Driving a Bentley (or Three) Is a Moving Experience
“What have you been driving lately?’’ asks Dave Greco while serving us dinner at his family’s restaurant (the Starboard Galley) in Newburyport.“You wouldn’t believe it. We lucked out and had a Bentley for the last three days,’’ we answer.“Funny thing,’’ he replies. “I saw a beautiful Bentley heading south on Rte. 95 this morning.’’“What color?’’ we ask.“A beautiful green,’’ he says.“That was the one we had. The owners were driving it back to Boston.’’
Having a Bentley to test drive is something like being asked to safeguard Great Uncle Harold’s Renoir while he’s away on an around-the-world cruise. You don’t really relax until he’s home and so is his painting.
However, the experience is one to be remembered.
It was 15 years ago when “my first Bentley’’—a 2001 Continental R Mulliner—arrived at our house in Melrose. It was before the real estate bubble, and I remember writing that the $309,900 price tag on that two-door luxury coupe made it more valuable than the house.
I still remember having to sit in the car for quite a while, reveling in the smell of fine leather and admiring the workmanship before getting up the gumption to start it.
My first stop was mom’s house. She loved the car. “Now I can say I rode in a Bentley,’’ she said. But she was a little worried about what the neighbors would think as in, “If her son can afford a Bentley, why is she living here?’’
Test drives involved taking friends and neighbors for a ride, though they likely were disappointed that I wasn’t wearing a chauffer’s uniform.
There was plenty of power with a 6.75-liter engine putting out 420 turbocharged horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque. (We’ll compare those numbers with today’s test car in a moment or two after I finish my drive down Memory Lane.)
There was another memorable line from that drive. I was noting that there was no cupholder in the Mulliner when Jim Woods, who then was the minister of our church, quipped: “That’s why you have a butler. To hold your drink!’’
Bentley No. 2 arrived just before Christmas in 2010.
Earlier that year, auto dealer Herb Chambers had a party at the Boston Harbor Hotel to introduce Bentley’s new flagship sedan, the Mulsanne.
The car was sensational.
But the lasting memory of that was of Mrs. G getting locked in the rear seat of the Bentley. We all thought she was just enjoying the comfort, but the reality was she was trying not to make a scene but the door indeed was locked and wouldn’t open from the inside.
This past December, a Mulsanne (sticker price $330,195) arrived at our house in Newburyport. It was a sunny but chilly day and we took a ride along the New Hampshire seacoast, hoping to photograph the car in front of one of the oceanfront mansions.
No one answered the bell (at the gate) at several estates so we pulled into the Abenaqui Country Club and drove behind the pro shop where we found a perfect spot.
Christmas definitely was in the air, including a sleigh and reindeer outside the clubhouse and lots of golf wear and equipment in the pro shop.
Pam Sheerin, proprietor and co-owner of the shop, ran out to us, saying, “Ohhh, is my husband sending me this as a Christmas present? Are you going to put a bow on it?’’
We had to let Pam down gently.
The Bentley rep who dropped off the car told us this was one of the two they had in the United States for media and public relations use.
Actually, she said, they HAD two but someone backed into it in a parking lot. “When we asked the factory to send us the parts, they said they couldn’t because it was a hand-built pre-production model and the car would have to go back to the factory in Crewe, England,’’ she explained.
Fortunately, the only thing we backed into with Bentley No. 3 was, journalistically speaking, the lead of this 800-word masterwork.
Today’s car is the Continental GT V8 S that our host, Mr. Greco, saw on Rte. 95.
Base price is $202,425 (including destination), and $25,945 of options brought the sticker price to $228,370.
The hand-stitched leather interior was a lovely saddle-brown and green with exotic wood trim that is treated with a UV-resistant layer to keep from fading.
Some knurled control knobs, and retro push/pull individual vent controls lend a legacy touch to the mostly digital controls and infotainment screen in today’s Bentleys.
The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 puts out 521 horsepower and 502 lb.-ft. of torque. (Note the smaller engine and greater power output from Bentley No. 1). A state of the art all-wheel-drive system, continuous damping control suspension, and eight-speed automatic transmission make for a smooth and powerful ride.
A pair of elliptical exhaust outlets emits a wonderful tone when the engine is pushed a bit.
For those of us who sometimes momentarily mistake the badges on the Chrysler 300 for a Bentley, be assured that there’s no mistaking the real thing with its classic matrix radiator grille and four-lamp headlight treatment, including the circle of jeweled LED driving lights.
And, yes, this time there are cupholders in the front console. However, they’re hidden by what’s bound to become a collector’s item: a designer-quality case for smaller items such as sunglasses, keys, or pens that pops out to leave the car with the driver—or make room for a cup.
But that’s what this whole exercise has been about: handcrafted luxury, dynamic performance, and the ability to be driven daily.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com