The Bentley SZ-series sedan is one of those vehicles that either makes a ton of sense or is simply a ticking time bomb of issues. We’ll get into the arguments on both sides, but either way, a Turbo R sedan like this one is the way to fly if you choose to make the leap. The Bentley Turbo R shown here on craigslist has been repainted and comes with a rebuilt title, so it’s far from perfect. But if it’s mostly sound mechanically, does this make it a potentially excellent classic daily? The asking price is $14,500.
Unfortunately, that price is still a few ticks above what well-documented and mostly original cars are going for on sites like Bring A Trailer and private classifieds groups. The seller’s car has that ugly rebuilt title, which is likely only due to a small fender-bender late in life, but still – it’s there. The Turbo R was the one to buy if you were a Bentley/Rolls-Royce client in the 90s, with 360 b.h.p. and 460 lb.-ft. of torque. Road test editors at the time noted it could swing to 60 in 6.4 seconds and rip through the 1/4 mile at just under 15, somewhat ridiculous for a vehicle weighing 5,300 lbs.
The seller’s car still sports signs of its former paint color, with the inner door jams left untouched. The seller claims it was previously black, but the door jams look blue and the same goes for the seat backs and floor mats (along with a brown carpets and dash pad – the whole thing seems a bit mismatched). Still, seeing those picnic tables extended reminds you how cool this big body sedan is, and that it was once considered peak luxury. The rest of the interior photos are encouraging with the dash wood in good order and a subdued replacement head unit in the center stack.
The thing with Bentleys and Rolls-Royces of this era is that they are still complex beats, no matter how stout the running gear is. Gauge clusters can stop working because of a simple ground issue, leaving you with zero insights into how the vehicle is running. The self-leveling suspension can fail, requiring expensive rebuilds, and the brake system uses specialized mineral brake fluid. It’s still an old six-figure car, and requires the requisite maintenance. At under $10,000, this might be worth a look. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Tony Primo for the find.
Something just looks off about this.Maybe it’s the White wheels and
the light colored body paint.Maybe a Black vinyl roof & darker wheels
would help.
I never believe stories about Bigfoot, about how a car for sale just needs an O2 sensor replaced (I’ve got the part, just haven’t had time to put it in), or how a car for sale acquired a rebuilt title.