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Rare Bentley Heading to Auction, One of Three Ever Made

If you made the decision to venture into the world of classic car collecting, it's never wrong to go for an old school Bentley. However, your budget may not be sufficient to meet this particular Bentley's estimate of between £800,000 and £900,000 or a whopping $1.29 to $1.45 million at current exchange rates.
1954 Bentley Type R Continental Fastback 4 photos
Photo: Silverstone Auctions
1954 Bentley Type R Continental Fastback1954 Bentley Type R Continental Fastback1954 Bentley Type R Continental Fastback
This is the type of automotive retro only old dogs with a fat bank account can afford, unfortunately. Still, it's one heck of a machine. Beautiful, powerful, exquisite and very scarce. The car we're talking about today is a 1954 Bentley Type R Continental Fastback, one of three RHD automatic units ever produced.

Set to headline the final sale of the current year for British outfit Silverstone Auctions at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show in November, this luxurious ride is a late D series car that has been carefully cared for throughout its 60-year existence. Its current owner is adamant that the Bentley is close to concours condition thanks to a recent recondition.

Chassis #BC9D was first delivered in 1954 to an Alan G Clark bloke, which specified it with electric window lifts, a flat petrol tank, Smiths ventilation and heating, as well as two RD 8187 fog lamps. Being a member of the late D series, this Type R Continental Fastback benefits from the 4.9-liter engine that adds a little bit of power over the 4.5-liter and hardened valve seats for better reliability.

That jaw-dropping aluminum coachwork was made by H.J. Mulliner & Co. some 170 miles south of the Rolls-Royce factory in Crewe (yes, Rolls-Royce). The owner of this magnificent Bentley also decided to throw in an extensive history file for major works undertaken to it during the last few years. This includes a full respray in Shell Grey, a mid-blue hide-wrapped interior and posh dark blue Wilton carpets.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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