1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter

Walter O. Bentley's company was purchased by Rolls-Royce, Ltd. in 1931 and moved from Cricklewood, London to Rolls' Derby works. The Bentley cars produced from 1933 through 1939 are known as the 'Derby Bentleys.' The first of these was based on the current-series Rolls-Royce 202/25-horsepower chassis but was reconfigured to use the 20/25's 2.75-liter engine. The 126-inch bare chassis left the factory to be bodied by outside coachbuilders.

1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter photo
Saloon by Park Ward & Co.
Chassis #: B131MX
Engine #: U5BE
View info and history
Auction entries : 3
By 1936 the bodies had grown in size and weight and a new power plant was required. To provide more horsepower, a 4257-cc engine was offered, complete with a higher compression ratio of 6.8:1 compared to 6:1, and the Rolls-Royce Stromberg downdraft single carburetor was replaced by dual SUs. A few of the 3.5-liter cars were converted at the factory to the larger power plant. With permission from Hispano-Suiza, servo-assisted mechanical brakes were placed on all four corners of the car.

The new 4.25-Litre (4,257cc) model, introduced in 1936, had an increase in power over the previous model while retaining the well-proven chassis with servo-assisted braking and faultless gear-change. This new engine was shared with the equivalent Rolls-Royce, the 25/30hp, and as had been the case with the preceding 3½-Litre model, was a superior specification in Bentley form, fitted with twin SU carburetors, raised compression ratio, and a more 'sporting' camshaft. Equipped with twin SU carburetors, the 4,257cc overhead valve inline 6-cylinder engine delivered 126 horsepower at 4,500 RPM. The introduction of the Hall's Metal bearings would eventually lead to an adoption of an overdrive gearbox and improved lubrication system, improvements which coincided with the introduction of the 'M' series cars in 1939. Approximately 200 examples were produced during 1939 (a total of 1,234 examples during its production lifespan), and they were renowned for their reliability, refinement, and long-distance cruising capabilities.

The 126-inch wheelbase platform was suspended at the front via a solid axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. At the rear was a live axle setup with semi-elliptical leaf springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. Servo-assisted mechanical drum brakes at all four corners provided the stopping power. Most examples wore coachwork by Park Ward and most were formed from steel rather than the previous, aluminum over ash frame construction.

1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter photo
Tourer by Vanden Plas
Chassis #: B91 MX
View info and history
The new 4¼-Litre model delivered more power than before while retaining the finely tuned chassis with faultless gear-change, and servo-assisted braking. 'The Silent Sports Car', as it was quickly dubbed, had few peers as a tireless long-distance tourer


by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2019

Related Reading : Bentley 4¼ Litre History

Bentley Motors was purchased by Rolls-Royce in 1931. One of the first of the Bentley vehicles produced after this merge was the 1933 3-12 Liter, a vehicle similar to the Rolls Royce 2025. Bentley automobiles personified racing and the 3 12 Liter vehicle followed this tradition. It had a more powerful engine than its 2025 counterpart. This had been achieved by adding a second carburetor and modification....
Continue Reading >>

1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter Vehicle Profiles

1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter vehicle information
Sport Coupe

Coachwork: Park Ward & Co.
Chassis #: B30MR
Engine #: C8BM
1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter vehicle information
Drophead Coupe

Coachwork: Vanvooren
1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter vehicle information
Drophead Tourer

Coachwork: Vanden Plas
Chassis #: B154MR
1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter vehicle information
Drpohead Coupe

Coachwork: Park Ward & Co.
Chassis #: B157MX
1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter vehicle information
Pillarless Saloon

Coachwork: Vanvooren
Chassis #: B3MX
Engine #: B7BN
1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter vehicle information
Embiricos Coupe

Chassis #: B119MX
Engine #: W9BC
1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter vehicle information
Sunroof Coupe

Coachwork: Vanvooren
Chassis #: B132LS
1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter vehicle information
Saloon

Coachwork: Park Ward & Co.
Chassis #: B131MX
Engine #: U5BE
1939 Bentley 4¼ Liter vehicle information
Tourer

Coachwork: Vanden Plas
Chassis #: B91 MX

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

4¼ Litre

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
126.00 in.
6 cyl., 259.35 CID., 125.00hp
126.00 in.
6 cyl., 259.35 CID., 125.00hp
117.48 in., 117.50 in., 126.00 in.
6 cyl., 274.61 CID., 125.00hp
$7,200 - $7,200
117.50 in.
6 cyl., 274.61 CID., 125.00hp
126.00 in.
6 cyl., 259.78 CID., 125.00hp

Related Automotive News

2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Best of Show Winner

2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Best of Show Winner

1931 Bentley 8 Litre Named Best of Show at the 69th Pebble Beach Concours dElegance PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (August 18, 2019) — Every August, the history of the automobile rolls onto the competition field of the Pebble Beach Concours dElegance...
Alfa Romeo Named Best of Show at the 68th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Alfa Romeo Named Best of Show at the 68th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Touring-Bodied Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Named Best of Show at the 68th Pebble Beach Concours dElegance PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (August 26, 2018) — After an intense competition that drew diverse cars from around the globe, the coveted gold Best of Show...
2015 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Best of Show

2015 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Best of Show

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (August 17, 2015) -- An Italian Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Cabriolet that once turned heads and garnered top prizes in the classic era glided to victory at the 65th Pebble Beach Concours dElegance on Sunday. The competition...
63rd Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Names 1934 Packard  'Best of Show'

63rd Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Names 1934 Packard 'Best of Show'

The competition showcased 248 cars, including 48 from abroad PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (August 18, 2013) -- A 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria owned by Joseph and Margie Cassini III of West Orange, New Jersey, was named Best...
Famous Bentley 4¼-Litre 'Embiricos' Special Makes Star Appearance At Crewe Factory

Famous Bentley 4¼-Litre 'Embiricos' Special Makes Star Appearance At Crewe Factory

One of the rarest and most valuable Bentleys in the world, the 4¼-Litre Embiricos special, is making an historic appearance at the marques home in Crewe. Fresh from taking part in the Louis Vuitton Serenissima Run in Venice and featuring at the...

Vehicle information, history, and specifications from concept to production.