1998 | Bentley Continental R

1998 Bentley Continental R Chatsworth Edition  WCH63070

Reg No S445RKW

Mileage at 26/10/23 : 52645 miles

Chatsworth Can Number 4 of 10.

Detailed description and history

1. Rare special edition, one of only six Continental R Chatsworths produced

This 1998 Continental R is a special edition car commissioned by dealers Burton House. It is one of only six such “Chatsworth” edition Continental R cars produced.  The tread plate plaque reads “A Mulliner Commission, CHATSWORTH EDITION, car number 4 of 10,  Bentley Motors, Crewe, England”.   10 Chatsworth cars were planned, but only 9 were produced: 6 were Continental Rs, 2 were Continental Ts and one Azure Chatsworth was produced.

The colour is Silver Pearl.  The trim is in Black. The car has green badges.

The body style is unique to Bentley and it being the last of the pre-separation (RR&B) models adds to the interest.

Cost and details (based on the specification sheets, and original invoice). 

The car was ordered in 1998, and supplied on 3/9/1998 to the dealers Burton House. Sheffield.  It was first registered 4/12/1998. The basic cost at the time for a Continental R was £170000 excluding VAT; including delivery and VAT it came to £199926. This car also has a Mulliner Park Ward (“MPW”) special package costing £19459 inclusive of VAT, to bring the total cost up to £219385, which makes it one of the most expensive Bentleys produced.

The MPW package includes Birdseye Maple Stained Grey woodwork and waist rails, black chrome to all interior brightwork finishings, and Continental T style seat trim in “Dyed Through” black leather.  There are Chatsworth logos to all four waist rails, and embroidered onto the top section of all four seat squabs. The interior trim in general is most distinctive and unlike that of other Bentley Continentals. It has Continental T 18” five spoke wheels with 255/50 tyres.

The previous owner had fitted a Kenwood Electronics touch screen system, incorporating a 7” motorised fold away monitor, tuner, DVD/CD receiver, USB and iPhone interface, Bluetooth for hands free telephone, and rear view camera video.  It was installed in October 2008 at a cost of £2465. The car still also has the original Motorola telephone in working order fitted in the armrest locker.

2.  Provenance and servicing

The car has had three previous owners with the current V5 being that of a lady.

Supplied through Burton House, Sheffield who carried out the initial 1000 mile service. The first owner, Mr Vince Smith of Macclesfield, kept the car for just over 5 years from December 1998 to April 2004.  It was serviced by Bentley main dealers Michael Powles, Leicester.  30/8/2000 schedule 1 service at 5523 miles, 5/4/2001 schedule C 7654 miles, 21/6/2002 schedule 2 9569 miles, 23/12/2003 schedule C 13868 miles.

Michael Powles, Leicester sold the car to its second owner David Wright of The New House, Gonalston, Nottingham, NG14 7JA, on 26/4/2004.  He continued to have the car serviced at Bentley dealer Michael Powles, Leicester: 5/5/2004 schedule 1 service 14358 miles, 4/11/2004 schedule C 17848 miles, 21/7/2005 schedule 2 20829 miles, 31/5/2006 schedule C by Paul Mackley Engineering (Bentley specialist) 23517 miles, and 27/9/2007 24259 miles schedule 1 service by Michael Powles. Norwich. 12/10/2007 MOT at 24300 miles by Stratton Motor Company 

The third owner, Peter Cusworth of 337 Waterside, Chesham, HP5 1QE, bought the car on 26/10/2007 for £61000 (at 27000 miles) from Stratton Motor Company, Norwich.  In his ownership the car was maintained initially by Jack Barclay, Nine Elms, London, 22/8/2008 “check schedule” service and replaced front brake pads 29404 miles, 28/10/2008 replaced rear gas spheres 32817 miles, and 4/11/2008 MOT 32976 miles. From July 2009 it was maintained by Hadley Green main dealers Barnet, 24/7/2009 schedule C and renewed brake discs and pads 37572 miles.  21/12/2009 Hadley Green replaced the head gaskets 37593 miles, at a cost of £7196. 25/1/2010  MOT 40458 miles.

Taken into stock by Marlow Cars in September 2011.  It had a check over and schedule C service at 43200 miles (work undertaken by Paul Bradshaw, of Bradshaw Bentley Services). 

Advertised at £56999 in the November 2011 issue of RREC Advertiser. Bought by present owner in late 2013; delivery taken in January 2014 after no.  2 service and MOT at 43880 miles by Marlow Cars (work carried out by Paul Bradshaw, Bradshaw Bentley Services). 

Service and repair record in current ownership: 13/3/2014 front ball joint replaced by Performance & Prestige Cars (PPC), 18/3/2015 MOT 44270 miles and attended to rusty brake pipe, 12/5/2015 no.1 service by PPC and front dampers reconditioned 44338  miles.

From October 2015 the car has been maintained by Hillier Hill: 16/10/2015 Extensive repairs including front brakes, spring cups, fuel feed, parking brake pads and Tectyl underbody treatment 44941 miles,  10/3/2016 MOT 45169, 22/6/2016  no. 1  service 45263 miles, 27/3/2017 New air conditioning, new main battery and MOT  45439 miles,  6/3/2018  MOT 46256 miles,  3/4/2018  schedule C  47050 miles etc etc annually serviced since then, the most recent being 9/3/2023 no. 1 service & MOT 51702.

3.  Caring for the car so as to maintain it in first class condition.

The current owner stores the car in an Airflow air chamber (50000 litres of filtered air pushed through per hour).  In this dry and clean environment the excellent condition of the car is maintained. 

Call Richard Biddulph.  Mobile ++44 (0) 7967 260673

Simone Della Corte Mobile ++44 (0) 7377070943

Sales & Valuations

Vintage & Prestige of Northampton Ltd.

richard@vandp.net

www.vandp.net

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