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2010 Shannons Motorclassica Collector Vehicle Auction
Lot
31

1934 Bentley 3 1/2 litre Drophead Coupe

$193,000

Sold

Specifications

Engine 3669cc, 6 cylinder
Gearbox 4-Speed Manual
Body Work 'Parkward' Drophead Coupe
Colour Clotted Cream / Blac
Interior Red
Trim Leather
Wheels Steel Disc
Brakes Drum

Description

This lot is no longer available

Only due to Rolls-Royce Ltd. having acquired in 1931 the remains of the financially troubled previous competitor the Bentley name as a major part of the British motor industry was saved from oblivion. There can be few cars more British than the Vintage Bentley, famously described by Ettore Bugatti as being "the fastest lorry in the world". With no less than five glorious victories on Bugatti's home soil at Le Mans between 1924 and 1930, W.O.Bentley's domination of the French endurance classic ensured a legacy for his marque that survives to the present day. The men who piloted these big, brutal machines to victory, including the likes of Woolf Barnato, Sammy Davis, Jack Dunfee and Tim Birkin, were collectively known as the "Bentley Boys" and became heroes for their generation. Such is the reputation of the Bentley marque, that examples dating from the Vintage era fetch stratospheric prices when they infrequently change hands today.