension of the Silver Spirit.

With a 3,048 mm (120 in) wheelbase, the Camargue was the first Rolls-Royce automobile to be designed to metric dimensions and was the first Rolls-Royce to feature an inclined rather than perfectly vertical grille; the Camargue's grille was slanted at an angle of seven degrees.

The car was sold in very limited numbers in European, American, Canadian, Australian and Asian markets. Several of the cars have since been modified into convertibles by after-market customizers.

The Camargue received a varied reception, having ranked as one of the "10 Worst Cars” as chosen in 2010 by readers of The Globe and Mail; having ranked 38 in the 2005 book Crap Cars by Richard Porter (the author saying the car "looked utterly terrible)" and having ranked 92 in a 2008 poll of the 100 ugliest cars of all time by readers of The Daily Telegraph. Autoblog said the Camargue had been ranked "conspicuously low on the list," adding the Camargue "really was horrid, no matter how well it sold."

In response, noted automotive journalist James May said the Camargue "is not ugly, either. It has presence, like that pug-faced but well-dressed bloke down the pub."

The Rolls-Royce Corniche is a two-door, front-engine, rear wheel drive luxury car produced by Rolls-Royce Motors as a hardtop coupé (from 1971 to 1980) and as a convertible (from 1971 to 1995 and 1999 to 2002).

The Corniche was a development of the Mulliner Park Ward two-door version of the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. These were designated as the 2-door Saloon and Drophead Coupé,[1] introduced in 1965 and 1966 respectively. Production remained in London at Mulliner Park Ward; the new name was applied in March 1971.

A Bentley version of the Corniche was also produced. It became known as the Bentley Continental from 1984 to 1995.

The Corniche draws its name from the experimental 1939 Corniche prototype. The name originally comes from the French word corniche, a coastal road, especially along the face of a cliff, most notably the Grande Corniche along the French Riviera above the principality of Monaco.

The second new model debuted in January 2000 and it was the model generation to bear the Corniche name, after four consecutive Corniche series derived from the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Contrary to all its predecessors, this Corniche was also the first Rolls-Royce with a soft-top that folded into the car's body.

Despite all-new sheet metal, bearing a strong resemblance to the Silver Seraph, it had instead been derived from the pre-BMW era Bentley Azure, the model continued use of the traditional Rolls-Royce 6.75L V8 engine-block, in common with its predecessors, albeit significantly modernised, with improved performance, due to the Bentley-inherited turbocharger — this was the first Corniche to have this feature standard.

Released after a five-year production gap, the fifth series Corniche was Rolls-Royce's most expensive model and flagship car, with a base price of US$359,900. From 2003, Rolls-Royce motor car production was handed over to BMW, who did not prolong the production of any of the existing models, but instead reintroduced the brand with an all-new Phantom VII.

The Corniche V was the only Rolls-Royce model launched under Volkswagen holding ownership; the last Rolls-Royce Corniche to date, and with just 384 units built.

The Rolls-Royce Corniche V is powered by a 325 hp (240 kW) 6.75 L turbocharged Rolls-Royce V8. The engine is capable of producing 738 N·m (544 lb·ft) of torque between 2,100-2,300 rpm. The engine is mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. It has a top speed of 135 mph (220 km/h) and a 0-60 mph (96 km/h) acceleration time of 8 seconds. The convertible, weighing 6,031 lb (2,736 kg), was built more for comfort than for speed.

The Corniche V came outfitted with every luxury and refinement characteristic of a Rolls-Royce.

The interior has Connolly Leather interior, Wilton wool carpets, lambswool rugs, chrome gauges, and a wide choice of exotic wood trims applied to the dashboard, console & waistrails, Dual automatic temperature control, powered adjustable front seats, 2 stage heated seats (front and rear), 4 x 30 watt stereo, tuner, cassette and CD system with six CD changer unit mounted in the front seat armrest with eight speaker system. The exterior has a powered retractable soft top, automatic dual-headlamps with chrome surrounds, powered boot mechanism, 17" Alloy wheels, automatic ride control, and Electronic Traction Assistance System (ETAS).

Styling cues were taken from the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph sedan, but it shares little mechanically with that BMW-engined car. Instead, the Corniche's V body was set onto the older platform used for the Bentley Azure, the Rolls-Royce SZ platform. Making it the first and only Rolls-Royce developed from a Bentley rather than the other way around, (not withstanding the fact that the Bentley Azure was developed on a Rolls-Royce platform to begin with.)

The Corniche V was the only new Rolls-Royce developed under Volkswagen's ownership before the marque was sold in 2003. All Corniches were completely hand-built. The car was considered a slightly softer, much more exclusive version of the Azure.

