Bentley Val D'Isere by Jankel

A significant contributor to Bentley Spotting Andy was doing a spot of shopping yesterday at Harrods, and take a look at what was parked out the front.

The perfect shopping car, a Bentley Val D'Isere by coachbuilder Jankel.



A beautifully proportioned station wagon or shooting brake with lots of interior space for purchases.

This design sketch shows the spot on proportions.



And a little more inforamtion about the car from the Jankel brochure.



More more pictures of a black Val D'Isere, a yellow Val D'Isere and even a pink Val D'Isere take a look at a previous posts here.

Bentley Driving

Bentley Motors have a programme called Bentley Driving.



Let the video explain.

Power slide the Azure - go on!



More at www.bentleydriving.com

Fancy Cup Holders

Lets have a detailed look at a Bentley interior.

Why not the Bentley with the largest interior available?

Why not! The Bentley Arnage RL 728. Or Arnage Limousine.





It is called the Bentley Arnage RL 728 as it is extended 728cm compared to the standard Arnage R.

From this angle you can see the Hooper style small rear window, the rear sun roof and the additional centre section that is added as part of the lengthening process by Premier Sheet Metal the Bentley coachbuilder.

With all that space, the rear interior has quite a formal, if not romantic cabin like atmosphere about it.



On looking through the door, this cabin like atmosphere become very apparent. It could even be classed as a suite!

With all the cupboard and compartments closed, there is probably enough room for a half court game of table tennis on that centre console.

I wonder which compartment houses the racquets?



Between the seats is of course the refrigerator.

For those who care it is Champagne Jacquart. No racquets there, only a lovely fold down leather table, with quite a handy side out flute holder. Nice.

The ash tray and phone cupboard are in the compartments under the fold down table.



Further down the console there is the circular pop up Scotch cabinet that includes tumblers. Why not!

And take a look at those pop out compartments that hold the wine glasses. Lovely, quite fancy cup holders.



Between the Scotch Cabinet and the cigar humidor there is quaint glass table. That's for snorting drugs off after you have consumed all the alcohol.

Oh, the cigar humidor holds eight, which is hopefully enough cigars for any trip.



Now the last photo shows all the compartments open. Click to enlarge and you will notice the open ash tray and phone cupboard, as well as then cupboard above the cigar humidor. This holds the stereo and DVD player for the large television in the cabins division.

Also in this image, the foot rests, come occasional seats are down in position. It is quite a good use of functional space.

You would only use the occasional seats well, occasionally, unless of course you like to look someone special close in the eyes. That's when you put your feet up so they can give you a foot massage. After you have had some scotch, that was preceded by some Champagne. And you have drunk all the alcohol.

I hope you have a nice trip.



Just make sure the division is up if you get busy. Or are having a game of table tennis.

Rounded Headlights.

This is it!

This is the photograph of the first styling mock up and introduction of round headlamps to the Bentley Turbo R.

It looks like paper cut outs were involved!

Taken in Crewe, the styling was done by Graham Hull.

Initially there was discussion of 5 ¾ inch lamps, but the 7 inch lamps were decided upon.



These lamps then heavily influenced the design of the Continental R.

Rusty Wraith II Down Under

Philippe Corgié from France send in this interesting picture.

It was taken in January 2009 in Melbourne, Australia and it looks like it is bloody hot mate!

It looks like a stinking hot scorcher of a day during Summer in Australia. Probably nearly 50 degrees.



It is a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II. You can tell by the angular pressing of the bonnet that it is not a Bentley, the rubber bumpers indicate that it is a mark II, and the extra 4" in the rear door means it is a long wheel base car, hence the Silver Wraith II.

It does seem very hard done by. I'm quite sure it will not see the road again.

And yes let's do some spotting from space.

Here is the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II from space with the rusty roof. Try saying that a few times after a couple of beers.

Agrandir le plan

Thanks Philippe for sending in the picture, and giving the location. It's at Andy's Autos, in Broadmeadows, Victoria, Australia.

Bentley Turbo RT Mulliner in Red

We have seen a beautiful British Racing Green Bentley Turbo RT Mulliner before here, and here, and also an all white one, and now it's time for a red one.



In Carmine Red to be exact. It is a 1998 model with 39745 kms on the clock.



It has a nice wooden, not turned aluminium as was an option dashboard. Other options can be seen in the renderings of the Bentley Turbo RT Mulliner done by Darren Day the styling engineer.



Now have look where it is housed! It is a beautiful garage! The painting are very nice, and so it the late model Corniche/Continental next to it.



From the front it has all the options you want. Bonnet vents, side vents, and colour coding.



It is a beautiful car being only on of 55/56 ever made.

This car is currently for sale in Calgary, Canada of $60,000.00 here.

Bentley LeMansory on the Street

This is one of 24 Bentley LE MANSory widebody cars by Mansory.

It has UAE plates from Abu Dhabi.

Bentley Mulsanne L

After writing about a Bentley Mulsanne L first the first time when reader Rick from California send in photos of his Bentley Mulsanne L another reader Andy sent in a great advertisement for another.



The ad was placed about a decade ago. One of only the 4 Bentley Mulsanne L cars made in 1981.

Send them in if you want your Bentley Mulsanne L posted!

Spotting Hoopers in the 80's

I think I can quite confidently say that this is the largest gallery of Hooper and Co. modified cars from the 1980's.

To get Hooper and Co. to coachbuild a car cost extraordinary amounts of money, and they were quite rare.

