1951 Bentley Mark VI Empress Coupe

This 1951 Bentley Mark VI Empress Coupe with coachwork by Hooper was offered for sale at the 2007 Christie's Auction of 'Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center.' It is finished in Brewster green with a green leather interior. Power is provided from the six-cylinder engine with pushrod inlet overhead exhaust valves and twin 1.5-inch SU carburetors. The gearbox is a four-speed manual unit with synchromesh on the top three ratios. Braking is from the servo-assisted hydraulically operated drums in the front and mechanical drums in the rear.

The Bentley Mark IV was a very popular car, with the standard steel saloon bodies selling in larger numbers than any other Rolls-Royce or Bentley up to that era. This example has a custom body creation created by Hopper and is believed to be one of only three MKVI's built in two door coupe configuration. It has resided in the same collection for the past fifteen years. While in the owners care, the engine has been properly rebuilt, and a complete restoration was performed in the late 1990s.

At auction this car was estimated to sell for $65,000 - $85,000 which would be a bargain price considering the restoration cost around $100,000 to complete. It has traveled only a few miles since that time, and its restoration still appears to be very fresh. Sadly, the reserve was not met and the vehicle was left unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2007