After World War Two, Rolls-Royce realised they would have to shift their focus away from chauffeur driven limousines to 'owner-driver' saloons. Their first all new post-war model was the Bentley MKVI of 1946, designed to be as compact as possible due to steel rationing. Powered by an all new engine, derived from a new family of Rolls-Royce power plants, the MKVI used the B60, twin SU carburettor, overhead inlet/side exhaust valve engine of 4,257cc, sufficient to propel the car to a top speed of 90mph. In 1951 this was replaced by the ‘Big Bore’ 4,566cc power plant which raised the top speed to a genuine 100mph.
The MKVI also broke tradition by being the first Rolls-Royce or Bentley car to have a standard body design. The 4-door body was produced by Pressed Steel and the cars were hand built at the new Rolls-Royce factory in Crewe, Cheshire. Separate chassis could still be purchased for special bodied cars and all cars had manual all-synchro gearboxes with RH side mounted floor changes. The MkVI was eventually replaced in 1953 by the long booted R-Type saloon.
This 1951 MkVI wears four-door saloon coachwork by Freestone & Webb, of North London, one of the finest of all British coachbuilders and a firm associated with quality marques from its earliest days, particularly Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-Benz. Finished in two-tone brown/beige it has a brown leather interior piped in cream. The car was owned for many years by a Mr James Wood, of Fenham, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and was purchased from his widow in 2005 by a Mr Peter Golding, who kept if for just a couple of years. Accompanying expired MoTs for the period 1999 to 2007 show an annual mileage of approximately 300, while there are bills on file totalling £6,000 for an engine rebuild carried out in 2002. The tyres and battery have been recently replaced and we are advised that the car drives well. Supplied with a V5C and a current MOT it is ready for immediate use.
THIS IS A LATE ENTRY AND WILL NOT APPEAR IN THE PRINTED CATALOGUE
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)