1989 Bentley Eight Sedan

Announced alongside the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit in 1980, the replacement for Bentley's T-Series was christened the Mulsanne after the straight at Le Mans, scene of five famous victories for the marque during the 1920s. The Bentley appealed to those who preferred a more discreet mode of transport, with the traditional winged-B radiator shell, badging and wheel trims being the most obvious distinguishing features. Bentley, which had been struggling by the 1970s, began fighting back by the mid-1980s, so much so that a new model was added to the line-up. Pitched at a younger market, the Bentley Eight was essentially a Mulsanne with some of the extraneous luxury features left out and as a result the price was considerably more affordable, encouraging a new generation of owners into Bentley products. The Eight was distinguished by a new radiator using wire-mesh, harking back to the W.O. era, along with stiffer suspension for more sporting handling. Performance reserves from the 6.75-litre V8 engine remained more than ample (output was, as ever, described merely as 'adequate') and the ride superb thanks to fully independent suspension. In 1987, the Eight was revised with new light alloy wheels and improvements to the interior and suspension, then in 1989 four round headlamps further set the Bentleys apart from their Rolls-Royce siblings. The Eight remains a wonderfully relaxed, comfortable and reliable luxury automobile, the driver cocooned in a leather-clad cabin replete with luxury touches only now finding their way into lesser cars.