Eight Iconic, Most Collectible Bentley Motor Cars

The Bentley 6½ Litre was a rolling chassis powered by a 6.6L 4-valve SOHC inline-6 cast iron monobloc engine that developed 147hp. It had a single dry-plate clutch and four-wheel drum brakes. The Speed Six was the high-performance variant that produced 180hp, with the racing version producing 200hp. The Bentley Speed Six is best known as the winner of the 1929 and 1930 24 Hours of Le Mans. Two Speed Sixes were known as the “Blue Train Bentleys” for winning a race against the Nice-Palais express train service. The racing history combined with its rarity make the Speed Six the most prized collector’s Bentley.

The Bentley 4½ Litre was a rolling chassis powered by a 4.4L 4-valve SOHC inline-4 engine that developed 110hp, with the racing version developing 130hp. It won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1928. The “Blower Bentley” was the supercharged variant that produced 175hp, with the racing version producing 240hp. While it had little racing success due to poor reliability, the Blower earned Bentley the remark “fastest lorry in the world” by Ettore Bugatti. With only 55 made and its racing pedigree, the 4½ Litre Blower is one of the most sought-after Bentleys. It was also featured in the James Bond novel Casino Royale.

The Bentley R Type was a rebadged Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn. However, the two-door R Type Continental was a Bentley-only model with just 208 produced. It was powered by a 4.6L intake over exhaust, or F-head, inline-6 engine that produced 130hp. In 1954, the engine was bored to 4.9L. The R Type was the last Bentley sold with a manual transmission. The Continental was styled by Stanley Watts of H J Mulliner, with its fastback design and tailfins clearly echoing the aero rage of the 1950s. It was the fastest four-seater car of its time.

The original Azure was the convertible variant of the Continental R, which was the two-door grand touring variant of the Turbo R, which was based on the original Bentley Mulsanne, which was a rebadged Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit. It was powered by a 6.75L turbocharged OHV V8 engine that produced 385hp paired to the GM 4L80-E 4-speed automatic transmission. Pininfarina was instrumental in transforming the Continental R into the Azure and was the producer of the body shell and the convertible top. The Azure represents the pinnacle of Bentley's craftsmanship and is becoming collectible thanks to its old-world elegance with modern technology and limited numbers.

The Continental R was a luxury coupe that topped Rolls-Royce’s lineup in the 1990s. The Continental T was a more powerful, shorter-wheelbase version of the Continental R. The 10cm difference made the Continental T appreciably better handling, while the power increase to 400hp and later 420hp also helped its case of exclusively. The Continental T is known for its turned-metal dashboard with chrome-finished instruments as well as aluminum trims. The Continental T was even more expensive than the Azure at the time. Its limited production and distinctive design make it a desirable model among collectors of modern Bentleys.

For decades, Bentley was a forgotten brand selling rebadged Rolls-Royces. This changed in 1982 when Bentley threw a Garrett turbocharger on the 6.75L Rolls-Royce OHV V8 on the Mulsanne. The result was the Mulsanne Turbo with 50% more power. The Turbo R was a refreshed version, while the Turbo RT was the final version that developed 400hp, with the Mulliner Edition producing 420hp. It marked the start of Bentley’s modern renaissance.

The Arnage was the last rebadged Rolls-Royce, in this case of the Silver Seraph. Launched with a BMW M62 engine, the Arnage was quickly moved back to the old 6.75L L-series V8, as Volkswagen acquired the brand. The Arnage Final Series was the last version powered by an updated, twin-turbo version of the engine that produced 500hp paired to a ZF 6HP26 automatic transmission. It should be noted that the legendary Rolls-Royce V8 suffered from numerous mechanical weaknesses after Volkswagen “updated” it, until they finally got it right with the 2007 update. The Final Series represents the end of an era for Bentley and is collectible thanks to its 150-unit production number.

The Brooklands coupe was the two-door grand touring variant of the Arnage, sharing with the latter its mechanical underpinnings. Its engine got a power bump to 530hp and 1050Nm. The Brooklands is a whale among modern cars, with only the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe being slightly larger but no more imposing. The final car built on a real Rolls-Royce platform, the B-pillarless Brooklands coupe packs old-world charm with modern power and technology in a distinctly British suit. It even came with optional carbon ceramic brakes. The combination of power, luxury, and exclusivity makes the Brooklands a modern classic.