Bentley is a special breed in the league of super vehicles. A paragon of stellar craftsmanship steeped in old-world luxury, these cars bear a unique panache. Elegant, sophisticated, and regal, all with an incredible performance pedigree, there's no doubt that Bentley aims for and delivers perfection.
The company was founded in 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley in North London. He used to sell DFP cars in the city while nurturing dreams of beginning his own automobile empire. A sudden brainwave at the car shop – of replacing cast iron pistons with aluminium – sparked his ambitions to life.
The first ever Bentley car (with aluminium pistons, of course) was released in 1921 and immediately impressed everyone in the auto landscape. It won Bentley's first 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924.
To this day, Bentley wears the badge of British automobile eminence. Its signature style, track heritage, and association with the Royals have carved an elevated niche for the brand. Read on to discover Bentley’s most expensive cars.
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1931 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre SC "Blower" Sports 2/3 Seater Boattail: $8,000,000 – $10,000,000
The 4.5-litre Blower is one of Bentley’s most quintessential series. A vision of Sir Henry Ralph Stanley “Tim” Birkin, one of the iconic “Bentley Boys,” only 50 units of this model were ever made.
W.O. Bentley was sceptical of superchargers and believed in the efficiency of larger engines. He expressed, “They would lack in their preparation all the experience we had built up in (our own) racing department over 10 years. I feared the worst and looked forward to their first appearance with anxiety.”
Armed with a mounted supercharger, the 4.5-litre Blower outputted 172 HP as opposed to the 108 HP produced by the regular 4.5-litre.
This car initially never won any races, confirming W.O. Bentley’s fears. He woefully stated, "The supercharged 4.5 never won a race, suffered a never-ending series of mechanical failures, and brought the marque Bentley disrepute.” However, in spite of Bentley’s displeasure, 50 of these supercharged Blowers were manufactured at Tim Birkin’s behest. The 4.5 supercharged Blower is a key part of Birkin’s legacy and paved the way for Bentley’s upcoming track success.
One of the authentic 50 models has been valued at $8,000,000-$10,000,000 as per a Gooding &Company estimate. Few of the other units have been auctioned for an average of $4–5 million by RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams, and Gooding & Company.
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1932 Bentley “Blower”: $7.06 Million
This model is one of the aforementioned 50 supercharged Blowers commissioned by Tim Birkin. While W.O. Bentley wasn’t on board with the supercharger, Birkin had engineer Amherst Villiers develop one.
This refined 4.5-litre supercharged engine produced 240 HP. In 1932, Tim Birkin set a staggering record of 138 mph in this Blower, mitigating some of Bentley’s scepticisms of this new engine.
This record-setting 1932 Blower is a veritable fragment of Bentley’s history and was sold for $7 million at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
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Tim Birkin 1929 4 1/2-litre supercharged 'Blower' Bentley: $6.4 Million
This 1929 unit is among the first ever aforementioned supercharged Blower models. This bona fide 4.5-litre was once Bentley’s most expensive collectible car, with some sources claiming that its net worth exceeded $20 million.
This particular 4.5-litre supercharged Blower did set an impressive speed record of 137 mph at the Brooklands Outer Circuit. It was later bought by watchmaker George Daniels, famous for his stunning luxury automobile kitty.
Several decades later, Daniels’ 1929 Blower was auctioned off by Bonhams, selling for $6,480,760 at the gavel drop.
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1928 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Le Mans Sports "Bobtail": $6 Million
The 1928 4.5-litre Bobtail was conceptualised when Bentley’s 3-litre cars had to be retired. This Bobtail had a bigger engine, equipped to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and other international championships of the time.
At the heels of a thumping victory at the 1927 Le Mans, three such 4.5-litres were built in secrecy near Vanden Plas’ Works. The aesthetics were moulded to comply with Le Mans’ new rules. The compact four-seater was fitted with a semi-vertical spare wheel and a bobtail-like cowling, which inspired this car’s nickname.
While the Bobtail showed incredible promise during its first runs, engine failures prevented it from taking off in 1928. In the following year, however, the car truly shined as a Works entry in the new JCC Double Twelve, where it finished in second place. In the 1929 Le Mans, the Bobtail came in third place in spite of severe mechanical issues during the race.
RM Sotheby’s valued the 1928 Bentley 4.5-litre “Bobtail” at $6,500,000 – $7,500,000 for a 2017 Amelia Island auction.
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1930 Bentley Speed Six Open Tourer: $5.7 Million
The Speed Six’s exemplary performance instigated Ettore Bugatti to remark that W.O. Bentley “built the fastest truck in the world.” This car was so powerful that cars from competing teams declined to take part in pivotal races of the era.
The 4700-pound car was equipped with a six-cylinder engine, producing 177 HP of power and a top speed of 125 mph. A formidable car, it led Bentley to victory in the 1929 and 1930 Le Mans. In 1931, a Speed Six won the Brooklands 500-Mile Race at an astounding average of 118.39 mph.
Only 182 Speed Sixes were built, and one unit ended up in the Bill Lake collection. This Speed Six went for $5.7 million at a 2004 Christie’s Auction.
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1996 Bentley Rapier: $4.5 million
This deceptively simplistic four-seater coupe was custom made on order for the Sultan of Brunei.
Only six of these models were made, all bearing a special number plate inscribed with “JB,” signifying Prince Jefri Bolkiah, who was the Sultan’s brother.
Substantial engineering aspects of the car were inspired by the Bentley Java, and some superficial elements were borrowed from the Continental R. The car is outfitted with a 6.75-litre V8 single turbocharger non-catalyst engine, empowering it with 534 HP. Its top speed is a respectable 158 mph.
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1999 Bentley Hunaudières Concept: $4 Million
The Bentley Hunaudières Concept was first unveiled at the 1999 Geneva Salon International de l'Auto. Its design and flair at the auto show manifestly exemplified Bentley’s integration into the Volkswagen universe.
As a nod to the Bentley Boys heyday, the sleek set of wheels was fitted with a brawny Volkswagen 8-litre W16 engine that churned out 623 HP, securing a top speed of 220 mph.
The Hunaudières Concept was crafted out of aluminium and carbon fibre, sculpted with minimalist lines and a low-lying silver grille. The exorbitantly cushy interiors boasted tan-coloured Nubuck and Connolly leather.
One of the most striking features of this car was its technological inventiveness – its rear view mirrors were replaced with rearview cameras fitted with the front wheels.
The epitome of British engineering excellence and old-world glamour, Bentley is arguably one of the most sought-after marques in the realm of luxury cars. It is synonymous with style, seduction, and power, designed to perform and entice. It’s time to step into the fascinating world of Bentleys – after all, it’s bound to look handsome in your garage.
