This is the modified 1988 Bentley Turbo R that was driven by Matt LeBlanc in the 750 Motor Club’s Birkett Six Hour Relay Race alongside the Mercedes 600SEL of Chris Harris and the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow of Rory Reid.
The challenge saw the three hosts having to buy and prepare a luxury car for less than the cost of a new Dacia Sandero. They then took part in the race, and put the vehicles to the test, with one of them losing a wheel and all of them losing some body work. They would finish the race however, 69th out of 70 cars.
Fast Facts – The “Top Gear” 1988 Bentley Turbo R
- This is the 1988 Bentley Turbo R driven by Matt LeBlanc in the Top Gear Birkett Six Hour Relay Race, after being modified for better performance. It participated in the challenge alongside a Mercedes 600SEL and a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, with all three cars finishing 69th out of 70, after enduring no small number of mechanical snafus.
- The Bentley Turbo R, introduced in 1985, was designed for improved roadholding, with significantly upgraded suspension. Powered by a 6.75 liter turbocharged V8, it was rated at approximately 296 bhp, providing a more spirited driving experience compared to earlier models.
- In the Top Gear challenge, each host bought a luxury car for under £7,000, including the Bentley. The cars, although heavy and unsuitable for racing, were modified with race-required features like spoilers, roll cages, fuel cells, and racing seats with harnesses.
- The Bentley Turbo R used in the race is now for sale in Surrey, UK, in much the same condition as when it raced. It’s a unique collector’s car or potential track day vehicle, retaining much of its original charm and modifications from the Top Gear challenge.
The Bentley Turbo R
The Bentley Turbo R was introduced in 1985 and it would remain in production, with updates, until 1999. The “R” in the name didn’t stand for “Race,” as is typically the case, it stood for “Roadholding” as the car had been specifically modified for better handling.
This Bentley was used in Series 26, Episode 4 of Top Gear, back in 2019. It was a memorable episode that saw the trio working together as a team rather than competing against one another. Images courtesy of BBC America.
To build the Turbo R work began on the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo. The roll stiffness was increased by 50% with a 100% stiffer front sway bar and a 60% stiffer rear sway bar. A Panhard rod was fitted to the rear, to better locate the rear axle during hard cornering, and new more performance oriented shock absorbers were fitted.
Power was provided by 6.75 liter Bentley V8 with a turbocharger, Bentley never published the power output but in-period Motor Trend estimated that it was turning out 296 bhp and 487 lb ft of torque. Power was sent back to the rear wheels via either a 3-speed TH400 automatic or a 4-speed 4L80-E automatic on later models.
The Turbo R was never intended for racing of course, only to provide more sporting handling for those who wanted a spirited driving experience. The car was only ever offered with an automatic transmission, and it tipped the scales at 2,450 kgs (5,401 lbs) – the same weight range as an American Humvee.
There was one Turbo R that would be used in motorsport however, it made up part of a three man team and was run in the 750 Motor Club’s Birkett Six Hour Relay Race alongside a Mercedes 600SEL and a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow for the British TV show Top Gear.
Above Video: This is a clip of Chris Harris talking about the three cars, and it includes clips of the race in which the cars competed. As you can see, even though Chris was driving the Mercedes he admits that the Bentley is the best looking of the trio.
The “Top Gear” Bentley Turbo R Shown Here
The Top Gear challenge that saw this car become a reality called for each of the show’s three hosts to buy a luxury car for less than the price of a new Dacia Sandero – less than £7,000 at the time or approximately $9,050 USD.
All three successfully bought a running and road registered car without too much ado, but they were then informed that they were going to need to compete with their cars in a six hour endurance relay race.
All three cars were automatics, and all were on the heavy side to say the least. The hosts worked to reduce the weight as much as possible by stripping the interiors out, but there was only so much they could do. The cars were fitted with wheel spacers, and some were fitted with various other race-inspired add-ons, like lip spoilers and rear wings.
The interior has been stripped out, a roll cage has been fitted, as well as a racing seat and harness.
Despite the weight and the lack of suitability for racing the three man team finished the race and they didn’t come last – just second last. Still, this wasn’t bad against a dedicated field of race cars with determined drivers.
The Bentley Turbo R driven by Matt LeBlanc is now being offered for sale out of Surrey in the United Kingdom and you can visit the listing here. It’s being offered in much the same condition as it was in when it raced, and it’ll be well suited to a Bentley collector, or to someone looking for a slightly unusual track day car.
Images courtesy of Car & Classic
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
