ALL THE MAJOR MODELS ILLUSTRATED

Part 3: 1980 to the Present

Silver Spirit, Bentley Mulsanne, 1980-1997

The Silver Spirit was a straightforward facelift and update of the proven Silver Shadow platform. It was a little lower, a little wider and a little longer, and just as strongly built. The technical updates were incorporated into the Corniche models which were still being built, and which continued in production into the 1990s. The Spirit and the equivalent Bentley Mulsanne came in a bewildering variety of models during their 17-year production run. Most radical was the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo, with a 50% increase in power. This evolved into the Turbo R (R for Roadholding), and the RT (T for Transient, a system which allowed the turbocharger to exceed its normal pressures for short bursts under heavy accelleration. The Turbo R is now a cult car, a Rolls-Royce with attitude.

A handful of R-R owners objected to having the doors sucked off their Silver Spirits and Silver Spurs by overtaking Bentley Turbos, so some 50 Rolls-Royce Flying Spurs were built, essentially long-wheelbase Silver Spirits with the full Bentley Turbo engineering. These were the fastest production Rolls-Royces ever, good for 145 mph. An even longer wheelbase Spirit, with raised roof, division, and jump seats, replaced the big Phantoms, and was called the Touring Limousine.

Towards the end of the model run, most cars were long wheelbase variants. All later cars were turbocharged, the Rolls-Royces with "light pressure" turbos intended to give a modest increase in bhp but a substantial lift in torque. The new Bentley Continental coupe and Azure convertible was introduced, successors to the former Corniche and Camargue models, but neither were offered as Rolls-Royces. The Company was rebuilding the Bentley brand: the R-R was stately, the Bentley fast.

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Rectangular headlights and squarer lines marked new Silver Spirit. 6.75 litre alloy V8 continued from Shadow series.	Bentley equivalent, the Mulsanne, had traditional Bentley grille, rectangular lights. After 1985 came 7 inch circular headlights	This is a late Turbo R. Painted radiator shell is a clue, but many non-Turbos had them too.	Bentley Continental R (1988-2004) was the successor to the Corniche two-soor saloon; Bentley marque only.
Bentley Azure replaced Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible. Also only a Bentley	Bentley Brooklands replaced the Mulsanne as the non-turbo model	The Silver Spur had a longer wheelbase for more rear legroom. A chauffer division was optional.	Park Ward built these large limousine versions with division and jump seats, called the Touring Limousine.

Five Variations: The Phantoms 5 and 6, the Camargue, and the Royal Bentley

The Phantoms 5 and 6 were entirely coachbuilt parade limousines, and between them overlapped the Silver Cloud, Silver Shadow and Silver Spirit eras. They were built on a substantially longer and slightly wider Silver Cloud chassis, and the front styling was similar to the contemporary Clouds. The Camargue was a flagship luxury coupe styled by Pininfarina and built in very small numbers at a very high price. The Phantom 5 was introduced in 1959 to replace both the Silver Wraith and the Phantom 4. The Phantom 6 came in 1968, after the introduction of the Silver Shadow, but continued to use the older Cloud-based separate chassis and running gear. It was finally discontinued in the late 1980s. The Camargue was introduced in 1975 and ceased in 1985.

For the Queen's 50th anniversary, a new hand built processional limousine was constructed by Park Ward, the first Royal Bentley. It was used for the opening of the Manchester Games. It was based on a lengthened and widened Arnage platform, and powered by a Zetec-developed edition of the familiar 6.75 litre V8.

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The Camargue Coupe, basically Silver Shadow underpinnings. Less than 600 built.	Phantom 5, 6.23 litres, 8 seats, Park Ward body; Cloud 2 underpinnings.	Phantom 6, Mulliner Park Ward body. Replaced by Silver Spirit based Touring Limousine
Phantom 5 by James Young. Very elegant, rare, much sought after.	The Royal Bentley was handbuilt for H M the Queen 50th anniversary	This is actually a "clay" buck, but until you try to open the door, you can't tell!

