Oldest Surviving Production Bentley in the World Sells for Nearly $1M

This year’s Pebble Beach event witnessed the sale of the 1921 3 Litre ‘Chassis Number 3’, the world’s oldest surviving production Bentley. This happened 90 years after Bentley’s very first customer, Noel Van Raalte, took delivery of the vehicle in question.

Then sold for £1,150 (about $1,894 at the current exchange rate), the car has now snapped $962,500 (final auction price includes 10% buyer’s premium) at the Gooding & Co. auction. The ‘matching-numbers’ car comes with original aluminium coachwork and brass brightwork.

The 3 Litre came with wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in 1924 and 1927, marking the start of five Bentley victories in eight years.

“Pebble Beach is the ideal venue to showcase Bentleys old and new,” said Chairman & Chief Executive, Wolfgang Durheimer. “On the same day that Gooding & Co. auctioned the world’s oldest surviving production Bentley, we hosted a private preview of a brand new model.  During Monterey week, the enthusiasm for the evolution of the automobile is palpable.”

Also on display at this year’s event was the limited-edition 631hp Supersports Convertible ISR (Ice Speed Record), inspired by world rally champion, Juha Kankkunen’s drive in February this year on the frozen Baltic Sea, off the coast of Finland. In his hands, the all-wheel drive, biofuel-powered 6-litre, 12-cylinder Continental Supersports convertible set a speed of 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h) eclipsing Kankkunen’s own ice speed record of 199.83 mph (321.6 km/h) set in 2007 in the Continental GT.