Towards the end of production of the Corniche V, a limited run of 56 "Final Series" cars was planned, 56 being the years in which Rolls-Royce were built at Crewe. Ultimately, only 45 were made out of the original expected 56. They are distinguished by, but not limited to the following:

Interior

Front-fender badges reading “Rolls-Royce Cars, Crewe, England,” with a Union Jack insignia

Chromed mirror housings

Restyled & chromed Bentley Azure wheels

Spirit of Ecstasy Hubcaps

Red Rolls-Royce badges on the grille and trunk lid

Rosewood Burr & Cherry Wood trim with Spirit of Ecstasy inlay

Individually numbered commemorative plaque on the centre console (out of 56)

Final Rolls-Royce Corniche V

The last Rolls-Royce Corniche (Chassis 2079) was manufactured on 30 August 2002. Along with most features from the "Final Series" specification, It also had a unique seat style: A Chesterfield buttoned theme in spruce Green without seat edge piping, different centre console plaque reading "A Century of Excellence" with the RR logo, and the cities where Rolls-Royces were produced from 1904 to 2002 (in place of the numbered commemorative plaque), silver text inlays on the radio flap reading "The Final Rolls-Royce Corniche Chassis 2079" & treadplates, reading "The Final Rolls-Royce Corniche Chassis 2079 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Crewe, England 1946-2002". This was the last Rolls-Royce to be made at Crewe before it was transferred to Bentley models. It was in Rolls-Royce's ownership until September 2018 when it was auctioned off by Bonhams. The production run consisted of 384 cars.

The Bentley Continental is a luxury coupé manufactured by British automobile manufacturer Bentley Motors from 1991 to 2003. It was the first Bentley to feature a body not shared with a Rolls-Royce model since the 1965 S3 Continental and was the first to use the GM 4L80-E transmission. The Continental R was the fastest, most expensive, and most powerful Bentley automobile of its day. It was also the most expensive production car in the world at its introduction. A convertible derivative, called the Bentley Azure, was launched in 1995.

As managing director of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in the early 1980s under the Vickers ownership, David Plastow could see the potential in the Bentley brand. It had been neglected for the previous 15 years and made up only a very small percentage of the company's sales at that time, particularly outside the UK in important markets such as the USA. The first move in reshaping the brand was to introduce a turbocharged model of the standard Bentley 4-door saloon: as a result, the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo was launched in 1982. On the back of this, Peter Ward, marketing director of the company (and later, managing director), wanted to further enhance the distinctive sporting nature of the Bentley brand and move away from a Bentley that was merely a re-badged Rolls-Royce. They appointed designers John Heffernan and Ken Greenley to come up with ideas for a new, distinctive, Bentley coupé. A fibreglass mock up of the design was displayed at the 1985 Geneva Motor Show as Rolls-Royce's "Project 90" concept of a future Bentley coupé. The concept was met with an enthusiastic reception, but the Project 90 design was largely shelved as the company began to work towards a replacement for the Rolls-Royce Corniche. During this process, Graham Hull, chief designer in house at Rolls-Royce, suggested to the board of directors that the designs sketched for the Corniche would suit a Bentley coupé better. From this point it was decided the Corniche could continue as it was, and efforts would once again be channelled into a new Bentley coupé. In 1986 Graham Hull produced a design rendering of a new Bentley coupé which became the Continental R. Based on the Rolls-Royce SZ platform (which was an evolution of the SY platform), an aerodynamically shaped two-door coupé body had been styled.

John Heffernan and Ken Greenley were officially retained to complete the design of the Continental R. They had run the Automotive Design School at the Royal College of Art and headed up their own consultancy, International Automotive Design (IAD), based in Worthing, Southern England. Greenley and Heffernan liaised constantly throughout the design process with Graham Hull. The interior was entirely the work of Graham Hull and the small in house styling team at Rolls-Royce. The shape of the car was very different from the somewhat slab sided four-door SZ Rolls-Royce and Bentley of the time and offered a much improved coefficient of drag of Cd=0.37. The Continental R also featured roof-cut door frames, a necessity to allow easier access into the car which had a lower roofline than its four-door saloon contemporaries. A subtle spoiler effect was also a feature of the rear. The finished car effectively disguises its huge dimensions (the Continental R is around 4-inch longer than a 2013 long wheelbase Mercedes S Class).

The "Continental" designation recalls the Bentley Continental of the post-war period. The "R" was meant to recall the R Type Bentley models from the 1950s as well as the Turbo R of the 1980s and 90s where the "R" refers to "roadholding".

The revival of the Bentley marque following the introduction of the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo, and then the Continental R, is widely acknowledged[citation needed] to have saved Rolls-Royce Motor cars and formed the groundwork which led to the buyout and parting of the Rolls-Royce and Bentley brands in 1998. Bentley was once again capable of standing alone as a marque in its own right when it was purchased by Volkswagen.

A completed pre-production Continental R (developed under the codename "Nepal") was secretly taken to Switzerland for a surprise launch of the model at the 1991 Geneva Motor Show (It had been expected the car would be launched in 1992). It was driven from behind a wall on the Rolls-Royce stand. Handel's Zadok the Priest music was chosen for the launch of the new model which was originally written for King George II's coronation in 1727. The Sultan of Brunei, impressed by the new model, purchased the show car at the event for a price of over £2 million. The new Mercedes-Benz W140 also launched at the show, was completely upstaged by the launch of the unexpected, vermilion red, new Bentley Coupé due to the largely positive public reception.

