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Bentley 3.5 Litre

December 13, 2023

The Bentley 3½ Litre (later enlarged to 4¼ Litre) was presented to the public in September 1933, shortly after the death of Henry Royce, and was the first new Bentley model following Rolls-Royce's acquisition of the Bentley brand in 1931.

Bentley 3½-litre and 4¼-litre
Sports saloon by Park Ward, 1935
Overview
ManufacturerBentley Motors (1931) Limited Derby, Derbyshire
Production1933–1939
2411 produced
AssemblyDerby, England chassis only
Body and chassis
ClassFull-size luxury car
Body styleChassis provided, customer to select own coachbuilder and body style
LayoutFR layout
Powertrain
Engine3½ L I6
4¼ L I6
Chassis numbers
A to F 3½ Litre
G to L(not I) 4¼ Litre
M 4¼ Litre overdrive
Transmission4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase126 in (3,200 mm)
Chronology
PredecessorCricklewood Bentleys
SuccessorBentley Mark V
3½-litre coupé de ville
by Thrupp & Maberly 1934

Bentley sold only the drivable bare rolling chassis with engine and gearbox, scuttle and radiator, ready for coachbuilders to construct on it a body to the buyer's requirements. Many distributors ordered their preferred bodies as showroom stock to enable them to stock finished cars ready for immediate sale.

Bentleys of this era are known as Derby Bentleys because they were built in the Rolls-Royce factory located in Derby, England. Those of Bentley's previous independent era are Cricklewood Bentleys.

Chassis series A to F were 3½ Litre cars; G to L (excluding I) were 4¼ Litres, and the M series was the 4¼ Litre Overdrive chassis. Each series consisted of 100 chassis numbers, either odd or even. The numbers 13 and 113 in each series were not used, to avoid upsetting superstitious customers.

Market edit

From the outset, the car was intended to compete on quality and grace rather than sporting reputation which had been the cornerstone of the pre-1931 Bentley company. The cars retained the famous curved radiator shape based on earlier Bentley models, but in all meaningful respects they were clearly Rolls-Royces. Although disappointing some traditional customers, they were well received by many others and even W.O. Bentley himself was reported as saying that he would "rather own this Bentley than any other car produced under that name." The Rolls-Royce Engineer in charge of the development project, Ernest Hives (later Lord Hives), underlined the Rolls-Royce modus operandi in a memo addressed to company staff "our recommendation is that we should make the car as good as we know how and then charge accordingly." At a time when the Ford 8 could be purchased new for £100, an early Bentley 3½ Litre cost around £1,500 (equivalent to £7,553 vs. £113,292 today)[1], putting it beyond the reach of all but the wealthiest consumers. Despite not being a car of remarkable outright performance, the car's unique blend of style and grace proved popular with the inter-war elite and it was advertised under the legend the silent sports car. Over 70% of the cars built between 1933 and 1939 were said to have still been in existence 70 years later.[2] Although chassis production ceased in 1939, a number of cars were still being bodied and delivered during 1940. The last few were delivered and first registered in 1941.

 
3½-litre fixed head coupé
by Bertelli of Feltham 1935
 
3½-litre aero sports saloon
by Rippon Bros. 1935

3½ Litre edit

Based on an experimental Rolls-Royce project "Peregrine" which was to have had a supercharged 2¾ L engine, the 3½ Litre was finally fitted with a less adventurous engine developed from Rolls' straight-6 fitted to the Rolls-Royce 20/25. The Bentley variant featured a higher compression ratio, sportier camshaft profile and two SU carburettors on a crossflow cylinder head. Actual power output was about 110 bhp (82 kW) at 4500 rpm, allowing the car to reach 90 mph (145 km/h). The engine displaced 3.7 L (3669 cc/223 in³) with a 3¼ in (82.5 mm) bore and 4½ in (114.3 mm) stroke.

A 4-speed manual transmission with synchromesh on 3rd and 4th, 4-wheel leaf spring suspension, and 4-wheel servo-assisted mechanical brakes were all common with other Rolls-Royce models. The chassis was manufactured from nickel steel, with a "double-dropped" layout to gain vertical space for the axles and thus keep the profiles of the cars low. The strong chassis needed no diagonal cross-bracing, and was very light in comparison to the chassis built by its contemporary competitors, weighing in at 2,510 lb (1,139 kg) in driveable form ready for delivery to the customer's chosen coachbuilder.

1177 3½ Litre cars were built, about half of them bodied by Park Ward, with the remainder "dressed" by coachbuilders including Barker, Carlton, Freestone & Webb, Gurney Nutting, Hooper, Mann Egerton, Mulliner (both Arthur and H J), Rippon Bros, Thrupp & Maberly, James Young, Vanden Plas and Windovers in England; Figoni et Falaschi, Kellner, Saoutchik and Vanvooren in Paris; and smaller concerns elsewhere in UK and Europe.