The Silver Seraph 1997-2002 and Bentley Arnage 1997 -

These two complementary models were the last 4-door saloons to be offered by Rolls-Royce while R-R and Bentley were still one manufacturer. Since 2003, Rolls-Royce and Bentley are separate companies making quite different vehicles. The Seraph / Arnage is based on yet another revision of the Silver Shadow platform, but for the first time came with engines of non R-R manufacture, both being fitted with BMW power units. The Azure and Continental R continued using the familiar 6.75 litre Rolls-Royce / Bentley V8. They were joined in 2002 by a small batch of Rolls-Royce Corniche convertibles developed from the Azure, very collectible and known as the End-of-Line model.

A long-wheelbase version of the R-R, the Silver Seraph Park Ward, and the Bentley equivalent the Arnage Mulliner, were also offered. The Rolls-Royce version was discontinued at the end of 2002. To keep their presence in the top end of the limousine market in the face of the forthcoming Rolls-Royce Phantom, Bentley also offered a very long wheelbase version of the Arnage Mulliner Limousine, with division, jump seats and all the goodies. This was the successor to the Silver Spirit Touring Limousine, but was not available as a Rolls-Royce.

Officially, the last Rolls-Royce built at the Crewe factory was a Corniche. After the R-R brand ceased production at Crewe, the Bentley Arnage continued, with an additional "red label" model using the trusty twin turbocharged 6.75 litre V8. There is now also a much longer wheelbase Touring Limousine version of the Arnage.

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The Silver Seraph, last Rolls-Royce 4-dr sedan to come from the former R-R factory at Crewe.	The Bentley Arnage is still in production at Crewe. This is the 6.75 litre V8 twin-turbo Red Label model	Adapted from the Bentley Azure shell, the Last of Line Rolls-Royce Corniche used the 6.75 engine.
The long-wheelbase Silver Seraph Park Ward and Bentley Arnage Mulliner Limousine replaced the Silver Spur	A stretched version of the Arnage Mulliner Limousine is also available. One was on show at the 2004 RREC Rally.	Interior of the stretched car is characteristically sumptuous. There was no Rolls-Royce equivalent of this model

New models since 2003

With effect from 1 January 2003, Rolls-Royce and Bentley were manufactured by two different companies in two different factories, and both companies introduced all-new models. The Phantom, the name recalling a traditional series, is built at the new factory near Chichester, and as expected shares some parts with parent company BMW's range, including the V12 engine (although the R-R version is much modified for the purpose). A startling 100EX prototype was exhibited in 2004, a large convertible on the Phantom platform, but with a whopping 9 litre V16 quad cam engine. The interest was so high that in 2006 R-R brought out a production version sign a shortened Phantom platform, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead.

Bentley's first all-new model was the Continental GT, sharing some components with a top-of-the-line Audi. Twin turbos make the 6-litre W12 cylinder coupe blindingly fast, and full time four wheel drive keeps it on the road. It is far more luxurious than competitive supercars. Designed at the same time, the Flying Spur edition has a much longer wheelbase and four doors, but keeps the 4-wd and twin turbo W12. It is the fastest 4-door saloon in the world, the only 4-door supercar. Announced in September 2005, but not available until late 2006, is the Continental GTC, the expected convertible version of the Continental GT.

Hard on their heels in 2006 came the new BentleyAzure, a substantial revision of the familiar convertible. And in 2007 this car was followed up by the Bentley Brooklands, the coupe version of the Azure, replacing the V8 Continental R, once again reviving a tradition Crewe name. The Brooklands is the most powerful Bentley every built, with 530 bhp from the seemingly eternal V8, and a huge 1050 ft-lbs of torque.

The 2003 Rolls-Royce Phantom had controversial styling, but was very impressive. 6.3 litre V12.	In 2005 came the long wheelbase version of the Phantom.	Compact Bentley Continental GT has astonishing 6-litre turbo W12, full-time 4wd.
Designed at the same time, released 3 years after the GT, the Continental Flying Spur is the full 4-seater version.	Announced in September 2005, the convertible version of the Continental GT will be available in late 2006	Rolls-Royce 100EX prototype became the new Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead for 2006
New for 2006 is the Bentley Azure, a major rrevision of the earlier convertible	In 2007 came the suave Bentley Brooklands, essentially the coupe version of the new Bentley Azure.	Venerable V8 now produces a whopping 530 bhp and 1050 lbs-ft of torque!

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