Since its launch in 1991, the 6.75 L Garrett-turbocharged V8 engine from the Turbo R was chosen for use in the Continental R. In early cars (produced from 1991 to 1993) power output of 325 hp (242 kW; 330 PS) at 4,000 rpm and peak torque of 610 N⋅m (450 lb⋅ft) at 2,000 rpm was available, although this was always estimated as at that time, Rolls-Royce still had a policy of not supplying official figures, preferring to describe power output simply as "sufficient".

The car used the new 4-speed GM 4L80-E automatic transmission which had been exhaustively tested by Rolls-Royce, over 1,609,344 km (1,000,000 mi), and modified by them to deliver very high levels of refinement. The car featured self-levelling hydraulic suspension (with adaptive ride/Automatic Ride Control) and ventilated disc brakes at the front with twin calipers. Engine management was done via the MK-Motronic digital fuel injection with fully mapped ignition control system. At launch, advertised top speed was 233 km/h (145 mph), along with a 0-97 km/h (60 mph) acceleration time of 6.6 seconds. The Continental R was priced at US$271,780 in 1992 and £178,000 in the UK at its launch.

All cars were equipped with a centre console mounted electronic gear selector (the first time Rolls-Royce had made a car without the autobox selector on the steering column), with a Sport button to simultaneously adjust gearbox mapping and stiffen the suspension for more aggressive driving and handling. For such a large and heavy car, the Continental R was repeatedly acknowledged by road testers and journalists as displaying superb handling characteristics at high speeds.

Prices of the Continental R in the UK rose to £180,120 in the 1994 model year. That year also saw a number of revisions to the engine, including revisions to the cylinder heads courtesy of Cosworth (another company within the Vickers group, alongside Rolls-Royce and Bentley). The alloy wheels were also increased in diameter to 17-inch and were of a completely new 7 spoke design. Power output of the engine was now estimated at 360 hp (268 kW; 365 PS) at 4,000 rpm and peak torque 678 N⋅m (500 lb⋅ft) at 2,000 rpm.

By the 1996 model year, the Continental R was priced at £187,354 in the UK. The year saw some of the most significant changes since the launch of the car, notably the inclusion of the liquid cooled charge cooler as standard, along with an improved Zytek EMS3 engine management system which meant an improvement in throttle response and fuel efficiency along with a digitally controlled turbo over-boost. Power output of the engine was increased as a result, and a change in policy by Rolls-Royce: this was the first time performance figures were officially released by the manufacturer, departing from a long tradition of describing performance as "adequate" or "sufficient". Probably the reason for this is because the figures were very impressive: 385 hp (287 kW; 390 PS) at 4,000 rpm and torque of 750 N⋅m (550 lb⋅ft) starting to be available at only 2,000 rpm, and available up to 4,000 rpm (according to UK brochure). No other production car in the world at the time delivered such levels of torque. This lead British publication Autocar to suggest, when road testing the 1996 Continental R in August 1995, that the gearbox would've been destroyed due to the enormous levels of low down torque available. 0–97 km/h was now officially quoted by Rolls-Royce as "sub 6 seconds" along with a top speed of 249 km/h (155 mph) (according to the UK brochure). The 1996 model year also saw revised 17-inch alloy wheels and steering wheel tilt adjustment for the first time. This was electrically adjustable and so could now be set as part of the seat and wing mirror memory positions. Electronic Traction Assistance System began to appear on the later 1996 model year cars.

In the 1998 model year, the electronic traction assistance system was included as standard and some cosmetic changes were made. Power and torque of the engine remained the same as before, but 0–97 km/h acceleration time was now quoted as "6 seconds". The cosmetic revisions included fitting the same front seats as fitted to the convertible Azure, which were shared with the BMW 8 Series and trimmed by Rolls-Royce, featuring an integrated seat belt. Other revisions included small mesh vents below the headlights, laser-cut mesh radiator grille as standard, revised alloy wheels and minor changes to front and rear bumpers.

Between 1999 and the end of production in 2003, Bentley indulged customers in a variety of special customised cars under their Personal Commission programme with a number of cars fitted with the 420-horsepower (313 kW; 426 PS) engine including the Le Mans, Continental R, Continental R 420 and Millennium. A total of 194 Continental R cars had the 420 engine – some of which were also wide body cars.

The Continental S was a limited-edition performance model introduced in 1994 and 1995 with a liquid cooled charge cooler added. Only thirty seven were produced and offered to established Bentley customers. The late Alan Clark MP was one such owner. This engine had an estimated output of 385 hp (287 kW; 390 PS), and 0–97 km/h acceleration time improved to 6.1 seconds.

The Continental R California Edition was a limited edition of 6 wide body coupés produced in 1998. Other than the California Editions one other wide body car was made in 1998. Number six was fitted with the full-spec Continental T engine that just became available in 1998 with a power output of 420 hp (313 kW; 426 PS) and a maximum torque of 881 N⋅m (650 lb⋅ft). This car was the first Continental R model to be fitted with this engine. The larger dual-caliper brakes were also fitted to number six as well as numerous other features that later were incorporated into the 2000 2003 Continental R420 including push button start, eight gauges, and other unique features. There is speculation there were actually seven, and it is the 7th that had the description above for the “6th” car.

