Bentley Continental R
The first Bentley in decades that was not also a Rolls-Royce.
The story
A huge two-door coupé with its own body, the Continental R brought a crowd to its feet when the covers came off at Geneva. It was the most expensive production car in the world at the time.
Inside
Four armchairs, a centre console running the full length of the cabin and a gear selector on the floor instead of the steering column.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
The Sultan of Brunei is said to have bought the show car on the spot.
Meanwhile, in 1991
Rear seat belts became compulsory for adults, and Bryan Adams was number one for sixteen weeks.
Best-selling single of 1991: (Everything I Do) I Do It for You by Bryan Adams
Before you buy a 1990s car
- On petrol engines, check the cooling system and any sign of head gasket trouble.
- Ask when the timing belt was last changed, where fitted.
- Parts for mass-market cars are widely available; specialist and low-volume models can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.