Bentley 4.25-Litre Sports Tourer

Click Here for Full Screen Image - Click Here to Download Image

The 2,422 Bentleys produced between 1933 and 1939 are known as the 'Derby Bentleys' after the Rolls-Royce factory in which they were built.

Rolls-Royce had secretly acquired Bentley Motors from the receiver in 1931 and was determined to honour the magnificent sporting heritage that came with this illustrious brand. Although the cars were based on the existing Rolls-Royce 20/25 and 25/30 models, they were much more than a badge-engineering exercise with considerably more powerful engines and a more sporting chassis which had been developed for the still-born Supercharged Peregrine project.

Dubbed 'The Silent Sportscar', the first Derby Bentley had a 3.5-litre six-cylinder engine with a new cross-flow cylinder head, twin SU carbs and twin fuel pumps. Feeding its 105bhp through a four-speed synchromesh gearbox, the car was good for a genuine 90mph and was widely praised for its combination of speed, refinement and handling prowess. Even WO Bentley himself was reported as saying: "Taking all things into consideration, I would rather own this Bentley than any other car produced under that name."

Faced with increasing competition from the likes of Alvis and Lagonda, in 1936 Rolls enlarged the capacity of the engine to 4.25-litres which boosted the power to 126bhp, allowed a top speed of virtually 100mph and notably improved acceleration. As before, completed chassis were supplied to the leading coachbuilders of the time and a variety of stunning looking cars resulted, marking what was perhaps the peak period of the British coachbuilders’ art. Just 1,234 4.25-litre Bentleys were made before war put an end to production in 1939.

Dating from November 1937, this particular Bentley began life as a Mulliner-bodied saloon and was first owned by a Miss Marjorie Smith. Not much is known of the subsequent history of the car until it was sold at auction in December 1993 when it was described as follows:

“This car carries a particularly attractive and sporting cut-away door tourer body by Edmunds of Plymouth which was fitted in 1960. In recent years it has been the property of a flamboyant ex-government minister and Bentley enthusiast. During his tenure an extensive mechanical restoration was carried out by renowned Derby Bentley experts Ristes in Nottingham, and there are invoices showing an expenditure of some £25,000 upon the engine, suspension and rear axle. The car has since been described by an expert as being 'one of the fastest and finest driving Derbys I have come across'.”

The flamboyant ex-minister referred to was Alan Clark, the military historian and diarist who was Conservative MP for Plymouth Sutton from 1974 to 1992 and for Kensington and Chelsea from 1997 until his death in September 1999. Memorably described by Norman Lamont as “the most politically incorrect, outspoken, iconoclastic and reckless politician of our times”, Clark held office as Minister for Trade and later as Minister for Defence Procurement during the Thatcher government of 1979 – 1990.

Outside of politics, Clark’s other great passion was for motorcars and he bought his first one, a 6.5-litre Bentley, while still a schoolboy at Eton when he didn’t even have a driving licence. By the time he was 24 he had been banned from driving three times, twice for speeding and once for driving an open Buick Roadster with a girl on his lap. He went on to deal in classic and vintage cars, building up an impressive Bentley collection of his own and also writing columns for ‘Thoroughbred & Classic Cars’ magazine in the UK and for ‘Road & Track’ in America, later detailing his motoring exploits in a book called ‘Backfire: A Passion for Cars and Motoring’.

During Clark’s ownership, B30LS had much money lavished upon it as detailed in the aforementioned £25,000 worth of bills from Ristes of Nottingham which included a full engine rebuild with new pistons etc. It seems that the odometer was re-set to zero at this time so the c20,140 miles now showing is the distance covered since all the mechanical work was completed. The car was also issued with the registration number CS 6856 in reference to Castle Saltwood in Kent, the Clark family residence which Alan had inherited from his father, the celebrated art historian Kenneth Clark (Lord Clark of Saltwood), in 1983.

Since Clark’s ownership the car has had three further owners, the vendor acquiring it from Orchid Cars in May 2003. He has continued to use it regularly, old MOTs showing that it has covered some 15,000 miles during his 13 years ownership, mainly on tours with the Bentley Drivers Club. He confirms that B30LS is indeed unusually fast, as noted in the 1993 auction catalogue, leaving similar cars trailing in its wake when gunned up long inclines and being voted ‘Car I would most like to take home’ by other entrants at a Silent Sportscar Club event at Chatsworth House a few years ago. The vendor also states that the car has always proved utterly reliable and has never let him down.

Appearing to be in good order throughout and recently fitted with a new hood, sidescreens and tonneau cover, this dashing Bentley with a colourful past is ready for a new owner to enjoy right away. It is only reluctantly for sale due to a leg problem which means that the vendor is no longer able to enjoy it as much as he once did.