Preview of Spotting Prince Bahar of Brunei's Yellow Coachbuilt Bentleys

His Royal Highness Prince Bahar of Brunei had the worlds most amazing Yellow Car Collection. 

When he was 14.

Here is a preview of Spotting Bentleys in the Yellow Room of Brunei.

11 Bentleys are in the yellow room. 

• 2x Bentley Continental R
• 1x Bentley Continental R Convertible by Pininfarina (coachbuilt Continental R, pre-Azure)
• 1x Bentley Dominator (Off Road Bentley based on a Range Rover 4.6 HSE Supercharged)
• 1x Bentley Spectre (coachbuilt Continental R Convertible by Pininfarina)
• 1x Bentley Imperial (coachbuilt Continental R)
• 1x Bentley Continental R 4-door Saloon LWB (coachbuilt Continental R)
• 1x Bentley B3 by Pininfarina (coachbuilt Continental R)
• 1x Bentley B2 by Pininfarina (coachbuilt Continental R)
• 1x Monte Carlo (coachbuilt Continental R)
• 1x Bentley Dominator - in black, not yellow!

Here is a preview of 5 coachbuilt Bentley Cars of Prince Bahar of Brunei.

More to come, including a complete map of all the cars in HRH Prince Bahar's Yellow Car Room.

The Versatility of 1994 Bentley Silverstone Roof

The P150 Bentley Silverstone is an interesting, versatile car.

Project 150 or P150 was the Crewe Project code for the Bentley Silverstone. The customer was Blackpool which is the codename for the Royal Family of Brunei.

The Bentley Silverstone was designed by Hawtal Whiting and built by ASC, American Sunroof Corporation from Detroit, who subcontracted Metalcrafters in California to do most of the work.

It is a coachbuilt car based on the Bentley Continental R SZ chassis, with an upgraded twin turbo engine.

An initial order of 6 Bentley Silverstone cars was secured for 1994, then a further 2 were build as an additional order in 1995.

Here are the details of each car built.

Marque	Model	Numberplate	Year	VIN	Exterior	Interior	Garage Pics
Bentley	Silverstone	KF8877	1994	SCBZH04A0RCH00301	Black	Black	Yes
Bentley	Silverstone	BN19	1994	SCBZH04A2RCH00302	Green	Green	Outside
Bentley	Silverstone	BN5995	1994	SCBZH04A4RCH00303	Green	Green	Yes
Bentley	Silverstone	BQ9989	1994	SCBZM04A6RCH00304	Silver	Black	Yes
Bentley	Silverstone	Unknown	1994	SCBZH04A8RCH00305	Charcoal	Black?	Metalcrafters
Bentley	Silverstone	BN68	1994	SCBZH04AXRCH00306	Red	Red	Yes
Bentley	Silverstone	KF8809	1995	SCBZH04C3SCH00476	Black	Black	Yes
Bentley	Silverstone	BN368	1995	SCBZH04C5SCH00477	Yellow	Red	Yes

What has not been spoken much about the car is just how versatile this car is. 

Essentially it is 3 cars in one.

• It is a Coupe, like the Bentley Continental R
• It is a Convertible, like the Bentley Azure
• It is a Targa, like the Bentley Continental SC.

This car was in 1994, so it pre-dates the 1995 Bentley Azure, which is a Continental R Convertible, and pre-dates the 1999 Continental SC, which is a Continental R Targa or Sedanca Coupe.

• The Bentley Silverstone has a hard top convertible roof - the Bentley Azure only a fabric soft top convertible roof
• The Bentley Silverstone has a fully automatic single section Targa roof - the Bentley Continental SC only has a manual two section hard top roof 

Let's check a close up of this special converting roof.

Notice the two sections of the hard top - a centre section panel, and a second rear section of the roof.

Now lets look from the rear of the car.

Notice that it does not have a traditional cut line for an opening boot or trunk.

It is quite a large boot, and yes there are two Bentley Silverstone cars next to each other.

It's quite large, as this boot is for the roof, and not for luggage.