The Continental R Mulliner model range, offered from March 1999, was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show. The Bentley Continental R Mulliner was equipped with the same engine as the Continental T. This engine had a power output of 420 hp (313 kW; 426 PS) and a maximum torque of 881 N⋅m (650 lb⋅ft). The car has an estimated top speed of 274 km/h (170 mph). 0-97 km/h (60 mph) acceleration time dropped to 5.6 seconds. One of the reasons the Continental R Mulliner came into existence, were the customers who wanted the power of the Continental T in the longer wheelbase R. The T was 102 mm (4 in) shorter than the R, fully at the expense of space for the rear passengers.

The limousine version of the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit Mark IV

The Rolls-Royce Phantom V is a large four-door limousine produced by Rolls-Royce Limited from 1959 to 1968. Based on the Silver Cloud II, it shares a V8 engine and General Motors Hydra-Matic automatic gearbox with that model. Rolls-Royce assembled the cars' chassis and drivetrains with bodies made to standard designs by coachbuilders Park Ward and James Young, former vendors absorbed by Rolls-Royce.

The engine is a 6,230 cc 90-degree V8 with twin SU carburettors, coupled to a 4-speed automatic transmission. The car has massive drum brakes and a wheelbase of 3,683 mm. Power assisted steering was standard. A shallow gear gave a walking speed which was suitable for ceremonies. From 1963 onward, the Silver Cloud III's 7% more powerful engine and new front wings (incorporating the latter's quad headlamps) were fitted.

The Corniche, available as coupé or convertible, used the standard Rolls-Royce V8 engine with an aluminium-silicon alloy block and aluminium cylinder heads with cast iron wet cylinder liners. The bore was 4.1 in (104.1 mm) and the stroke was 3.9 in (99.1 mm) for a total of 6.75 L (6,750 cc/411 cuin). Twin SU carburettors were initially fitted but were replaced with a single Solex 4A1 four-barrel carburettor introduced in 1977. De-smogged export models retained the twin SUs until 1980, when Bosch fuel injection was added.

A three-speed automatic transmission (a Turbo Hydramatic 400 sourced from General Motors) was standard. A four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs was augmented with a hydraulic self-levelling system (using the same system as did Citroën, but without pneumatic springs, and with the hydraulic components built under licence by Rolls-Royce), at first on all four, but later on the rear wheels only. Four wheel disc brakes were specified, with ventilated discs added for 1972.

The car originally used a 119.75 in (3,042 mm) wheelbase. This was extended to 120 in (3,048 mm) in 1974 and 120.5 in (3,061 mm) in 1979. The Corniche was different from other Silver Shadows in that it had exclusive half wheel covers with stainless steel trim (for brake cooling), a 3-spoke steering wheel with a wood rim, and Rolls Royce's first standard tachometer.

The Corniche received a mild restyling in the spring of 1977. Difference included rack-and-pinion steering, alloy and rubber bumpers, aluminium radiator, oil cooler and a bi-level air conditioning system was added. Later changes included a modified rear independent suspension in March 1979. In March 1981, after the Silver Spirit had gone on sale, the fixed-roof version of the Corniche and its Bentley sister were discontinued. For 1985 there were also cosmetic and interior changes.

Corniche models received Bosch KE/K-Jetronic fuel injection in 1977. This engine, called the L410I, produced approximately 240 PS (177 kW; 237 hp) at just above 4,000 rpm for a top speed of 190 km/h (118 mph).

The Bentley version was updated in July 1984 with a new name, the Continental, revised and color-coded bumpers, rear view mirrors, a new dash and improvements to the seats.

Production totalled 1090 Rolls-Royce Corniche Saloons, 3239 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertibles, 69 Bentley Corniche Saloons and 77 Bentley Corniche Convertibles.

The Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn is a full-size luxury car that was produced by Rolls-Royce at their Crewe works between 1949 and 1955. It was the first Rolls-Royce car to be offered with a factory built body which it shared, along with its chassis, with the Bentley Mark VI until 1952 and then the Bentley R Type until production finished in 1955. The car was first introduced as an export only model. The left hand drive manual transmission models had a column gear change, while right hand drives had a floor change by the door. In the British home market the Silver Dawn only became available from October 1953, with the introduction of the model corresponding to the Bentley R Type.

In 1944 W. A. Robotham saw that there would be limited post-war demand for Rolls-Royce or Bentley chassis to be fitted with bodies from specialist coachbuilders, and negotiated a contract with the Pressed Steel Company for a general-purpose body to carry four people in comfort on their postwar rolling chassis, fitted as always with a distinct Rolls-Royce or Bentley radiator. Though he stretched the demand to 2000 per year, Pressed Steel were "nonplussed" by the small demand.

