Bentley T-series

Bentley T-Series
1970 Bentley T1 Four Door Saloon
Overview
Manufacturer	Bentley Motors (1931) Limited, Crewe, Cheshire
Production	1965–1980
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car
Body style	4-door saloon [1] 2-door saloon [1] 2-door convertible [1]
Layout	FR layout
Platform	monocoque
Related	Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Rolls-Royce Camargue Rolls-Royce Corniche/Continental
Powertrain
Engine	6230 (from 1971) 6750 cc Rolls-Royce - Bentley L Series V8 engine
Transmission	4-speed automatic transmission / 3-speed automatic transmission (GM400)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	119.5 in (3,040 mm)
Length	203.5 in (5,170 mm)
Width	71 in (1,800 mm)
Height	59.75 in (1,518 mm)
Kerb weight	2,103 kg (4,636 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Bentley S3
Successor	Bentley Mulsanne

The Bentley T-Series is an automobile which was produced by Bentley Motors Limited in the United Kingdom from 1965 to 1980. It was announced and displayed for the first time at the Paris Motor Show on 5 October 1965 as a Bentley-badged version of the totally redesigned chassis-less Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow.

The Bentley T series was available as a four-door saloon and as a long wheelbase four-door saloon. A small number of two-door saloons were built with coachwork by James Young and Mulliner Park Ward and a two-door convertible with coachwork by Mulliner Park Ward was introduced in September 1967.

Point of difference

The Bentley T-Series was differentiated from the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow by its simpler and lighter front grille. In October 1966, the T saloon's pretax 'list price' of GBP 5375 undercut that of the Rolls-Royce by GBP 50.^[2]

Customers

The Bentley, being technically an identical twin of the Rolls-Royce, seems to have been bought mostly by owners wishing a little more understatement.

The formerly more sporting image of Bentley motor cars differing from Rolls-Royces was gone by the time the Silver Shadow/Bentley T was introduced and thus couldn't motivate buyers any more. "For a while Bentley´s sporting character has been as absent and as lamented as [deceased racing driver] Mr Seaman. The last batches of Bentleys have, to be rather frank, been a little hard to distinguish from their Rolls-Royce stablemates" was the opinion of Archie Vicar in the Motorist´s Illustrated Digest (Dec 1965).^[3] The same correspondent gave the car a favourable review, especially in comparison to its Rolls-Royce stablemate.^[4]

The outward appearance of a Bentley T is slightly more dynamic because the bonnet design is a few centimetres lower and the radiator shell shape with its rounded edges is smoother. In addition, the badging on wheel covers, boot lid and gauges featured Bentley motifs rather than Rolls-Royce ones.

Fundamental redesign^[5]

The T series is the first Bentley (or Rolls-Royce) without a separate chassis. It is totally different from its predecessor the S series.

• new steel and aluminum monocoque body with subframes to mount the engine and suspension, more space inside but smaller outside, more passenger room, particularly in the rear compartment, more luggage space
  dimensions: - radiator grille 5 inches lower and 2 inches wider; the whole car - 7 inches shorter, 5 inches lower and  3 ¹⁄₂ inches narrower
• independent suspension on all four wheels with automatic height control according to loading

Other major improvements:

• disc brakes on all wheels with a triplicate hydraulic braking system patented from Citroen that also supplied pressure for the self leveling suspension.
• new and lighter power steering, improved automatic transmission, eight-way adjustable electric front seats, weight reduced 150 lbs, larger fuel tank
• Engine is the least changed unit but a re-designed cylinder head allows a speed increase to 118 mph^[5]

1977 upgrade

The upgraded T2 featured rack and pinion steering, improved air conditioning, rubber-faced bumpers, a new fascia and for Non USA Spec. cars a front air dam, along with Bosch CIS Fuel Injection introduced for late 1979 and 1980 models for the USA and other markets, similarly to the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II.

The T1 was manufactured from 1965 to 1977 and the T2 was made from 1977 to 1980.

Production of Bentley T-Series

Model [6][7]	Period [6][7]	Units [6][7]
Bentley T1	1965–1977	1703
Bentley T1 LWB	1971–1976	9
Bentley T1 Two Door Saloon	1966–1971	114 *
Bentley T1 Pininfarina Coupé	1968	1
Bentley T1 Convertible	1967–1971	41
Bentley T2	1977–1980	558
Bentley T2 LWB	1977–1980	10

Note: 15 examples of the Two Door Saloon were built with coachwork by James Young and the remainder with coachwork by Mulliner Park Ward.^[6]

• 

  1970 T1 Four Door Saloon

• 

  1967 T1 Two Door Saloon
  (Coachwork by Mulliner Park Ward)

• 

  Pininfarina's one-off 1968 T1 Coupe Speciale. This model bears many similarities to the later Rolls-Royce Camargue, also designed by Pininfarina

• 

  1968 T1 Drophead Coupe

• 

  1977 T2 Four Door Saloon

References

1. Michael Sedgwick & Mark Gillies, A-Z of Cars 1945–1970, page 32
2. Cardew, Basil (1966). Daily Express Review of the 1966 Motor Show. London: Beaverbrook Newspapers Ltd.
3. Motorist's Illustrated Digest, Dec 1965
4. Motorist´s Illustrated Digest, 1965, cited at http://driventowrite.com/2013/10/01/1965-bentley-t-type-review/comment-page-1/#comment-540
5. Rolls-Royce Drop Conservative Mask And Unveil Silver Shadow At Paris Motor Show From Our Motoring Correspondent-PARIS, OCT. 5. The Times, Wednesday, Oct 06, 1965; pg. 9; Issue 56445; col E
6. Bentley T1 (1965 - 1977), www.rrab.com Retrieved on 15 June 2014
7. Bentley T2 (1977 - 1980), www.rrab.com Retrieved on 15 June 2014

External links