Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver January - February 2022

It is an anomaly of magazine publishing that although this issue of Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver carries a Jan/Feb 2022 cover date, it actually goes on sale in early December... which makes it an ideal time to look back on what’s been a mixed year for most of us. Here in the UK, we started 2021 enduring the latest pandemic-related lockdown, after which we saw a gradual reopening of society and a return to some kind of normality. Everyone in the world of classic vehicles was inevitably affected, with yet more shows and rallies being cancelled early on in the season – something we’d already had to get used to in 2020. By mid-summer, however, things began to change and we were able to enjoy a busy but short season of…

HYBRID CHALLENGE Using only energy from waste straw and the power of the planet, an engineering prototype Flying Spur Hybrid has completed a dramatic test as part of the car’s sign-off and Bentley’s development of renewable fuels. The Flying Spur Hybrid covered the 455 miles required to drive across Iceland in a single stint and entirely on renewable power, through a combination of 100% second-generation biofuel and geothermally-sourced electricity available from the Icelandic power grid. Bentley claims the journey is validation of both the grand touring range of its latest hybrid model as well as its research into biofuels that can be used without engine modification. The fuel used conforms to the same EN228 standard as regular petrol but is created entirely from waste biomass (such as straw) at no cost to…

“In adult life, Gavin’s ambition to one day have a Rolls-Royce of his own remained, but for many years it wasn’t a practical proposition” When we hear someone talk about how they developed a love of cars at a very young age, it often brings back memories of our own childhood. Car-spotting as a youngster is something most of us can relate to, an activity that can often influence our choices in later life. And for Gavin Hughes, growing up near London in the 1980s meant one thing: there was rarely a shortage of Rolls-Royces for him to admire, with England’s capital being the place you were most likely to see a secondhand Silver Shadow, a classic Silver Cloud or a brand new Silver Spirit at that time. “I had regular trips…

Although both versions of the Corniche – the fixed-head coupé (FHC) and convertible – arrived in 1971, they were little more than mildly updated versions of the previous Silver Shadow two-door by Mulliner Park Ward. The modifications were useful, however, with the famous V8 engine now boasting 10% more power, while the interior was reworked with some extra wood, a rev counter and new-style centre console. The radiator grille was made deeper and new wheel trims were fitted, which also aided brake cooling. The upgrades continued throughout the Corniche’s career. In 1977, for example, the bulkier (and arguably less attractive) shock-absorbing bumpers of the Silver Shadow II were adopted, along with the same front air dam, slightly flared wheel arches, rack-and-pinion steering and enhanced suspension. Then during 1979 the rear suspension…

HANDSOME HOOPER If you fancy a touch of pre-war glamour in your life, this 1933 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Sports Saloon by Hooper – a car that’s recently had £100,000-plus spent on it, as well as benefiting from a fully detailed engine rebuild – could be yours for a sensible-sounding £68,000. Chassis number GLZ60 is an early 20/25 with elegant four-door coachwork, its yellow and black colour scheme adding further to its head-turning looks. The green hide interior with matching green carpets is said to be in fine shape, as is the large sunroof that works well and slides easily open. The Macassar Ebony interior woodwork is particularly unusual and in lovely condition. The Rolls-Royce is described as being in exceptional running order, coming with over £100,000 worth of mechanical rebuild invoices for work completed…

You might think it takes a very special machine to tempt a self-confessed enthusiast of Italian sporting cars out of his charismatic Maserati and into a Crewe-built coupé. And indeed, the Supersports version of the first-generation Continental GT is special, aided by its headline-grabbing 621bhp output and a top speed just a fraction of a second off 205mph. For Hertfordshire-based Mark Finnegan, however, his choice of modern classic just over two years ago had as much to do with its number of cylinders as anything else: “I want to make sure I’ve owned cars with just about every cylinder combination there is,” explains Mark, “and up until 2019 I’d not owned anything with twelve cylinders. I briefly considered a Jaguar XJ-S V12 before suddenly hitting on the idea of a…