A mere 760 were produced between 1949 and 1955. Silver Dawn Series A-D had bodywork identical to the Mark VI. In 1953, with the "E" series (Chassis Number SKE2), the Silver Dawn body was modified in parallel to the Bentley Mk VI body and a large boot was added. While the Bentley Mk VI was renamed the Bentley R after this change, the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn kept its name. Even with mass produced Standard Steel bodies, all panels forward of the bulkhead/firewall were slightly different for the Rolls-Royce to those fitted to the Bentley.

In 1951 the Silver Dawn was upgraded to the 4 1/2 L engine and the full flow oil filter (Chassis Number LSFC2). In 1953 the high compression cylinder head was fitted from Chassis number SMF66 and from the same chassis number on the Bentley Mk VI type camshaft was fitted to left hand drive vehicles. Earlier models up to circa May 1954 had a different fascia from the Bentley Mk.VI and 'R' Type, and were fitted with a single exhaust system. Later models from the SRH2 chassis series had the Bentley style fascia and the twin exhaust system, as fitted to the Bentley 'R' Type.

The Bentley Mulsanne is a large (performance) luxury saloon produced by Bentley Motors from 1980 until 1992, though derivative models including the Continental T and Azure continued in production into the 2000s.

Contrary to its predecessors, the Bentley Mulsanne was given an actual name instead of a letter, but otherwise started like just another rebadged Rolls-Royce model, this time copied from their Silver Spirit. However, with the launch of the 'Brooklands' version, and the 1982 Mulsanne Turbo – with 50 percent more horsepower – the Mulsanne did start the rebuild of an appealing individual Bentley brand image.

In 1980, the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and the Bentley T-series were replaced by the RR Silver Spirit and, as with prior models, a Bentley-badged equivalent. This time however, it was given a name: the "Mulsanne". This was derived from Bentley's motorsport history, which included five victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1924 and 1930. The 'Mulsanne Straight' is the stretch of Le Mans' race-course where cars reach their highest speeds.

The Mulsanne initially shared the same carburetted 6 3⁄4-litre (6,750 cc; 412 cu in) Rolls-Royce V8 engine with aluminium alloy cylinder heads with the Silver Spirit, carried over from the Silver Shadow II and Bentley T2. In 1982 however, a turbocharged version with much more power and torque was also introduced – for Bentley only – in the Mulsanne Turbo.

From 1986, the two SU carburettors were replaced by Bosch fuel injection on all cars. All Mulsannes use a 3-speed automatic transmission.

The Mulsanne Turbo was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1982 and produced until 1985. A Garrett AiResearch turbocharger provided a 50% increase in engine power – something not seen on a Bentley in half a century. The interior sported the usual highly polished, walnut veneered fascia, blemish-free leather upholstery, and pure wool for the carpets and headlining.

A total of 498 standard wheelbase and 18 long-wheelbase Mulsanne Turbos were built, until they were replaced by the Bentley Turbo R in 1985, which used a fuel injected version of the same 63⁄4 litre V8 engine since 1987.

The Mulsanne S was introduced in 1987. Although this model lacked its turbocharger, many of its other details were similar to the Turbo R, including that car's alloy wheels and interior, and the suspension was firmed up for a more sporting ride. The rectangular headlamps from the 1980s gave way to quad round units for 1989, and the model was produced until 1992.

The Silver Shadow was produced from 1965 to 1976, and the Silver Shadow II from 1977 to 1980. The combined model run was 30,057 cars manufactured; James May reported it in 2014 as the largest production volume of any Rolls-Royce model.

The Silver Shadow was originally intended to be called Rolls-Royce Silver Mist, but was replaced with Silver Shadow at the last minute due to Mist meaning "manure" or "crap" in German. It was designed with several modernisations in response to concerns that the company was falling behind in automotive innovation, most notably in its unitary construction.

Style-wise, the John Polwhele Blatchley design was a major departure from its predecessor, the Silver Cloud. More than 50% of Silver Clouds had been sold on the domestic market where, by the standards of much of Europe and most of North America, roads were narrow and crowded. The new Shadow was 3+1⁄2 inches (8.9 cm) narrower and 7 inches (18 cm) shorter than the Silver Cloud, but nevertheless managed to offer increased passenger and luggage space, thanks to more efficient space utilisation made possible by unitary construction and a full-width, slab-sided body design.

Other new features included disc brakes replacing drums, and independent rear suspension instead of the outdated live rear axle design of previous Rolls-Royce models.

The standard wheelbase Silver Shadow measured 203.5 inches (5,170 mm), 4,700 lb (2,100 kg) and had a book price of £6,557 in the first year of production.

The Shadow featured a 172 hp (128 kW) 6.2 L V8 from 1965 to 1969, and a 189 hp (141 kW) 6.75 L V8 from 1970 to 1980. No official power outputs were stated, but registration authorities in many markets required outputs be listed. Left-hand-drive models were coupled to the recently introduced Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic gearbox sourced from General Motors (GM). Pre-1970, right-hand-drive (RHD) models used a highly modified, aluminium-cased version of the original cast-iron 4-speed Hydra-Matic gearbox that had been built in Crewe under licence from GM since 1953. From 1968, export RHD cars gained the Turbo-Hydramatic 400, and by 1970, the 4-speed unit had been completely phased out even in the home market.

