Bentley Derby 3½-litre Four-Door Sports Saloon

Bentley 3½-litre Four-Door Sports Saloon 1934

• Coachwork by Park Ward
• First registation 15/09/1934
• Belgian registration since 2014
• Chassis no. B 108 CR
• Engine no. U-7-BH

The 'Silent Sportscar' was launched in 1933, marking a new era for the company and was an immediate success.

The first of the 'Derby' built Bentleys, the 3½ litre continued the marque's sporting history, but in a new manner even more refined than before.

Even W.O. Bentley acknowledged that the 3½ litre was the finest ever to bear his name. Based on the contemporary Rolls-Royce 20/25, the 3½ litre has

a slightly shorter wheelbase and employs a tuned version of the 20/25's overhead valve six with raised compression ratio which produced a top speed

of 90mph, putting this model among the really high performers of the mid 1930s. A tireless long distance touring car, it had few peers and combined the

traditional Rolls-Royce refinement with Bentley performance and handling. Park Ward's elegant Sports Saloon coachwork was by far the most popular

choice for the 3½ model from a total production of 1,177 chassis between 1933 and 1936. Delivered in December 1934 to the first owner, a

Mr E Watson-Smythe of Knutsford, Cheshire, this elegant Sports Saloon with twin sidemounts and sliding sunroof retains the original engine and

registration number. Believed to be a three owner car until 1965 this car moved to America, returning in 1990 to be restored by the previous owner before

acquisition by the current owner in 1992. Enjoyed for Summer continental touring, old MoT certificates indicate just 8700 miles has been covered in the

present ownership. On discovering the original colour scheme, the car has now been totally bare metal repainted in maroon over gun metal grey, with

matching grey leather and maroon trim.

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Visible only on appointment

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