Guglielmo Miani, owner of the iconic fashion label Larusmiani and initiator of the Fuori Concorso, had succeeded in bringing together a number of magnificent Bentley Continental R and T models, with which the British brand had shone in the 1990s, on the villa’s estate. Just how extraordinary the enormous coupés with their proportions, their exuberant luxury and their customised special features were, even in their day, was impressively demonstrated by the abundance of Continentals present. These included a Ferrari-eating Bentley Continental R for the exceptional Italian entrepreneur Carlo Talamo, a Bentley as it was built in the factory and a testament to British eccentricity. The Continental R “Sufacon” for the Sultan of Brunei with its 527 hp or the corduroy-lined Continental S for a British parliamentarian are also impressive proof that Bentley customers of the 1990s wanted to continue the extravagant and fast-paced tradition of the “Bentley Boys” of yore regardless of cost and convention. A canary yellow Bentley Continental T, built for the show at the Place de Casino in Monaco? Two secret compartments instead of the standard rear seats? In contrast to the roulette of Monte Carlo, anything was still possible in Crewe for a few years! And so, on this late summer evening, the glamorous representatives of the Milanese haute volée and an astonishing number of young, good-looking visitors strolled through the park of the villa on crunching gravel paths and admired the vehicles on display. A big compliment to Guglielmo Miani and his team for the first-class staging: each of the Bentleys on the grounds of the Villa del Grumello was staged in such a way that it made a wonderful photo motif.
In the past, anyone interested in a Bentley had to be either a film star like Curd Jürgens or a department store magnate like Helmut Horten. At the very least, it helped to be very Anglophile and quite rich. It’s hard to believe that until recently, these mighty Bentleys were available on the collectors’ market at ridiculously low prices. In the meantime, prices have risen significantly, but there are still fantastically equipped examples available at quite realistic prices.
At this point, allow us to take another look back – and at the question of which models can be used to reach millennials in the future. A target group that is comparatively unenthusiastic about cars. Or is it? We think that Bentley Stuttgart not only has an answer to this question, but also the right vehicle!
Fancy finding out more? Further information can be found on the Bentley Stuttgart website and social media: stuttgart.bentleymotors.com and https://www.facebook.com/bentleystgt
