Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver July - August 2021

We had lots of very positive comments on social media after our last issue’s return to a 100-page format, so thank you to everyone who took the trouble to get in touch. The even better news this time, however, is that not only are we improving the quality of our paper with immediate effect, the issue you’re holding right now is a 132-page special – and it’s packed with some amazing cars and plenty of top advice. Whether you’re in the market for your first Rolls-Royce or Bentley, or you’re thinking of increasing the size of your existing fleet, I hope this special issue provides you with plenty of help and ideas. We’ve highlighted the models that we think are the best buys right now, and we’ve talked to experts in…

Bentley will be back at the formidable Pikes Peak International Hillclimb for the third and final time in June in pursuit of a ‘triple crown’ of course records. Having set a record time for an SUV in 2018 with its Bentayga, plus the production car record the following year with its Continental GT, the company returns to the Colorado course hoping to achieve the Time Attack 1 record for modified production-based vehicles. The racer tasked with the challenge is an upgraded version of the GT3-spec Continental GT, driven once again by drifting champion Rhys Millen, who is aiming to cover the 12.42-mile, 156-corner course in less than nine minutes and 36 seconds – 42 seconds quicker than his 2019 time. The Continental GT3 Pikes Peak – run in partnership with customer race…

CLASSIC ROAD TRIPS Fresh to the market is The Curved Road, a 168-page softback title by classic car owner and enthusiast Peter Simpson, packed with great ideas for enjoyable road trips, many of them well away from the usual tourist trails. Whether you’re planning a day out or a week on the road, you’ll find inspiration within these pages, covering vast swathes of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, as well as the Isle of Man. Complementing the description of each destination is a step-by-step guide to the best route to take, listing road numbers as well as points of interest. There’s full-colour photography throughout, mostly featuring the author’s Jaguar Mk2, complemented by unique hand-drawn watercolour maps that really add to the book’s aesthetic appeal. This high-quality book is well worth its £19.95 cover…

Bentleys and Brooklands… the two just seem to go together so well. The 1907 home of British motorsport (and aviation) will forever be associated with the marque, as well as the ‘Bentley Boys’ who raced their magnificent machines at the banked Surrey track. So when Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver got together with Chris Chambers to sample his absolutely sensational 1976 Bentley Corniche Series IA, Brooklands just seemed the natural choice for our photo shoot. Yes, that’s the old aerodrome control tower you can see in the background of some of our shots. London-based companies director Chris has become a bit of a ‘Bentley Boy’ himself since acquiring his Corniche in 2012; purchasing, driving and rebuilding it ultimately inspired him to buy three other classic examples, which he’s now in the process…

LAST OF THE LINE If you like the idea of owning a late-model example of the Bentley S3 ‘Standard Steel’ saloon, this particular survivor (chassis number B124GJ) looks a tempting proposition at £45,000. Described by The Real Car Co as a “very appealing, smart, correct and sound example in just the right condition to use and enjoy”, the car is said to offer excellent paintwork in the original shade of Dawn Blue, complemented by high-quality chrome plating. The original blue and grey leather interior is also well-presented (with no splits or tears), as well as offering excellent headlining, carpets and woodwork. A particularly interesting factory-fitted feature is a fold-flat rear seat, documented in the original sales details and specified by the first owner to accommodate his salmon fishing gear. Even today, this…

Send an email to rrb.ed@kelsey.co.uk or write to: The Editor, Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL CHASING PHOTOS My Rolls-Royce Silver Spur II was a display car at the 1991 Geneva Motor Show, where the Bentley Continental R was officially launched. I wonder if anyone might have access to photographs of the Rolls-Royce/Bentley stand showing my car on display? I have already managed to get the attached, showing my Silver Spur in the background. Can anyone help with any others? Georges Kiener Via email If any readers can help Georges with photographs from the ‘91 Geneva show, please send them to rrb.ed@kelsey.co.uk and we’ll be sure to pass them on – Ed. PROJECT PROGRESS Reading all about Nigel Sandell’s 1979 Silver Shadow II in the May/June…