A distinctive feature was a high-pressure hydropneumatic suspension system licensed from Citroën, with dual-circuit braking and hydraulic self-levelling suspension. At first, both the front and rear of the car were controlled by the levelling system; the front levelling was deleted in 1969 as it had been determined that the rear levelling did almost all the work. Rolls-Royce achieved a high degree of ride quality with this arrangement.

In 1977, the model was renamed the Silver Shadow II in recognition of several major changes, most notably rack and pinion steering; modifications to the front suspension improved handling markedly.

Externally, the bumpers were changed from chrome to alloy and rubber starting with the late 1976 Silver Shadows. These new energy-absorbing bumpers had been used in the United States since 1974, as a response to tightening safety standards there. Nonetheless, the bumpers on cars sold outside of North America were still solidly mounted and protruded 2 in (5 cm) less. Also now made standard across the board was the deletion of the small grilles mounted beneath the headlamps.

In 1979, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the company, seventy-five Silver Shadow IIs were specially fitted with the original red "RR" badges front and rear, pewter/silver paint, grey leather with red piping, scarlet red carpets, and a silver commemorative placard on the inside of the glove box door. Thirty-three of these were designated for and shipped to the North American market.

The Silver Spirit was introduced by Rolls-Royce in 1980 as the first of a new generation of company models. It formed the basis for the Flying Spur, Silver Dawn, Touring Limousine, Park Ward, and Bentley Mulsanne/Eight series. The Spirit/Spur carried over the basic design of the Silver Shadow, its 6.75 L L410 V8 engine and GM-sourced THM400 3-speed automatic gearbox, and unitary bodywork manufactured at Pressed Steel, which followed the styling of the Pininfarina designed Camargue.

The Spur/Spirit continued the Silver Shadow's emphasis on ride quality by utilizing its hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension, modified with Girling automatic hydraulic ride height control system and gas-charged shock absorbers. Sealed beam headlamps were fitted in the United States due to longstanding regulations, while European laws allowed for the fitment of more modern composite units.

The Silver Spirit II and Silver Spur II were refinements of the original models, introduced at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show. Suspension design saw the most change, with "Automatic Ride Control" introduced, a fully automatic system that adjusted dampers at all four wheels in real time. Other updates included the adoption of ABS and fuel injection as standard for all models and markets. The last Mark I Silver Spirit/Spur was chassis no KCH27798, with Mark II cars starting with 29001. The fuel injection system was now Bosch's MK-Motronic.

Originally retaining the three-speed Turbo Hydramatic GM400 transmission from earlier Spirits/Spurs, a four-speed unit (the GM 4L80E) was introduced in the winter of 1991.The size of the petrol tank was also increased, up to 107 L (24 imp gal), meaning that the car's range was now in excess of 310 miles (500 km).

Exterior and interior changes were minimal, with a considerably smaller steering wheel and two additional ventilation outlets added to the fascia mildly modernising the look up front.

The Silver Spirit was introduced by Rolls-Royce in 1980 as the first of a new generation of company models. It formed the basis for the Flying Spur, Silver Dawn, Touring Limousine, Park Ward, and Bentley Mulsanne/Eight series. The Spirit/Spur carried over the basic design of the Silver Shadow, its 6.75 L L410 V8 engine and GM-sourced THM400 3-speed automatic gearbox, and unitary bodywork manufactured at Pressed Steel, which followed the styling of the Pininfarina designed Camargue.

The Spur/Spirit continued the Silver Shadow's emphasis on ride quality by utilizing its hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension, modified with Girling automatic hydraulic ride height control system and gas-charged shock absorbers. Sealed beam headlamps were fitted in the United States due to longstanding regulations, while European laws allowed for the fitment of more modern composite units.

The Silver Spur II was a refinements of the original model, introduced at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show. Suspension design saw the most change, with "Automatic Ride Control" introduced, a fully automatic system that adjusted dampers at all four wheels in real time.Other updates included the adoption of ABS and fuel injection as standard for all models and markets. The last Mark I Silver Spirit/Spur was chassis no KCH27798, with Mark II cars starting with 29001. The fuel injection system was now Bosch's MK-Motronic.

Originally retaining the three-speed Turbo Hydramatic GM400 transmission from earlier Spirits/Spurs, a four-speed unit (the GM 4L80E) was introduced in the winter of 1991.The size of the petrol tank was also increased, up to 107 L (24 imp gal), meaning that the car's range was now in excess of 310 miles (500 km).

Exterior and interior changes were minimal, with a considerably smaller steering wheel and two additional ventilation outlets added to the fascia mildly modernising the look up front.

The Bentley T series was available as a four-door saloon and as a long wheelbase four-door saloon. A small number of two-door saloons were built with coachwork by James Young and Mulliner Park Ward and a two-door convertible with coachwork by Mulliner Park Ward was introduced in September 1967. A total of 2,336 examples were produced.

