Produced as an Entry level Bentley, and aimed at a slightly younger market, the Bentley Eight was a storming sales success.
Based heavily on the Bentley Mulsanne but with many of the luxuries removed (for instance the Bentley Eight came with steel wheels and cloth seats, with leather an optional extra). The car was distinguished by it's uncharacteristic wire mesh grill, as opposed to Bentley's usual slatted un it; this was a nod toward the marque's sporting heritage and another grab at the younger motorist.
Powered by the Mulsanne's 6.75L V8 mated to the same automatic transmission, the Eight did have a slightly sportier feel than the Mulsanne thanks to its tighter suspension. When looking to buy a second-hand Bentley Eight, main dealers or Bentley specialists are probably the best bet, with parts and accessories still readily available and after-care service that is second to none. Main dealers or specialists are the best bets when buying a used Bentley but some knowledge of what to look for will help you to find the right car. Later cars are preferred by collectors as these came with alloy wheels, fuel injection and ABS, with dark blue and greens being more desirable than black, white or red body-work.
Despite extensive use of Aluminum in the cars production wheel arches are prone to rust. Also the Eight is a likely candidate for unscrupulous dealers swapping the clocks when mileage gets high, to combat this Bentley mark the glass in the dash every time they change a clock; look for two white dots. The Bentley Eight was discontinued in 1993 after an extremely successful sales run.