Here are a collection of Hooper & Co. cars that have been sent in by readers where the photos were taken in the 1980's.



Ohh, a Long Wheel Base Bentley Mulsanne L with very distinct Hooper & Co. wire wheels, colour matched bumper bars, and lots of extra chrome. Plus a gold mascot. I'm sure the interior will be quite unique.



A drop head with Hooper & Co, wire wheels, and a chrome strip guard down the sills.



A lovely two tone Silver Spur. The specially painted hub caps to look good!



Take a look at this powerful Bentley. Body kit all round, in brown.



Another Bentley Mulsanne, the guy does look a little Maxwell Smart!



Take a look at this special Hooper & Co. Rolls-Royce Carmargue. Special front spoiler, painted hub caps, and vinyl roof.



Again the two-tone Silver Spur. Now with a different number plate.



It sports the signature Hooper & Co. rear window. Small, private and very discreet.



A big thank you to Andy and David for sending the Hooper & Co. cars in. If more readers have photographs please do send them in.

Rolls-Royce in The Daily Telegraph April 1980

Take a look at these advertisement!

Full page Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow advertisements in The Daily Telegraph.

Tuesday 15 April 1980. "Living A Long Time In It"



Wednesday 16 April 1980. "The Working Man's Car"



Thursday 17 April 1980. "Start Collecting Them Now"



Friday 18 April 1980. "We're Written Off The Car And It's Running Better Than Ever"



From the famous scrap books of David Irvine. They are a little hard to read but worth it!

Bentley Mulsanne Drop Head Coupe Render

Theophilus Chin from Singapore who described himself as an Automotive manipulator have come up with these renderings.



Yes, it is Theo's interpretation of a possible, and highly likely future Bentley, a Bentley Mulsanne Drop Head Coupe.



He has been a little cheeky and raised the secondary front lamps up, but I do prefer the Bentley's 'A' lamp configuration, as per the 'S' Series Bentleys and the R-Types.



It certainly does look very realistic, and pretty much definitely a future Bentley.



Thanks to Theophilus Chin for the photoshopping.

Doha Junk Yard

Last month Christopher who currently lives in Dubai send in some quite interesting photos of some sandy cars rotting here.

A reader of the Jalopnik car blog send in some pictures from another junk yard.

This time in Doha, Qatar.



Significant fire damage is in order.



But the engine is looks ok, so I am blaming cigarettes.



Or maybe a cigar.

Via (Jalopnik)

Final Testing at Crewe

Lets take a peek inside Crewe.

In the early 1980's.



This is the area where the 'finals' were carried out.

Yes the final testing before the arrived at your door.



I'm pretty sure they have painted the floor of the factory since then.



If others have period photos, please do send them in.

Goodwood Phantom Construction Video

Discovery Channel have a look inside the Goodwood factory as they construct a Rolls-Royce Phantom in a show called "How it's made".

An interesting look. There is another show called Ultimate Factories on Discovery where a whole episode was dedicated to Goodwood. I'll try and find it on the internet to post.

Paris Has Chrome Wheels

I was like shopping and there was like this really cute pink surf board and I like like surfers you know their bodies are like hot and stuff, so like I so went and just bought it because it was pink and all, but then like I so did know what to do, because that day I drove with the GT not the GTC and it was annoying because the paps were all over the place taking photos and stuff but it was ok because I looked hot because I was so wearing a leapard skin print one piece with cut outs down the sides and stella heels with matching headband and major sunglasses but then I had to carry this pink surfboard or yeah I also tinkierbell my puppy so I bought him along as well and then this pink surfboard yeah, it was so like kind of hard to shove it in the GT because or the the front seat was in the way but like really what I did was just give it a bit of a knee then it slid in.

A picture tells a thousand words.



Last Christmas Paris Hilton got a pink Bentley here.


Via here.

Spirit Bodies

Here are some Spirit bodies. Also used for Mulsannes and derivatives as well. Including others. My guess is that the year was 1980.



If you look closely there is a Silver Shadow/T body on the top left stack, a Silver Wraith on the top centre, and a Carmargue body second down on the right stack. Make that Silver Shadow/T bodies on the bottom right and left as well!

Thank you to Pressed Steel Company Limited for well, pressing the steel!

The Bentleys of Pebble Beach

Jay Leno shows us around the Pebble Beach Bentley display to have a look at all the W.O.'s.

There were indeed a few Aussies there. Nice one boys.

Exploded Shadow

Diagrammatically that is.

Click on image the enlarge to show all the details!



And there are certainly a number of details involved!

Swap over the grill, change the bonnet to a more rounder one and switch the badges and you have yourself a Bentley T.

Barrie's Bentley called Ben

Take a look at Barrie's Bentley. The photo is just amazing. His is on the right, the Bentley S1 or S2 Continental Flying Spur.



It looks like a period photo from the 1960's, but it is not!

You can really tell the evolution of the current Bentley Continental coupe and the Bentley Continental Flying Spur. They are pretty much that same as these S series.



And now from the front seat. Yes, the photos are from today.

Have a look at the reflections on Ben's bonnet. It is a great shot! (click to enlarge)



Now a rare look at the interior of an S series Continental Flying Spur.



That arm rest looks significant.



That strap will come in handy at pace. There are certainly no seat belts in sight.



The wood work is quite impressive.



The car certainly does have presence. I want one!



I am not quite sure how many Flying Spurs H.J.Mulliner made, but do send in figures if you know.

Thanks Barrie for sharing your car with us.