1936 Bentley 4¼ Liter Drophead Coupe

In 1931 Rolls-Royce purchased Bentley Motors and moved the Bentley factory north from Cricklewood in London to Derby. The first 3.5 Litre 'Derby' Bentley - or 'The Silent Sports Car,' as it was called in contemporary sales literature - was introduced in 1933 as the more sporting Bentley equivalent to the Rolls-Royce 20/25 and 25/30. Bentley launched the more powerful 4.25 Litre model in 1936, and it made for a very lively touring car. With a four-speed gearbox and the extra 588 cc, this model had the same acceleration potential in fourth gear as the previous car offered in third gear. About 1,200 of these were sold before the introduction of its proposed successor, the Mark V, in 1939. For the bodies fitted to the Bentley chassis, coachbuilders usually designed a more aerodynamic and sportier body.

This 4.25 Litre was built in 1936 for Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh, better known to motor racing fans as Price Bira of Siam. He used the car while studying at Cambridge. It was delivered on February 10th of 1936. In the same period, he drove an ERA for the White Mouse racing team of his cousin, Prince Chula.