In the mid-eighties, Bentley Motors sought to reinvent itself after languishing in the shadow of then corporate parent Rolls-Royce.

To build on the success of the well-received 1985 Bentley Turbo R and further revive its sporting pedigree, the British automaker took inspiration from a beloved classic: the R-Type Continental of the 1950s.

Following years of research, Bentley introduced the Continental R in March 1991.

This large, hand-built coupe became one of the fastest and most expensive four-passenger cars in the world.

Perhaps more importantly, it is credited with burnishing Bentley’s faded image and proving its relevance as a standalone brand—one that would eventually flourish again after disentangling from Rolls-Royce under ownership of the Volkswagen Group starting in 1998.

Several variations of the coupe were produced during the car’s 12-year run.

Among them was the Continental R Mulliner, introduced in 1999 to answer requests for a car with “T” power but additional passe...