The T series was the first unibodied Bentley, and was totally different from its predecessor the S series. It featured a new steel and aluminium monocoque body with subframes to mount the engine and suspension. While smaller overall, it had more passenger room, particularly in the rear compartment, yet more luggage space. Overall the car was 7 inches (18 cm) shorter, 5 inches (13 cm) lower, 3+1⁄2 inches (9 cm) narrower, and 150 pounds (68 kg) lighter than the S.

Because of being fitted with the traditional round-shouldered "Bentley" style front grille – its sole material styling difference from the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow – it was also somewhat lower at bonnet height, giving it a slightly more assertive look.

The 'T' also featured independent suspension on all four wheels with automatic height control according to loading. Other major improvements included disc brakes on all wheels (with a triplicate hydraulic braking system patented from Citroën that also supplied pressure for the self leveling suspension); new and lighter power steering, improved automatic transmission, eight-way adjustable electric front seats, and a larger fuel tank.

The engine received a redesigned cylinder head that allowed a speed increase to 118 miles per hour (190 km/h).

In October 1966, the T saloon's pretax 'list price' of £5425 was £50 less than the Silver Shadow.

The T was upgraded to the "T2" in 1977, which featured rack and pinion steering, improved air conditioning, rubber-faced bumpers, a new fascia and, for non-federalized cars, a front air dam. Bosch CIS Fuel Injection was introduced for late 1979 and 1980 models for the US and other markets, similarly to the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II.

The Bentley Turbo R is a high-performance automobile which was produced by Bentley Motors Limited from 1985 to 1999. The "R" stood for "roadholding", to set it apart from its predecessor. It initially inherited the turbocharged engine from the Mulsanne Turbo and also sported a retuned suspension and wider tyres on aluminium alloy wheels, a first for a Bentley. From the 1987 model year (20,000 series chassis numbers), however, the Turbo R's V8 engine was retuned with fuel injection for added torque. Motor Trend called the Turbo R "the first Bentley in decades deserving of the famous name" in their review of the car on its introduction to the United States in 1989.

The suspension changes, though seemingly subtle, transformed the soft and less than well-controlled ride of the Mulsanne Turbo into that of a real performer. Development on improving handling had already begun when Mike Dunn was appointed engineering director in Crewe in February 1983, but instead of the proposed ten per cent increase in roll stiffness, he demanded 50%. This goal was met by upping the anti-roll bar rates by 100 per cent in front and 60 per cent in the rear, and by increasing the damping. A panhard rod to anchor the rear sub-frame was also introduced, reducing side-to-side movement in corners.Spring rates remained the same as on the Mulsanne.

Although official figures were never provided by Rolls-Royce, Motor Trend estimated power output at 221 kW (300 PS; 296 hp) with 660 N⋅m (486.8 lb⋅ft) of torque. Priced at US$195,000 in the US market, the Turbo R slotted above the Bentley Mulsanne S and Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit but $39,000 below the Rolls-Royce Silver Spur.

The Turbo R was sold alongside the Mulsanne Turbo for a brief moment, but the Mulsanne was taken out of production in 1985. In October 1986, for the 1987 model year, the Turbo R received anti-lock brakes and new Bosch MK-Motronic fuel injection to replace the Solex carburetors. Other modifications carried out at the same time included new, slimmer sports seats and a higher rear axle ratio. In mid-1988 (MY 1989) changes to the appearance were made, introducing twin round headlamps and a bigger front spoiler. Around the turn of the year between 1991 and 1992, GM's 4L80-E four-speed automatic transmission replaced the long running three-speed Turbo Hydramatic 400 throughout the Bentley/Rolls-Royce lineup, including the Turbo R.

A "New" Turbo R model was introduced in 1993 for the 1994 model year. Changes included Zytek fuel injection and appearance modifications. There was also a special version for the German market, the "Turbo R Sport", which featured the Continental T's sporty alloys and carbon-fibre, rather than walnut, panels inside.

In 1995, the Bentley Turbo S was announced as a strictly limited model, with envisaged production as fewer than 100 units. Effectively a stop-gap model before the introduction of the Bentley Arnage, just 60 units were produced making it the rarest of the Bentley SZ Series of cars, distributed across selected European, Middle Eastern and Asian markets and customers only. The engine termed a Blackpool version used Bosch Motronic fuel injection and digital ignition derived from Formula 1 technology, and with a larger exhaust driven Garrett AirResearch turbocharger with intercooler. It had a power output of 408 hp (304 kW; 414 PS). The Blackpool engine was also fitted to twelve Bentley Continental S, and to three special build Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit S. The car was fitted with a viscous differential, and with both new 255/55WR17 tyres and traction control fitted, permitted a top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h).

In 1996 production of the short wheelbase Turbo R ended, leaving only the model hitherto sold as the Turbo RL - now known simply as the Turbo R. For 1998, the Turbo R was replaced by the sportier yet Turbo RT.

