Based on today's Nice Price or No Dice Bentley's price, you don't have to be a one-percent-er to live life large. Let's see if this stately and imposing saloon makes us want to live it up.
๐ The Core Development
On their third album, "Learning to Crawl," Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders warned us of "Time the Avenger." A song about bad decisions, regret, and the inability to turn back the clock, it fit the album's tone perfectly, following the untimely deaths of two band members.
The fact is, time keeps marching forward, and we can never slow its pace or fully reverse its effects. That makes looking at cars like the 2001 Audi A4 Quattro Avant we considered yesterday such a scary proposition. While the seller promised that many of the car's wear-and-tear items had been addressed, with any old Audi, there's always some new surprise to darken a day and lighten a wallet. That expectation of future failures on this 25-year-old Audi gave pause, calling into question its $7,450 asking price. In the end, that was just too much to risk, and we saw an overwhelming 73% 'No Dice' loss as a result.
๐ Background & Sector Context
Okay, if you all had a hard time justifying the potential future costs of an old mid-level Audi, let's see how you do with today's far fancier-pantsed 1997 Bentley Brooklands saloon . Bentley offered the Brooklands for a short five years, from 1993 to 1998, though the model was merely an evolution of the earlier Mulsanne, introduced all the way back in 1980. That makes the model a grand dame of British luxury comportment.
Following the marque's fancy of naming its models after race tracks or sections thereof, the Brooklands takes its name from the Brooklands circuit outside of Surrey, England. It was the world's first banked oval raceway, inspiring the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when it opened in 1907 and hosting its last race in 1939. In the years in between, Bentleys raced on the track, reinforcing the model's legacy. In another unique connection, the British aircraft manufacturer Vickers located a factory at the Brooklands Aerodrome, right next to the track, and later, when this Brooklands was built, that company was the majority owner of Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
๐ Industry & Real-World Impact
With that bit of history out of the way, let's get to just what this car is. When it was built, Bentley and Rolls-Royce were kissing cousins (I know, eww, that phrase), with both marques sharing production in Crewe on the same platform. That means that, save for its rounded grille, some suspension tuning, and a whole herd of Flying B badges, this model is essentially the same as the contemporary Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit. That means it also shares the Rolls-Royce 6.75-liter OHV V8 engine.
Benchmark Telemetry & EV Fuel Savings
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๐ฎ Strategic Outlook & What Lies Ahead
When it debuted in 1993, the Brooklands was meant to be a less expensive (but still very expensive) model slotted under the Turbo R. As such, it was initially available only with a naturally aspirated version of that Rolls engine. That changed in 1996, when the Brooklands got a light-pressure turbo edition, producing 300 horsepower and an impressive 442 pound-feet of torque. That's a good thing, considering this luxury barge is fitted with every comfort and convenience feature the late '90s could offer, bringing the car's weight to over 5,300 pounds. That means reasonable performance and jaw-dropping thirst for premium fuel.
This Brooklands, which the ad claims to be painted in Black Emerald Mica over a parchment Connolly leather interior with spruce trim on the dash and doors, looks to be in fabulous condition. The paint, which appears dark green in the pictures, is accented by elegant but not overwhelming chrome trim and a handsome set of factory alloy wheels.