This is how the 3 position Coupe, Targa and Convertible roof works.

The boot opens in the opposite direction than expected and is rear hinged. 

The rear window section has it's individual retracting mechanism to stow it in the boot.

The centre targa roof section also has it's individual retracting mechanism to stow is in the boor under the rear window section.

It's pretty cool how complicated and fully automatic this roof mechanism is on the Bentley Silverstone.

Here is how the car looks at a Targa or SC.

I like it. It's a Bentley Continental SC before the Conti SC existed. 

Here is how the car looks as a convertible.

It is quite special that this is a fully automatic hardtop convertible.

Now a top down look at the Bentley Silverstone in convertible mode.

There is no fabric roof to be seen here.

So how do you control this roof mechanism? 

Well first jump into the interior.

In the centre console next to the gear selector there are the roof controls. 

There are two control switches each with two positions.

The top switch allows for the selection of Coupe or Targa.

The bottom switch allows for the selection of Coupe of Convertible.

The Bentley Silverstone is such a versatile car due to it's 3 position fully automatic hard top convertible, targa or coupe roof.

What is interesting this that one of the cars has a different interior design. 

Here is SCBZH04A4RCH00303, where this photo was taken in 2001 in Garage 1 Upper Level in Brunei.

This car is the one with a different interior.

It has different seats, steering wheel, different dashboard and a redesigned centre console. 

The seat adjustments and seat memory functions are re-located to the door panel from the centre console.

However the roof function buttons of either a "Coupe or Targa" - or a "Coupe or Convertible" are located next to the gear selector as per the other cars.

This is actually the interior design of that of the Bentley B3 by Pininfarina.

Here are the two variations of switches side by side.

I just wanted to include this photo - as it actually shows 5 different Bentley Silverstone cars all in the one picture. 5 of the 8 cars made. Nice.

The graphic below includes the cars 2001 Location in Garage 1 Upper Level in Jerudong, Brunei, the Colour, Number Plate and VIN.

Garage 1 Upper Level in Jerudong, Brunei was actually at the back of HRH Prince Hakeem's Palace, though he no longer resides there.  

For more photos and information on the Bentley Silverstone check out more here.

And a special thank you to Hans Porrio for the photo from Schiphol Airport of the roof mechanism in action. This was taken when the car was on it's way to Brunei.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drop Head Coupe by Pininfarina

Coachbuilding is great because it makes dreams become reality.

You get exactly what you want. Even if others don't like it.

So you have a Savile Row bespoke suit and a Jermyn Street tailored shirt do you? Maybe some cobbled shoes from John Lobb? So do a lot of others.

Did you get a new Bentley last year? Nice one. A GT yeah? Did you get the Speed?

You know that 10,120 Bentley cars were delivered in 2013. Compare that to an average of 342 Bentley Turbo R cars per year when they were made. But don't worry, one in four cars sold above €150,000 was a Bentley in 2013.

But want true exclusivity?

Check out this South African gentleman's bespoke car.

Here you go, exactly what he wanted. Sharks gills and all.

Capetown eat your heart out. J'berg whatever. World, he's doing what he wants. Because he can.



It's designed by Pininfarina and is based on a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drop Head Coupe.

I'm not sure if it has a bespoke name, but it probably does.



Good on him for building his dream.

Just check out those coachlines. And the two tone.



I am such a fan that this car exists. Top marks to the gentleman who commissioned it. Well done.



But don't fret - Bentley Mulliner will still build whatever you desire as a special project.

Go on - order something amazing and send in the pictures!

The 1998 Bentley Project Bali

In 1998 the styling department of Rolls-Royce and Bentley in Crewe would have been quite used to designing special projects, being bespoke coachbuilt commissions of individual designs.

That's because the Royal Family of Brunei had commissioned an extensive number of special projects over the past five or so years. But as the Asian financial crisis hit, the special projects from Brunei dried up.

But the ideas did not dry up.

There is a design sketch of the Bentley Project Bali from 1998 by head designer Graham Hull.



It was an envisagement of a new Bentley 2 door coupe.