A drophead 3½ Litre was briefly featured as James Bond's vehicle in the 1963 movie From Russia with Love.[3]

 
4¼-litre 4-door sports saloon 1940
by Park Ward

4¼ Litre edit

Beginning in March, 1936, a 4¼ Litre version of the car was offered as replacement for the 3½ Litre, in order to offset the increasing weight of coachwork and maintain the car's sporting image in the face of stiff competition. The engine was bored to 3½ in (88.9 mm) for a total of 4.3 L (4257 cc/259 in³). From 1938 the MR and MX series cars featured Marles steering and an overdrive gearbox. The model was replaced in 1939 by the MkV, but some cars were still finished and delivered during 1940–1941.

1234 4¼ Litre cars were built, with Park Ward remaining the most popular coachbuilder. Many cars were bodied in steel rather than the previous, more expensive, aluminium over ash frame construction.

A Drophead 4¼ Litre was featured as James Bond's car in the 1983 movie Never Say Never Again.[4]

 
4¼-litre fixed head coupé 1939
by Pourtout of Paris for André Embiricos

Bentley Continental edit

Motorsport announced in March 1939 that the fixed head coupé designed by Paulin and built by Portout to the special order of André Embiricos is the prototype of a new Continental model in the Bentley range.[5]

The new production car would have high compression pistons and larger SU carburettors giving an extra 15 bhp (11 kW; 15 PS) output and its weight reduced from the standard car's by about 336 lb (152 kg) or 3 cwt. The maximum speed was expected to be 120 mph (193 km/h) and fuel consumption 26 mpg‑imp (11 L/100 km; 22 mpg‑US) at 60 mph (97 km/h).[5]

"Bentley must be justifiably proud of doing with a straightforward, push-rod engine what other makers cannot approach with overhead camshafts and blowers."[5]

Famous first owners edit

Racing edit

The Derby Bentley was not intended to be used as a racing car, unlike the earlier, pre-Rolls-Royce, cars built by W.O. Bentley. However, some examples were used for competition at an international level, including:

  • A 3½-Litre (later 4¼-Litre) raced by E.R. Hall in the RAC Tourist Trophy (TT) in Ulster in 1934, 1935 and 1936. It was the first competition car built at Rolls-Royce since the car built for Charles Rolls which he had driven to win the 1906 TT, and it was also their last.
  • Hall also raced the 4¼-Litre car at Le Mans in 1950, becoming the first man to drive solo for the entire distance of the race.
  • A 4¼-Litre with a streamlined-body by Pourtout of Paris for Greek racing driver A.M. Embiricos set a record of 115.05 mph (185.16 km/h) at Brooklands.
  • The Embiricos car also raced at Le Mans in 1949, 1950 and 1951 becoming the first car ever to have finished that event three years in succession.

Further reading edit

  • Alec Harvey-Bailey - Rolls-Royce - the Derby Bentleys (1984)
  • Michael Ellman-Brown - Bentley, the Silent Sports Car 1931–1941 (1989) ISBN 0-901564-33-8
  • Johnnie Green - Bentley - 50 years of the Marque (1969) ISBN 0-901564-00-1
  • Ray Roberts - Bentley Specials & Special Bentleys (1990) ISBN 0-85429-699-9
  • Rowbotham, William Arthur (1970). Silver Ghosts and Silver Dawn. London: Constable.
  • Michael Sedgwick and Mark Gillies - A-Z of Cars of the 1930s (1989) ISBN 1-870979-38-9

References edit

  1. ^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  2. ^ "derbybentley.com". derbybentley.com. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  3. ^ "1935 Bentley 3½ Litre Drop Head Coupe Park Ward in "From Russia with Love, 1963"". IMCDb.org. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  4. ^ "1937 Bentley 4¼ Litre Gurney Nutting 3-Position-Drophead Coupé [B129JY] in "Never Say Never Again, 1983"". IMCDb.org. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  5. ^ a b c Rumblings, a new Bentley. Motorsport March 1939, page 11

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bentley 3½ Litre.
  • Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club
  • Bentley Drivers Club
  • Rolls-Royce Owners Club (US)
  • Fiennes Restoration

