1954 Bentley R Type Fastback Coupe

After the Second World War, Rolls-Royce began preparations for, what would become known as, the Standard Steel Saloon. The first of these was introduced in 1946 on the Bentley Mark VI. It had standard coachwork and appealed to a wide audience. Those customers who demanded more were given the Bentley Continental. This new grand touring model was initially called the Corniche II. Once production got underway, the name was changed to the 'Continental Sport Saloon.' It shared its basic chassis layout, much of its suspension, steering, and braking with the Mark VI. There were many differences as well.

The H.J Mulliner Sports Saloon was given an aluminum, lightweight body with a fastback deck, tapered rear fenders and a curved windscreen. The series A, B, and C cars were given an inline six-cylinder engine. The engine featured an aluminum cylinder head, six overhead intake valves, and six side exhaust valves. This 4.5-liter unit was capable of producing 158 horsepower, thanks in part to the dual SU H-6 carburetors, large bore exhaust system, and high compression.

The first 89 Continentals produced were fitted with a four-speed manual gearbox. The later series cars had an automatic based on the General Motors Hydr-Matic unit. In total, there were 166 cars with manual gearboxes and 42 with the automatic.

This 1954 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback with coachwork by H.J. Mulliner is a left-hand drive vehicle with the highly desirable four-speed automatic.

In 2008, this vehicle was offered for sale at the 'Sports & Classics of Monterey' presented by RM Auctions. It had an estimated value of $575,000 - $765,000. The lot was sold for a high bid of $550,000, including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2009