Lot 759: 1953 Bentley ‘R’ Type 4,566cc Standard Steel Saloon

“High grade leather, finely polished wood and a general air of good taste characterise the Bentley’s interior”. So wrote The Motor when road testing the prototype Bentley ‘R’ Type which they found to have ‘much improved high speed handling’ and to be capable of ‘appreciably improved average speed over winding country roads’. Launched at the 1952 Earls Court Motor Show, Bentley’s new ‘R’ Type was powered by the 4,566cc version of the renowned F-head six-cylinder engine, first seen in the Mark 6 of 1946, albeit then in 4,250cc form. This new engine developed an estimated 150bhp and the ‘R’ Type was offered with either manual or automatic transmission options. Compared to its predecessor the ‘R’ Type had an extended chassis, enabling a more commodious boot to be accommodated and at the same time giving the standard factory coachwork a more elegant profile. Little wonder then that the customer list for the new model read like a ‘Who’s Who’ of industry, show business and nobility and some 2,320 examples found distinguished home and overseas buyers. PNK, to manual gearbox specification, was first registered in July 1953 and comes with its original buff log book, suggesting just four private owners prior to acquisition by its present owner some 31 years ago. During this ownership it has been used sparingly, with occasional wedding use, and maintained as closely as possible to original specification. The car is smartly presented in pewter over silver livery and retains its original brown leather interior which is nicely conserved. It is equipped with a sliding sun roof, its original tool tray with many original tools, under-bonnet inspection lamp and a period radio in working order. We are advised that the radiator has been re-cored in recent years. This elegant Bentley comes with its aforementioned buff log book, a series of expired MoT certificates suggesting that during the present long ownership annual mileage has averaged little more than 1,000 per year, Swansea V5C registration document, current MoT and road fund licence.