December 13, 2023
bentley, litre, bentley, litre, later, enlarged, litre, presented, public, september, 1933, shortly, after, death, henry, royce, first, bentley, model, following, rolls, royce, acquisition, bentley, brand, 1931, bentley, litre, litresports, saloon, park, ward,. The Bentley 3 Litre later enlarged to 4 Litre was presented to the public in September 1933 shortly after the death of Henry Royce and was the first new Bentley model following Rolls Royce s acquisition of the Bentley brand in 1931 Bentley 3 litre and 4 litreSports saloon by Park Ward 1935OverviewManufacturerBentley Motors 1931 Limited Derby DerbyshireProduction1933 19392411 producedAssemblyDerby England chassis onlyBody and chassisClassFull size luxury carBody styleChassis provided customer to select own coachbuilder and body styleLayoutFR layoutPowertrainEngine3 L I64 L I6Chassis numbersA to F 3 LitreG to L not I 4 LitreM 4 Litre overdriveTransmission4 speed manualDimensionsWheelbase126 in 3 200 mm ChronologyPredecessorCricklewood BentleysSuccessorBentley Mark V3 litre coupe de villeby Thrupp amp Maberly 1934Bentley sold only the drivable bare rolling chassis with engine and gearbox scuttle and radiator ready for coachbuilders to construct on it a body to the buyer s requirements Many distributors ordered their preferred bodies as showroom stock to enable them to stock finished cars ready for immediate sale Bentleys of this era are known as Derby Bentleys because they were built in the Rolls Royce factory located in Derby England Those of Bentley s previous independent era are Cricklewood Bentleys Chassis series A to F were 3 Litre cars G to L excluding I were 4 Litres and the M series was the 4 Litre Overdrive chassis Each series consisted of 100 chassis numbers either odd or even The numbers 13 and 113 in each series were not used to avoid upsetting superstitious customers Contents 1 Market 2 3 Litre 3 4 Litre 3 1 Bentley Continental 4 Famous first owners 5 Racing 6 Further reading 7 References 8 External linksMarket editFrom the outset the car was intended to compete on quality and grace rather than sporting reputation which had been the cornerstone of the pre 1931 Bentley company The cars retained the famous curved radiator shape based on earlier Bentley models but in all meaningful respects they were clearly Rolls Royces Although disappointing some traditional customers they were well received by many others and even W O Bentley himself was reported as saying that he would rather own this Bentley than any other car produced under that name The Rolls Royce Engineer in charge of the development project Ernest Hives later Lord Hives underlined the Rolls Royce modus operandi in a memo addressed to company staff our recommendation is that we should make the car as good as we know how and then charge accordingly At a time when the Ford 8 could be purchased new for 100 an early Bentley 3 Litre cost around 1 500 equivalent to 7 553 vs 113 292 today 1 putting it beyond the reach of all but the wealthiest consumers Despite not being a car of remarkable outright performance the car s unique blend of style and grace proved popular with the inter war elite and it was advertised under the legend the silent sports car Over 70 of the cars built between 1933 and 1939 were said to have still been in existence 70 years later 2 Although chassis production ceased in 1939 a number of cars were still being bodied and delivered during 1940 The last few were delivered and first registered in 1941 nbsp 3 litre fixed head coupeby Bertelli of Feltham 1935 nbsp 3 litre aero sports saloonby Rippon Bros 19353 Litre editBased on an experimental Rolls Royce project Peregrine which was to have had a supercharged 2 L engine the 3 Litre was finally fitted with a less adventurous engine developed from Rolls straight 6 fitted to the Rolls Royce 20 25 The Bentley variant featured a higher compression ratio sportier camshaft profile and two SU carburettors on a crossflow cylinder head Actual power output was about 110 bhp 82 kW at 4500 rpm allowing the car to reach 90 mph 145 km h The engine displaced 3 7 L 3669 cc 223 in with a 3 in 82 5 mm bore and 4 in 114 3 mm stroke A 4 speed manual transmission with synchromesh on 3rd and 4th 4 wheel leaf spring suspension and 4 wheel servo assisted mechanical brakes were all common with other Rolls Royce models The chassis was manufactured from nickel steel with a double dropped layout to gain vertical space for the axles and thus keep the profiles of the cars low The strong chassis needed no diagonal cross bracing and was very light in comparison to the chassis built by its contemporary competitors weighing in at 2 510 lb 1 139 kg in driveable form ready for delivery to the customer s chosen coachbuilder 1177 3 Litre cars were built about half of them bodied by Park Ward with the remainder dressed by coachbuilders including Barker Carlton Freestone amp Webb Gurney Nutting Hooper Mann Egerton Mulliner both Arthur