It certainly has early hues of modern Bentley motor cars.

Rolls-Royce & Bentley Day 2010

Just stumbled across video of the 2010 Rolls-Royce & Bentley Owners Club Japan's annual Rolls-Royce & Bentley Day at the historic Red Brick warehouses in Yokohama.



Otherwise known as ロールス・ロイス＆ベントレーDAY2010.



Always is a good turnout.



This year's summary is here.

Rolls-Royce Silver Spur Turbo R by Hooper

It's always so hard when you want both and you have to make a decision. First world.

Do I want a Rolls-Royce or do I want a Bentley?

I really like how the Turbo R drives and it's power, but I like the look of the Rolls-Royce.

I can't make up my mind. I want both. Please. Thank-you.

This indecision would have cost a pretty penny. And would have been fun.

That's right, this is a special commission Rolls-Royce Silver Spur Turbo R by Hooper.



It's a Bentley Turbo R chassis and engine with all Rolls-Royce Silver Spur trim.

With Hooper additions of course like the small rear window and those chrome sills with colour coded bumpers.



How cool are the badges.

It's a Hooper Silver Spur Turbo R.



I really like how the 'R' is red, as it should be. That's detail.



It's currently for sale. Here is the dealer's video explaining more.



Buy it for £19,950 here.

I like how Hooper resolved the Bentley logos on the dials. Just paint over them.



Special car.

Here's around 1000 photos of Hooper cars.

Bentley T 2-door Saloon by James Young

This is a real treat. Chassis number CBH1342.

Yes, this is the very first Bentley T 2-door saloon made by coachbuilder James Young.



It's just great. It's the exact one in all the books. The reference for this Bentley.

Yep, it's rare, only 15 were ever made.

It also signaled the end of an era, where it highlighted the challenges of coachbuilding with a monocoque chassis.



The car is, and has been in Melbourne, Australia for quite some time.

The owner John was keen to get his hands on it, and took quite a few years to finally buy it, and has had it for the past 12 or so years.



It was bought complete with blown cylinder heads, dodgy brakes, un-cooperative gearbox, dead suspension and various other maladies, which have all been rectified to top notch condition.



John's most epic drive in it was with his son, Adam on the Bentley Drivers Club 2005 down under trip.

Here it is chasing a Le Mans W.O Bentley down the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.



The idea was to start in Perth with your rear wheels in the Indian Ocean then end up in Terrigal with front wheels in the Pacific and party as much as possible in between.



That would surely have been challenging and enduring!

90 miles of straight road please.



Thanks John for sending in the photos, most appreciated.

Bentley T James Young 2 door

Check out this barn find Bentley full of moss.

Look closely at it.



Have you noticed it yet? Yeah, it's modern coachbuilding.

That's right, the car is a Bentley T 2 door saloon by James Young Ltd.



The long doors are a dead give away.



The name plate is in order. The story goes that Jack Barclay encouraged James Young to continue coach building even though the cars had become monocoque.



Those rear seats are certainly a rare spot to be in.



Number SY28. Nice.



From the front.



Now the back.



Have you been thinking, why on earth is there so much moss on the car?

Check it out.



Well durr, of course the previously owner used it in his flower display at the Hampton Court Flower show.

It was his first flower show showing, and he won best in show!



Lets put the Bentley on a stick and have flowers grow out of it.



Good idea mate. Yeah, do it to a super rare coachbuild car, it will not annoy anyone at all.



It seems that these James Young 2 door cars have hard lives. 35 Rolls-Royce versions were built and 15 Bentley versions.

Another one was found in a barn after Hurricane Katrina here. A worse for ware one has been spotted in California here and one has even ended up in the bottom of the ocean as a dive feature here.

It is for sale on ebay here.

Bentley Turbo R 2 door by Hooper & Co.

Here is another example of a Bentley Turbo R 2 door by Hooper & Co from the archives.



I do like the Hooper sports steering wheel.



Here are just the photos.



I do like the rear window.



Notice the wider centre console to house all that extra stereo equipment.



And of course the long door.



I am a fan of modern coachbuilding.