Bentley R-Type

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Introduced at the 1952 Earls Court Motor Show, the R-Type was a subtle reworking of its MkVI predecessor and would have been called the MkVII had Jaguar not just appropriated the name for their flagship saloon.

Effectively a longer booted version of the MkVI, it was powered by a silky smooth 'Big Bore' 4,566cc straight-six engine with twin SU carbs and aluminium cylinder head. Despite weighing nearly two tons, it was a spritely performer, especially in manual guise, achieving 106mph in near silence and reaching 50 from standstill in just 10 seconds.

Servo assisted drum brakes provided the stopping power while suspension was independent with coil springs to the front, leaf springs to the rear. Enjoyable to drive with a light surefooted feel, it had enough power to give even contemporary sportscars a serious run for their money. Just 2,320 examples were made before it was replaced by the much larger S1 in 1955.

First registered in May 1953, this R-Type has the desirable four-speed manual gearbox and looks most striking in dark blue over cream with white-band tyres. Between 2005 and 2007 the car was treated to a substantial restoration which has resulted in the fine specimen you see today, bills on file amounting to over £29,000 during this period.

This included a full repaint, new chrome on all the brightwork and a full interior retrim with new Wilton carpets, a new headlining, refurbished woodwork and new navy leather seat covers piped in cream. Much of the work appears to have been carried out by Britannia Motor Engineering of Waltham Cross who also fitted a rebuilt 4.25-litre engine from a Bentley MkVI. Other bills on file amounting to a further £8,000 document subsequent upkeep, including a new exhaust system and work to the chassis in 2012.

Our vendor acquired the car via Brightwells in 2015 to use for some family weddings, duties which it fulfilled admirably. Starting promptly and running beautifully as we moved it around for these photos, this lovely old Bentley has still only covered around 2,000 miles since the restoration was completed. Now that it has served its purpose, the vendor has decided that the time has come to pass it on to someone who can give it the more regular exercise it deserves.