Bentley Turbo R SE 1997

The Bentley Turbo R SE was a limited edition model produced in 1997 with “SE” standing for Special Edition.

Bentley Turbo R SE 1997

Based on the standard Turbo R model, only 12 were made and each one featured an inscription on the panel covering the radio showing its position in the production run for example: “Bentley Turbo R SE Number 1 of 12”

Bentley Turbo R SE Radio Panel

All 12 cars were left hand drive and delivered to the American market.

They were finished in Black Garnet (very dark purple) or Black Emerald (very dark green), the latter of which is paint code 9540021:

Bentley Paint Code Badge 9540021 Black Emerald

Standard specification included:

1. Niche style seats fitted with Black hide inserts and Spruce or Maroon hide surrounding the inserts. No seat piping used. Note: Green Spruce Hide was only fitted to those cars with Black Emerald paintwork. Black Garnet vehicles featured Maroon Hide instead.

Bentley Turbo R SE Front Seats Spruce Hide Bentley Turbo R SE Rear Seats Spruce Hide Bentley Turbo R SE Interior Wildberry Hide

2. Headlining black hide with Spruce or Maroon central panel.

Bentley Turbo R SE Headlining Spruce Central Panel

3. Chrome plated Bentley Azure road wheels with black bright finish wheel centre badges.

Bentley Turbo R SE Chrome Azure Wheel

4. Body coloured radiator vanes and headlamp surrounds.

Bentley Turbo R SE Radiator Grill

5. Steering wheel rim only trimmed in Spruce or Maroon.

Bentley Turbo R SE Steering Wheel Spruce Hide

6. Top half of top roll trimmed in Black hide, and bottom half of top roll trimmed in Spruce or Maroon hide.

Bentley Turbo R SE Dashboard Spruce Hide

7. Armrests and door pads trimmed in Black hide.

Bentley Turbo R SE Door Panel Spruce Hide

8. Gear lever with top trimmed in Black and surround trimmed in Spruce or Maroon.

Bentley Turbo R SE Gear Lever Spruce Hide

9. Door mirror mountings and surrounds in body colour. Front to rear “A”, “BC”, and “D” posts all trimmed in spruce.  Burr walnut veneer and wrap around fully veneered door waistrails with crossbanding to the lower edge. Sunvisors trimmed with Black hide showing when “up” and trimmed in Spruce or Maroon hide showing when “down”.

Here are some factory sketches showing the interior detail:

Bentley Turbo R SE Interior Sketch Bentley Turbo R SE Rear Interior SketchBentley Turbo R SE Headlining Sketch

I have been able to find information about three quarters of the 12 cars produced. If you are lucky enough to own one or can help fill in some gaps in this list please get in touch.

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 1 of 12

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 2 of 12 (no information known)

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 3 of 12 (no information known)

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 4 of 12 (no information known)

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 5 of 12

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 6 of 12

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 7 of 12

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 8 of 12

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 9 of 12

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 10 of 12

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 11 of 12

Bentley Turbo R SE Number 12 of 12

This is the list of 12 chassis numbers used for this model. You will notice that the special edition number does not naturally tally with the chassis numbers. The lowest chassis number is actually car No. 9 while the “car No. 10” label was assigned to the highest chassis number in the list.

SCBZR14C1TCX58085 – Car 9 of 12
SCBZR14C3TCX58086 – Car 5 of 12
SCBZR14C5TCX58087
SCBZR14C1TCX58104 – Car 12 of 12
SCBZR14C3TCX58105 – Car 11 of 12
SCBZR14C7TCX58124 – Car 1 of 12
SCBZR14C9TCX58125 – Car 7 of 12
SCBZR14C3TCX58136 – Car 8 of 12
SCBZR14C5TCX58137
SCBZR14C6TCX58146
SCBZR14C8TCX58147 – Car 6 of 12
SCBZR14C7TCX58172 – Car 10 of 12