The
Bentley Brooklands was introduced in 1992 as a replacement for the
Bentley Mulsanne S and
Bentley Eight models. It was intended as a slightly less expensive alternative to the
Bentley Turbo R, featuring the same styling, underpinnings and the Rolls-Royce 6.75-litre
V8 engine, but initially without the more powerful model's turbocharger. A turbocharged version appeared in 1996. The Brooklands continued
Bentley's relatively angular design theme, which was also used on contemporary Rolls-Royce vehicles, throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The exterior design featured the classic Bentley waterfall grille as well as dual headlights with wraparound parking lights. As in many Bentley and
Rolls-Royce vehicles, the Brooklands also featured the trademark descending bootlid and chrome B-pillars. The interior remained relatively unchanged from previous Bentley models, with more curvaceous design elements surrounding the leather-wrapped centre console. The
steering wheel and interior door panels remained largely unchanged; the major change arrived in the form of relocating the
gear selector to the
centre console - for decades the standard practice among R-R and Bentley models utilised a steering column mounted selector. The interior continued to be surrounded by ample woodgrain which featured engraved, lighter-colored outlines on the door panels. In the U.S., prices for the Brooklands started at around
$156,500.
Specifications The 1992–1997 Brooklands was driven by a 6.75-litre
Rolls-Royce V8 engine with a four-speed
automatic transmission. The vehicle was
rear-wheel drive, and featured
independent front and rear suspension. While not as large as some other
ultra-luxury cars, the Brooklands remained quite large with an overall length of and
wheelbase of ( and respectively in SWB trim).
1996 update In autumn of 1996 Brooklands received an update in a form of light-pressure turbo, boosting power output to 300 bhp.
Brooklands R In 1998, there also was a Brooklands R derivative available, with suspension upgrade borrowed from Turbo R model and with a light-pressure turbo, that should be seen as a replacement for standard Brooklands. Cars were badged as 'Brooklands R'. ==Brooklands Coupé (2008–2011)==