PERFECT PROJECT
It was in our July/August 2021 issue that we first introduced readers to the 1990 Turbo R that graces these pages, although its history with Kelsey – the publisher of this and many other motoring titles – goes back further. Classics Monthly, one of our sister magazines, is known for its array of project cars, most of which are bought for realistic budgets and then restored or upgraded, the amount of work carried out varying according to the condition of the classic in question. And, perhaps not surprisingly, most such projects tend to be focused at the ‘affordable’ end of today’s classic car market.
It’s no great secret, of course, that a useable Bentley Turbo R can be picked up for sensible money, putting it within reach of many potential buyers. Keeping one in fine fettle, however, is not the same kind of ‘cheap’ proposition; if work is required to bring the car up to decent condition, bank balances can soon be drained thanks to the cost of parts and labour, with even service items for a Turbo R being significantly more expensive than for a ‘regular’ classic.
As we explained when we first introduced the car five issues ago, we didn’t even get to see our Turbo R before agreeing to buy it. Group editor Paul Wager related the tale: “Over the years, every piece of advice I’ve ever given in print or received from a specialist