The Bentley Turbo RT was the last and most expensive of the Turbo R line. The Bentley RT came with a 400 bhp (298 kW; 406 PS) version of the 6.75 L V8 engine, as used in the Continental T, which is boosted by a single Garrett AiResearch T04 turbocharger and has a Zytek EMS3 engine management system. This was developed using Formula 1 racing technology, differing from earlier models with the 'Motronic' system. The RT is visually differentiated from other Bentley Turbo R models by its sport wheels, radiator mesh grille and colour-coded bumpers with bright mesh inserts. Performance was sufficient: with a top speed limited to 150 mph (241 km/h), the ultra-luxurious Turbo RT was as fast as the sporting German luxury saloons of the time.The car's base price was US$211,600, or roughly US$65,000 more than the Turbo R.

The Turbo RT was produced during 1997 and 1998 only, with 252 units produced. It was essentially a "runout special", an effort to sell off the last SZ-style bodies before the introduction of the Arnage. A few even rarer editions of the RT were made:

The Bentley Turbo RT Olympian: in 1998, London dealer Jack Barclay agreed to have a small number of cars built to incorporate many special features. These are probably the rarest version of the RT - although not officially recognised as such, therefore the RT Mulliner commands a much higher premium. These were sold as the Bentley Turbo RT Olympian. They can be identified by the five-spoke alloy wheels (borrowed from the 'Mulliner' version) and the "Olympian" boot badge. It is estimated that only four examples of this version were ever built.

The Bentley Turbo RT Mulliner: The Mulliner version, available only by special order for the 1998 model year, was even more exclusive and expensive. It boasts a 420 bhp (313 kW; 426 PS) engine with a torque output of 634 lbft (861 Nm): this was achieved by developing a new compressor for the turbocharger, remapping the engine management system, and modifying the air intake system. Visually, Mulliners have more aerodynamic, rounded bumpers with prominent venting and often foglamps, as well as flared wings to accommodate the wider track and larger 18-inch alloy wheels, sitting on low-profile 255/55 tyres. Each car was built to individual specifications, with many sporting side and bonnet vents and also the smaller Mulliner rear windscreen. One popular feature in Mulliners is a prominent speedometer for the rear passengers.

Just 56 Mulliner editions were built (all in 1998), of which 17 are right-hand drive. Seven of the Mulliner editions built are to standard wheelbase specifications, and 49 are on the lengthened wheelbase.

The Silver Wraith was the first post-war Rolls-Royce. It was made from 1946 to 1958 as only a chassis at the company's Crewe factory, its former Merlin engine plant, alongside the shorter Bentley Mark VI. The Bentley was also available as a chassis for coachbuilders, but for the first time could be bought with a Rolls-Royce built Standard Steel body. The use of the name "wraith" coincided with the established tradition of naming models after "ghosts".

It was announced by Rolls-Royce in April 1946 as the 25/30 hp replacement for the 1939 Wraith in what had been their 20 hp and 20/25 hp market sector, that is to say Rolls-Royce's smaller car. The size was chosen to be in keeping with the mood of post-war austerity. Even very limited production of the chassis of the larger car, the Phantom IV, was not resumed until 1950 and then, officially, only for Heads of State.

Improvements announced were: chromium-plated cylinder bores for the engine; a new more rigid chassis frame to go with new independent front suspension; and a new synchromesh gearbox. Chassis lubrication was now centralised.

The straight six-cylinder postwar engine, which had been briefly made for the aborted by war Bentley Mark V, replaced conventional overhead valve gear with an F-head configuration of overhead inlet valves and side exhaust valves and reshaped combustion chambers. There were new main and big-end bearings and a more efficient drive to the timing gear. To this prewar mix Rolls-Royce added chromed bores. Initially, this engine retained the Mark V's capacity of 4,257 cc (259.8 cu in) increased from 1951 to 4,566 cc (278.6 cu in) and in 1955, after the introduction of the (standard wheelbase) Silver Cloud, to 4,887 cc (298.2 cu in) for the remaining Silver Wraiths.

The first cars had an entirely new 127 inch (3226 mm) wheelbase chassis which differed considerably from that of the pre-war Wraith and was much nearer rigid. It matched the new Bentley chassis but with an extra 7 inch section added to the centre. The new chassis had coil sprung independent front suspension, which required a very rigid chassis to function properly, and at the rear conventional semi-elliptic springs and live axle. The braking system was a hydro-mechanical hybrid of hydraulic fronts and mechanical rears using the mechanical servo similar to that of the pre-war cars.

The last short-wheelbase cars were delivered in November 1953. The long, 133 inch (3378 mm), wheelbase chassis was announced in 1951 and the first delivered in January 1952. 639 were made by the time of the last deliveries in October 1958.

This was not quite the last Rolls-Royce model to be supplied as a rolling chassis ready for a wide variety of bespoke coachwork designed and made by a rapidly declining number of specialist coachbuilders. Most of the bodies selected used "formal" limousine designs.

From 1949 until 1955 customers wishing to buy a Rolls-Royce fitted with a much smaller standard steel body could purchase the Silver Dawn. It rode on a chassis seven inches shorter than the Silver Wraith, and was almost identical to Rolls-Royce's Bentley Standard Steel saloon available alongside the Silver Wraith since July 1946.

Initially only a four-speed manual gearbox was offered, but this was supplemented by a General Motors Hydramatic automatic option from 1952.