Spot the Difference.

'Badge Engineering'.

Back in the Silver Shadow years (1966 to 1980) only seven percent of the Crewe cars were badged as Bentleys.

They were simply the same car as a Rolls-Royce with a different grille and badges. No different suspension, no turbos and no alloy wheels as we expect from the nineties' cars. And a couple of hundred of Quid less.

Well most of the badges, as they got a little lazy with some Bentleys and often they would leave the factory with 'RR' on the gauges, brake pedals and even 'Rolls-Royce' written on the engine rocker covers.

Here's fine black 1979 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II.

And now a beautiful example of a 1978 Bentley T2.
 

Hmmm. Not much difference.

Not like the numerous differences in the late nineties Silver Seraph and Arnage I posted last month.
 

 

The rear badges.
  

 

Little RR or B badges on the headlamp surrounds.
 

 
 

 
The grille and mascot, of course. 

 
 

 

And the wheel covers.

 

 

That's about it.
 

 
 
 

 

So inside, which one is this?

 

The one above is actually the Rolls-Royce with the low speed 'speedo' to keep you from going over 55. No logos on this one at all.

Below is the Bentley.

Oooops....
 

 
Now the engine.

The Rolls-Royce:

 
And now the Bentley....

Oooopps, again.... The name Bentley does not end with a 'CE'.

 

That's hand built cars for you.

 
Rodd Sala of Park Ward Motors in Illinois has them both.

Which would you choose?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rolls-Royce-Silver-Shadow-II-Original-clean-immaculate-fully-serviced-in-sought-after-colour-/261581314454?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3ce7761996&item=261581314454&pt=US_Cars_Trucks
 
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bentley-Other-T2-built-by-Rolls-Royce-Rare-T2-Fully-restored-concours-example-in-stunning-original-/261581570172?forcerrptr=true&hash=item3ce77a007c&item=261581570172&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

This particular Bentley T2 is an exceptionally fine example but if the cars were identical in condition, which would it be?

Tough call...

(Posted by David Irvine)