Lot details Registration No: BLY 26 Chassis No: B36DG Mot Expiry: April 2013
It is a sobering thought. Had Rolls-Royce not purchased its financially troubled competitor Bentley in 1931, the world would have been denied the Continental, Turbo R, Mulsanne and countless other iconic models subsequently graced with the 'Flying B'. Of particular loss for many, would have been the coachbuilt Derby Bentleys manufactured between 1933 and 1939. Their chassis was derived from an experimental supercharged 2.75-litre Rolls-Royce (codenamed Peregrine) that never saw the light of day, and power came from a redesigned and tuned version of the company's 20/25 engine, initially of 3.5-litres (3669cc). Fed by a pair of SU carburettors, it drove through a four-speed manual gearbox. The suspension was by semi-elliptic springs all-round and braking by servo assisted drums. The newcomer was introduced to the public in the appropriate surroundings of Ascot during August 1933, and production of these 3.5-litre cars continued into 1937; by which time 1,191 examples had been produced. The last year's allocation was manufactured alongside the incoming 4.25-litre (4257 cc) version that would ultimately supersede the 3.5-litre cars. Coachbuilders and body styles were the preserve of the customer and the following are just a few of the illustrious firms engaged to clothe these fine cars: Park Ward, Barker, Vanden Plas, Thrupp & Maberly, Gurney Nutting, H.J. Mulliner, Hooper, James Young and Arthur Mulliner.
The Derby Bentley on offer is a 1935 3.5 Litre Sports Saloon by Park Ward. The purposefully elegant coachwork is finished in Black and complemented by a Grey leather interior. 'BLY 26' was reportedly treated to a restoration by Nixons of Braintree, Essex in 2006 and is now regarded by the vendor as having "very good" interior trim, engine and gearbox and "good" bodywork and paintwork. The Derby comes complete with working sunroof and is MOT'd through to April of next year.
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