1952 Bentley Mark VI - MK6 Special - Fully Rebuilt - 'Old Number One'

“As if Le Mans never stopped.”

Imagine standing trackside at Le Mans in the late 1920s. The atmosphere is electric. Then, in the distance, you hear it: a deep, unmistakable roar. Growing louder by the second.

And then they appear — the Bentley Boys.

Flat out, committed to the last, driving with the kind of bravery that defined an era. It is precisely this spirit that this Bentley Mk VI Special captures so beautifully.

A tribute to Bentley’s golden years, when the legendary Bentley Boys took their enormous racing Bentleys to the toughest events across Europe. The ultimate expression of that era was the Bentley Speed Six, which famously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both 1929 and 1930. In 1929, Woolf Barnato and Tim Birkin brought victory to Bentley; a year later, Barnato returned to the top step, this time alongside Glen Kidston.

The basis for this Special is an original Bentley Mk VI, chassis number B47PU. Produced from 1946 onwards, the Mk VI was Bentley’s first entirely post-war generation and marked an important chapter in the company’s history.

The previous owner brought the car to the Netherlands and commissioned a comprehensive body-off restoration. The original Bentley chassis was subsequently transformed into a wonderfully characterful Special, inspired by the pre-war Bentley racing cars and, in particular, the unmistakable presence of Old Number One.

For the project, the car was entrusted to Serry Exclusive, drawing on the expertise of Vintage Car Serry, specialists in the creation of exclusive recreations inspired by historic Bentleys.

Beneath the beautifully shaped aluminium bodywork lies fully rebuilt Bentley mechanicals. Power comes from the characteristic 4.25-litre Bentley B60 straight-six, coupled to the original four-speed gearbox.

But perhaps most importantly, this is not a Bentley built simply to be admired.

It was built to be driven.

To cover miles. To enter rallies. To experience the simple pleasure of driving a great car across great roads — when motoring was still very much an adventure.

The previous owner certainly understood this. The Bentley was entered in the Flying Scotsman Rally, where it was enjoyed enormously and achieved an excellent result. It crossed the Scottish Highlands without hesitation, taking everything the route could throw at it in its stride.

And that is perhaps where this Bentley makes the most sense.

The long bonnet stretching out ahead of you. The deep, purposeful note of the straight-six. Narrow roads winding their way through the Highlands. Rain, mist and rolling hills.

Quite simply, magnificent.