“THE V8 WAS WAS CAPABLE OF BELTING ACROSS THE COUNTRYSIDE AT AN EYE-OPENING PACE”
brakes and (as this is one of the earlier numbers) higher gearing.
In reality this may be a definition of ‘sporty’ that doesn’t gel. Weight was hardly a critical consideration, given these cars were still packed with good solid walnut finish (though you could order something bespoke) and of course the best hides and carpets for the interior.
Performance for these giant two-doors was typically described as adequate with good reason. Though not exactly a tyre-frying package, the 6.2lt V8 was capable of belting across the countryside at an eye-opening rate.
For enthusiasts, Bentleys of this generation may have lost a little of their sporty edge – garnered during the racing heyday of the marque during the 1920s and 1930s – but they were still very much their own brand rather than Rolls-Royce clones.
Because of the tiny build numbers and the substantial world-wide following for these cars, the history of individual examples tends to be well-known. For example, this one is said to have undergone what would have been an extensive restoration with Rolls-Royce specialist Roger Fry. Since that time it’s been with specialists such as Paradise Garage in Sydney.
Everything suggests this example has led a pampered life over recent decades, which means you’re a long way from facing the daunting prospect of a restoration. It’s with Lorbek in Melbourne and is priced at $498,000.