Before Volkswagen bought the Bentley, the British company desperately tried to find a way to build its products and stop being a re-badged Rolls-Royce. The Continental R was showcased as a Rolls-Royce, but the final product was a Bentley and it was enhanced in 1996 by shortening the wheelbase.
Compared to the Continental R, the T version was shorter by 120 mm (4.72”) while the height and width remained the same. The four-round headlamps in the front, the mesh grille, and the corner-mounted slim turn-signals above the bumper were typical for it. Unlike the R version, the rear windows were smaller due to the shorter wheelbase.
Inside, the T desperately tried to resemble the old glorious Bentleys from racing. The designers mounted aluminum on the dashboard and enhanced the view with dials and gauges which nobody read. The adjustable steering column was useful when getting in and out of the car. There were four seats in the cabin, but despite the long wheelbase of 2962 mm (116.6”), there was not too much legroom in the back.
Power came from the legendary 6.75-liter V8 unit, aided by two Cosworth Engineering headers and a big Garret turbocharger. It was mated to a standard, heavy-duty, 4-speed automatic gearbox produced by General Motors. When it was introduced in 1996, then upgraded in 1997, it was the car with the biggest torque on the market.
| engine | Turbocharged V8 |
| valvetrain | OHV 2 Valves / Cyl |
| displacement | 6753 cc / 412.1 in³ |
| bore | 104.2 mm / 4.1 in |
| stroke | 99.1 mm / 3.9 in |
| compression | 8.0:1 |
| power | 298.3 kw / 400.0 bhp @ 4150 rpm |
| specific output | 59.23 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | bhp per tonne |
| torque | 800.0 nm / 590.0 ft lbs @ 2150 rpm |
| redline | 4500 rpm |
| body / frame | Unit Steel & Aluminium |
| driven wheels | Front Engine / RWD |
| front tires | F 285/45R-18 |
| rear tires | R 285/45R-18 |
| front brakes | Vented Discs w/ Hydraulic Assist & ABS |
| f brake size | x 340 mm / x 13.4 in |
| rear brakes | Vented Discs w/ Hydraulic Assist & ABS |
| r brake size | x 340 mm / x 13.4 in |
| front wheels | F 45.7 x 22.9 cm / 18.0 x 9.0 in |
| rear wheels | R 45.7 x 22.9 cm / 18.0 x 9.0 in |
| steering | Rack & Pinion w/ Variable Power Assist |
| curb weight | 2370 kg / 5225 lbs |
| wheelbase | 2959 mm / 116.5 in |
| front track | 1549 mm / 61.0 in |
| rear track | 1580 mm / 62.2 in |
| length | 5138 mm / 202.3 in |
| width | 2057 mm / 81.0 in |
| height | 1463 mm / 57.6 in |
| transmission | 4-Speed Auto |
| gear ratios | 2.48:1, 1.48:1, 1.00:1, 0.75:1, :1 |
| final drive | 2.69:1 |
| top speed | ~249.4 kph / 155.0 mph |
| 0 – 60 mph | ~6.5 seconds |
| 0 – 100 mph | ~16.5 seconds |
| 0 – 1/4 mile | ~14.9 second |
