1948 Bentley MkVI 41/4 Saloon

Description

The Mark VI range was the first post-war production car from Bentley and marked a shift away from cars being individually coach-built to customer specifications, towards standardised production line bodywork. The Mark VI was assembled at Crewe with the vast majority receiving a four-door saloon body made by Pressed Steel. The smaller, lighter Mark VI was oriented towards the owner-driver when launched in May 1946 and won universal praise for its excellent performance and road manners. Powering the Bentley was a 4257cc B60 six-cylinder engine with light alloy cylinder head, developing an estimated 130bhp - making a genuine 100mph possible. The chassis of the Mark VI had coil-sprung front suspension and rode on a 120-inch wheelbase, making the new model considerably more compact than pre-war models. During the lifespan of the Mark VI (and its successor, the R-Type, with larger 4566cc engine and bigger boot) it sold very well in Australia, making this country the largest export market in the world for these cars. Today, the Mark VI is justifiably recognised as being a very underrated classic post-war saloon, with strong performance, excellent build quality and plenty of character available for a very reasonable outlay.