1931 Bentley 8-Litre Le Mans-Style Tourer

• One of only 100 8-Litre models made
• Serviced by marque specialists NDR in 2014
• Circa 2,000 dry miles only since restoration

Although the prevailing image of Bentley cars during the Cricklewood period of the company's life is that of out-and-out sports cars and fast tourers, it is often overlooked that W O Bentley made a determined bid for the carriage trade, particularly with his larger 4½-Litre, 6½-Litre and 8-Litre models, and it is largely because of this that Napier's bid for the company in 1931 was thwarted by Rolls-Royce, which doubtless saw that a rejuvenated Bentley company would present strong competition for its own models.

As it is, only 100 examples of the 8-Litre model had been produced before bankruptcy overtook the original Bentley company; had they been in a stronger financial position it might well have been a different story. With a chassis price of £1,850, the 8-Litre Bentley was in direct competition with the Rolls-Royce Phantom II while offering better performance, and the contemporary motoring press was lavish with its praise for the 8-Litre model. The latter had debuted at the 1930 London Motor Show and was the largest-engined car made in the UK at that time and arguably the fastest. Bentley's advertising claimed '100mph without noise' and tests bore out that claim, the 8-Litre being fully capable of the 'ton' even when burdened with weighty formal coachwork. As W O Bentley himself said: "I have wanted to produce a dead silent 100mph car, and now I think we have done it."

The 8-Litre represents an evolutionary step in the development of the Vintage-era Bentley, combining proven features of the 6½-Litre model with the latest engineering advances. Rather than trying to extract more power from the existing 6½-Litre engine, W O Bentley followed his long-preferred method of improving performance and simply enlarged it, increasing the bore size from 100 to 110mm. Although the 8-Litre's engine followed conventional Bentley practice, its gearbox - designated 'F-type' - was radically different from its predecessors, the redesign having been necessitated by the greatly increased power and torque it was required to transmit, as well as the quest for silence.

The massive chassis frame likewise was entirely new, being of the 'double drop' design that enabled overall height to be reduced and the centre of gravity lowered, these aims also dictating the use of a hypoid-bevel rear axle. Seven tubular cross members resulted in a much stronger and less flexible frame than hitherto, which was available in a choice of two wheelbases: 12' or 13'. Revised suspension incorporating longer road springs, out-rigged at the rear, together with Bentley & Draper shock absorbers made for increased smoothness and stability, both vital considerations when designing a large and weighty vehicle capable of three-figure speeds. The 8-Litre's steering and braking systems also featured numerous detail improvements.

"Motoring in its very highest form," eulogised The Autocar in December 1930, having recorded a top speed of 101.12mph in W O Bentley's own saloon-bodied 8-Litre over the half mile. Between 1930 and 1939, Britain's foremost motoring magazine bettered that figure only once, while testing an Alfa Romeo 8C 2300. The 8-Litre was destined to remain the fastest production Bentley until the R-Type Continental's arrival in 1953.

Retaining its original registration number, this magnificent Le Mans-style 8-Litre started life as a Thrupp & Maberly-bodied landaulette ordered new by a Mrs Ossorio, who took delivery in March of 1932. After a crash sometime between 1932 and 1939, the car was repaired and subsequently used as a hack at the Whyteleafe and Brightlingsea shipyard during and after WW2.

Sometime before 1956, while in use in the shipyard, the car suffered damage from exposure to sea air and a fire within the yard. As a result of this it was cut up for scrap. Eventually the Bentley was recovered and reconstructed as a Vanden Plas-style four-seater tourer with a body by H & H Coachworks. The car was also fitted with an F-Type gearbox and a Speed Six axle. It then formed part of a large private collection before being sold in the early 1990s. Subsequently the Bentley found its way to the premises of marque specialist Neil Davis, where it was serviced and got running properly again. Neil then sold the car to the current owner in 2014. Since Neil's servicing work the car has covered some 2,000-or-so miles in sunny weather only.

The engine runs on triple carburettors, endowing the car with very spirited performance and the ability to pass modern traffic at motorway speeds with ease. Other notable features include 21" wire wheels, a fishtail exhaust, and a Le Mans-style large-capacity fuel tank, enabling long distances to be covered without frequent refuelling. Twin fuel pumps are fitted, activated by separate switches to the right of the steering wheel. The green fabric body is in very good condition and perfectly complements the green leather interior with its racing-style bucket seats. The dashboard is equipped with a full quota of period instrumentation including large rev counter and speedometer in addition to the various other gauges.