Bentley celebrates 40th year of turbocharged history at Goodwood

It’s been 40 years since Bentley built its first turbocharged production model, the Mulsanne Turbo. Yesterday, the British automotive brand celebrated this momentous event via a 10-car parade on the opening day of the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

“In the 40 years since the first turbocharged Bentley, the immense reserves of power and effortless torque that characterize Bentley engines have become inseparably associated with turbocharging. Today’s W12, V8, and V6 engines all benefit from turbocharging to deliver astonishing levels of performance and efficiency,” Bentley said in a recent press release.

The vehicles included in the parade are the following:

1991 Turbo R
2001 Arnage Red Label
2003 Continental R Mulliner Final Series
2010 Brooklands
2010 Mulsanne
2011 Continental Supersports
2014 Continental GT V8 S
2022 Continental GTC S
2022 Flying Spur S
2022 Continental GT Mulliner

Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see supercharged versions of various models — from city cars to supercars. However, it was a bold step in 1982 for Bentley to adopt the technology and one that paid off handsomely.

In the words of automotive historian Eric Dymock, it was a decision that “recaptured Bentley’s soul.” That soul can be experienced today in Bentley’s W12, 4.0 V8, and V6 hybrid models; the tidal wave of torque that is integral to Bentley’s appeal owes much to the turbocharger.

Photos from Bentley

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