1996 Bentley Brooklands Turbo

Finished in wonderfully of-the-period Wildberry Mica, this 1996 Bentley Brooklands also benefits from the light-pressure turbo the factory installed as part of that year’s update.

Now boasting 300bhp, a remarkable figure that dropped the benchmark spring under eight seconds and lifted the top speed to a genuine 140mph, ‘P600 PRH’ also has the advantage of a top-end engine rebuild in 2015 by Bentley Leicester at a cost of almost £5,000.

It is not currently MOT’d – although it was issued with an advisory-free MoT in April 2025 – but by way of compensation, it’s got a charming story behind it.

You see, the seller’s father had always wanted a Bentley and in 2006 he decided to make his dream come true – and he didn’t let the small matter of having just celebrated his 80th birthday deter him. 

He enjoyed driving his prized Brooklands Turbo for a few years, even as far as  Stamford on one occasion, to have tea with the Queen at Burghley House, no less.

Age started to take its toll, and he drove it less and less and it eventually became a bit too much for him.

So it’s being sold as a bit of a project, hopefully going to someone who will bring this iconic British bruiser back to life – and to sweeten the deal, it’s being offered with no reserve, so will be considered sold as soon as the first bid has been placed.

The Wildberry Mica paintwork, which is enhanced with Sandstone pinstripes, is pretty straight; we’ll come to its faults later – and yes, there are a few – but the panels still align well and it’s generally straight. 

Also, coming to market after long-term ownership and with so few previous owners plus a clear HPI suggests this probably isn’t an Bentley with an interesting past either.

The badges and radiator are in a very good condition, and the lamp lenses are decent, with only one of the Hella headlamps showing internal rust and just a few light scratches to the nearside rear Lucas unit spoiling its finish; polish it well and you might be able to get away with reusing it.

No such luck with the 16-inch alloy wheels though as these are so scuffed and scraped that you can start your To Do list with getting them refurbished – and sourcing a new centre cap.

The tyres are a matching set of 235/65R16 Nankang Passion CW-20. Made in 2024, all have good tread and could be refitted afterwards.

Other items for your list of things to do include the paintwork, which is in a poor condition throughout with peeling lacquer paint on the doors, the front bumper, and the roof. The paint has also faded on the bonnet, the roof, and the boot lid. 

More serious is the rust on the wheelarches, and a large scrape on the offside rear door. The door and external rubber seals are all perished too, and the nearside rear corner of the bumper has taken a light knock.

The Sandstone hide interior, which is supported by Wildberry piping to the seats and fluted door cards and a Wildberry parcelshelf and top roll, also hosts matching lambswool rugs and Wilton carpets. There’s burr walnut veneer trim too, of course, plus the usual tactile chrome switches, controls, and ashtrays.

The driver and passenger get to enjoy the extra comfort and support of the optional Sports Seats, while those in the back sit in individual seats; it’s probably impossible for four people to travel more comfortably.

It’s all in good shape too; sure, the veneer is peeling from the door caps and you’ll need to source a new boot carpet to replace the one that is missing but the rest has survived well with good walnut veneer elsewhere plus decent carpets and only gentle creases to the driver’s seat.

The other three seats are in an excellent condition with barely any visible wear, and the matching leather door cards are similarly impressive. The front seats are also electrically adjustable and heated, while the rear seat passengers get a walnut-framed and illuminated mirror apiece in the C-pillars. 

The drooping headlining looks intact and in good order, so you might be able to refit that, and the leather on the top of the dashboard looks good with none of the cracks and peeling we sometimes see. 

Other minor issues include a slightly worn steering wheel and a grubby cruise-control switch.

The turbocharged V8 struggles to start and has a misfire. While it gained an advisory-free MoT in April 2025, it appears to have been off the road for a few years prior to that, so it may just need a service and a decent run. 

But, when it does start it shows good oil pressure, pressure that continues to build as the oil pump spins faster. There’s a good charge to the battery too, but there is a Check Engine light displayed. 

As ever, the kettle’s always on if you want to pop along and make your own diagnosis.

Not much of the engine can be seen as it is mostly hidden beneath the usual  beauty cover. However, what we can see doesn’t look at all bad but then it does have a good maintenance record, so that it presents so well shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. 

Continuing our appraisal, the underside shows the usual surface corrosion on steel components and fasteners. It also looks like the front suspension is sitting a bit low and there are plenty of rubber bushes that would benefit from being replaced.

It doesn’t look too bad otherwise, although we note the MoT in 2020 identified: “Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced”. 

Nothing strikes us as being bad – and the MoT in 2025 was a clear pass, so it may have been an unduly picky tester or the remedial work may have been carried out; while you’ll want to check for yourself, we can’t see any evidence of underseal having been applied to hide anything worrying. 

The Bentley does not have an MoT certificate, the recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with two keys and fobs.

With three previous keepers, its current owner bought it in December 2006.

The history file runs to no fewer than 118 pages including a three-page specification summary, the factory handbook and book slip, and a genuine Bentley battery charger/conditioner that includes a small solar panel on the parcelshelf for off-grid charging.

It also contains invoices for routine maintenance and repairs dating back to its first service with Michael Powles in March 1997, with further invoices from the same firm through to December 2005 and 85,613 miles.

Colbrook, the well-regarded independent Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialist, took over the car’s maintenance between January 2007 and September 2011, at which point the odometer was showing a little over 106,000 miles.

Bentley Leicester picked up the baton in May 2012 and looked after the Bentley until August 2021 and 137,539 miles, which is pretty much where the odometer is today. 

The Brooklands also comes with a few spares, a car cover, a picture, some miscellaneous Bentley paperwork and books, and even a Bentley polo shirt!

On the one hand the paintwork is in a poor state, but on the other, it’s only ever been serviced and repaired by independent specialists and Bentley agents and the last MoT, which only expired in April this year, was issued with no advisories.

Our estimate is that the bidding will run out somewhere between £5,000 and £8,000 – and it’s got to be worth that for spares all day long.

But that would be a shame because we suspect it’s got plenty of life left in it yet, so to encourage the enthusiasts to get involved, the seller is happy to offer it with no reserve in the hope someone with real passion for the marque might win – and maybe even make their lifelong dream come true too.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.