1985 armoured Bentley Mulsanne Turbo on the block

By: Spencer Leech, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 02.12.2016

Want to feel bulletproof? Maybe this Bentley will do the trick

Fast and, yes, it really is bullet-proof!

Here's something you won't find every day - an armoured Bentley up for sale at this Monday's Shannons auction.

Derived from the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, and named after the longest straight at Le Mans, the Mulsanne was introduced as a high-performance saloon that retained the ride comfort that Bentley had become known for.

Both the Mulsanne and its Roller sibling were manufactured with a 6.75-litre V8. While the engine may not have left a lasting impression on owners - other than adequate and silent grunt - the hydraulic self-levelling independent suspension was lauded for its comfort.

Inside, the Mulsanne was trimmed in the finest materials of the time, all hand-crafted in typical British style.

Two variants were introduced over the model's lifetime: the Turbo in 1982, and the less-expensive Eight in 1984.

The Turbo was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and what made this car special was the Garrett AiResearch TO4 turbocharger that made the Brit limo capable of 217km/h.

Only 496 Turbo Mulsanne were built between 1982 and 1985. Now you could own one for a fraction of the probably horrific number written on the original invoice.

This example was originally supplied to Sheikh M A Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Ruler of Quatar in 1985; which explains why it has been bomb and bullet proofed, with 10mm thick armour plating and 40mm thick glass. That suggests it might not blow away in a strong wind - it's even heavier than your average Bentley.

The car arrived in Australia in 2010 and was cared for by a Queensland-based enthusiast. With just 39,980 miles (64,341km) on the clock, along with all the original paperwork and documentation, the car will be put up for auction unregistered and with no reserve and is estimated at $14-18,000.

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