1934 Bentley 3 1/2 Litre
Sports Saloon by Park Ward-
Year of manufacture1934
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Car typeSaloon
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DriveRHD
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ConditionUsed
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Exterior brand colourMaroon over Silver
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Interior colourOther
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Location
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Exterior colourOther
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GearboxManual
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Drivetrain2wd
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Fuel typePetrol
Description
Coys Auction
Ascot Racecourse,
Berkshire SL5 7JX
Saturday 2 October 2010 at 3pm
The first product of the 1931 Rolls-Royce take-over of Bentley, the 3½ Litre was introduced in 1933 and was in essence a sporting version of the Rolls-Royce 20/25. As such, it used the shorter chassis of the stillborn 'smaller' Rolls-Royce, code-named Peregrine, allied to a more powerful version of the 20/25's six cylinder engine with new crossflow cylinder head and camshaft, twin SU carburettors, twin fuel pumps and single coil ignition. Mated to a four-speed transmission with synchromesh and a hypoid bevel rear axle, the latter a first on a Rolls-Royce produced car, the 105bhp 3,699cc engine endowed the 3½ Litre with 90mph plus performance. Notably, this first of the Derby Bentleys was also the first to be marketed as 'The Silent Sports Car'; such was its considerable refinement.
The 3½ Litre soon gained a reputation for pace and fine handling combined with the elegance of hand-built coachwork supplied by