1985 Bentley Eight Saloon

Description

With the introduction of the Silver Spirit in 1980, Rolls-Royce continued to offer a Bentley variant and the new Mulsanne - named after the longest straight at Le Mans, scene of no less than five victories for the Bentley marque - was distinguished by its unique radiator shell, badging and wheel trims. The Mulsanne, and its Rolls-Royce sibling, provided ample performance from the 6.75-litre V8 (power, as always, being undisclosed and merely described as 'adequate') and the ride was superb thanks to independent suspension with coil springs front and rear, along with the Girling hydraulic self-levelling system. In an attempt to distance the Bentley marque from the Flying Lady, a number of unique Bentley variants were introduced, including the Mulsanne Turbo in 1982 and the Eight introduced just two years later. Launched in part due to the economic downturn plaguing the world in the early 1980s, the Eight was a more sporting take on the standard Mulsanne, with revised front suspension and, in a nod to Bentley's sporting heritage, a distinctive wire mesh grille housed in a chrome radiator surround. Inside the picnic tables were deleted and woodgrain replaced the burr walnut veneer. Cheaper it may have been (at £49,497 it cost £5743 less than the Mulsanne), the Eight was still a very luxurious motor car with a long list of standard luxury features. The Eight sold in comparatively small numbers - just 1734 were built between 1984 and 1992 - but was a major factory in the revival of Bentleys fortunes and represents unparalleled value for money today.