and H J Rippon Bros Thrupp amp Maberly James Young Vanden Plas and Windovers in England Figoni et Falaschi Kellner Saoutchik and Vanvooren in Paris and smaller concerns elsewhere in UK and Europe A drophead 3 Litre was briefly featured as James Bond s vehicle in the 1963 movie From Russia with Love 3 nbsp 4 litre 4 door sports saloon 1940by Park Ward4 Litre editBeginning in March 1936 a 4 Litre version of the car was offered as replacement for the 3 Litre in order to offset the increasing weight of coachwork and maintain the car s sporting image in the face of stiff competition The engine was bored to 3 in 88 9 mm for a total of 4 3 L 4257 cc 259 in From 1938 the MR and MX series cars featured Marles steering and an overdrive gearbox The model was replaced in 1939 by the MkV but some cars were still finished and delivered during 1940 1941 1234 4 Litre cars were built with Park Ward remaining the most popular coachbuilder Many cars were bodied in steel rather than the previous more expensive aluminium over ash frame construction A Drophead 4 Litre was featured as James Bond s car in the 1983 movie Never Say Never Again 4 nbsp 4 litre fixed head coupe 1939by Pourtout of Paris for Andre EmbiricosBentley Continental edit Motorsport announced in March 1939 that the fixed head coupe designed by Paulin and built by Portout to the special order of Andre Embiricos is the prototype of a new Continental model in the Bentley range 5 The new production car would have high compression pistons and larger SU carburettors giving an extra 15 bhp 11 kW 15 PS output and its weight reduced from the standard car s by about 336 lb 152 kg or 3 cwt The maximum speed was expected to be 120 mph 193 km h and fuel consumption 26 mpg imp 11 L 100 km 22 mpg US at 60 mph 97 km h 5 Bentley must be justifiably proud of doing with a straightforward push rod engine what other makers cannot approach with overhead camshafts and blowers 5 Famous first owners editWoolf Barnato racing driver amp former Bentley chairman B121AE B2DG B6GA B121GP Prince Bira racing driver and Olympic sailor B29GP Sir Malcolm Campbell nine times World Land Speed Record holder B141AE B206GA B22GA Billy Cotton bandleader B125DG George Eyston three time World Land Speed Record holder B24DG B82GA E R Hall racing driver and Winter Olympian B35AE B106GA B216GA Entered car in 1934 1935 and 1936 TT races on Ards Circuit Raymond Mays racing driver B125DG B24GA B144LS Robert Montgomery actor B63DK Sir Ernest Oppenheimer diamond and gold mining entrepreneur financier and philanthropist B130BL Bernard Rubin racing driver B109CW Anthony J Crowley fictional character NIAT RUC Racing editThe Derby Bentley was not intended to be used as a racing car unlike the earlier pre Rolls Royce cars built by W O Bentley However some examples were used for competition at an international level including A 3 Litre later 4 Litre raced by E R Hall in the RAC Tourist Trophy TT in Ulster in 1934 1935 and 1936 It was the first competition car built at Rolls Royce since the car built for Charles Rolls which he had driven to win the 1906 TT and it was also their last Hall also raced the 4 Litre car at Le Mans in 1950 becoming the first man to drive solo for the entire distance of the race A 4 Litre with a streamlined body by Pourtout of Paris for Greek racing driver A M Embiricos set a record of 115 05 mph 185 16 km h at Brooklands The Embiricos car also raced at Le Mans in 1949 1950 and 1951 becoming the first car ever to have finished that event three years in succession Further reading editAlec Harvey Bailey Rolls Royce the Derby Bentleys 1984 Michael Ellman Brown Bentley the Silent Sports Car 1931 1941 1989 ISBN 0 901564 33 8 Johnnie Green Bentley 50 years of the Marque 1969 ISBN 0 901564 00 1 Ray Roberts Bentley Specials amp Special Bentleys 1990 ISBN 0 85429 699 9 Rowbotham William Arthur 1970 Silver Ghosts and Silver Dawn London Constable Michael Sedgwick and Mark Gillies A Z of Cars of the 1930s 1989 ISBN 1 870979 38 9References edit UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark Gregory 2017 The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain 1209 to Present New Series MeasuringWorth Retrieved 11 June 2022 derbybentley com derbybentley com Retrieved 18 September 2011 1935 Bentley 3 Litre Drop Head Coupe Park Ward in From Russia with Love 1963 IMCDb org Retrieved 13 April 2009 1937 Bentley 4 Litre Gurney Nutting 3 Position Drophead Coupe B129JY in Never Say Never Again 1983 IMCDb org Retrieved 13 April 2009 a b c Rumblings a new Bentley Motorsport March 1939 page 11External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bentley 3 Litre Rolls Royce Enthusiasts Club Bentley Drivers Club Rolls Royce Owners Club US Fiennes Restoration Bradshaw s Brae painting by Debra Wenlock Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bentley 3 5 Litre amp oldid 1159546672, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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