With only 208 examples produced, the R-Type Continental was as rare a sight in the 1950s as it is today - but it went down in history as a benchmark Bentley, and the embodiment of the brand’s grand touring DNA. Its ethos and its exterior design were the inspiration for the first Continental GT in 2003, and it has inspired Bentley Design teams ever since.
While the first prototype R-Type
Continental (known as ‘Olga’ thanks to its OLG490 registration) was on
the road in August 1951, it wasn’t until May 1952 that the car went into
production, with customer deliveries starting in June. At the time, it
was the fastest four-seat car in the world - a mantle that was picked-up
by the modern-day Continental GT in 2003. It was also the most
expensive, at £6,928 - nearly four times the 1952 average UK house
price.
The Iconic R-Type Continental
The
brainchild of Chief Projects Engineer, Ivan Evernden and Chief Stylist,
John Blatchley, the R-Type Continental was described in period by
Autocar magazine as "a modern magic carpet which annihilates great
distances."
Two pre-war coachbuilt specials, the ‘Embiricos’
Bentley and Mk V Corniche, had shown the advantages of improved
aerodynamics. In the early 1950s, Ivan Evernden took inspiration from
these one-off creations to create a sleek coupe based on the R-Type
Bentley saloon. The power of the 4,566cc, six-cylinder in-line engine
was raised from 140 to 153 hp, and the transmission featured a higher
final drive ratio. The prototype averaged 118.75 mph over five laps
(with a best lap of just under 120mph) at the banked Montlhèry track
near Paris.
To keep down to the target weight, coachbuilders HJ
Mulliner crafted the bodywork, window frames, windscreen surround,
backlight, seat frames and bumpers in aluminium. Even at a pared-down
weight, tyre choice was critical; no standard road tyre existed which
could carry a two-ton car at speeds in excess of 115 mph, and Dunlop
Medium Distance Track tyres were specified.
The first production
model was delivered to its owner in June 1952 and by the time production
ended in 1955, 208 R-Type Continentals had been made. Of these, 193
were bodied by HJ Mulliner. Others included Park Ward (four dropheads
and two coupes), Franay (five), Graber (three) and Farina (one).
JAS 949
The Bentley Heritage Collection is the proud owner of R-Type Continental chassis BC16C, registration JAS 949. ‘JAS’ was built in 1953 and delivered to its first owner, Dr Rowland Guenin of Switzerland in December 1953. It was ordered in Ivory with Red interior and a manual gearbox, a specification it retains today along with the original 4.6-litre engine. Bentley acquired JAS 949 in 2001 and has maintained it in excellent mechanical order while sympathetically preserving its patina. The car is driven regularly and appears frequently on display at the Bentley campus and at events around the world.
A Modern Interpretation
All
three modern generations of the Continental GT have an exterior design
inspired by the R-Type Continental. The elegant ‘power line’ that traces
backwards from the front wheel arch, the muscular and defined rear
haunch and the gracefully sloping roofline are all modern
interpretations of the same features from the R-Type Continental, giving
the modern Continental GT the same balance of grace, beauty and
powerful stance as its forebear. Likewise, the ability of the modern
Bentley to carry four adults with luggage at high speed over long
distance in exceptional comfort has its roots in this now 70-year-old
masterpiece. The very latest iteration, the Continental GT Speed, adds
even sharper dynamic performance to the wide and unrivalled Continental
blend of abilities.
To celebrate the anniversary Bentley has
released imagery of the GT Speed together with JAS 949, shot at Oulton
Park in Cheshire.
