Imagine being told that a classic sports car that has spent the last thirty years locked away in a barn in Surrey, that you think may only be worth £30,000, may actually fetch ten times that figure (£300,000) at auction. Well, that is just what has happened with a Bentley 4 ½ that was manufactured in 1929.
It is a rare vehicle with only 665 models being built around that period and was bought by the grandfather of the present owner in 1935. It has remained in the same family for 80 years and the current owner of the vehicle, who does not want to be named, used the car for such things as taking the family on holiday including using it to tow a caravan.
The vintage Bentley 4 ½ is going to be auctioned by Bonhams later in the year. When they saw the highly desirable vehicle in the barn they compared it to finding a Rembrandt. It was renowned for its high speed and acceleration.
It does require some work doing to it but it is believed to be in good condition so it shouldn’t take that much effort to have it up and running. Things like the gearbox, engine and chassis numbers are all still in place and the original trim in green leather and bodywork by HJ Mulliner should be able to be retained. Back in 1928, a Bentley 4 ½ won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
An additional 55 of these cars were built but had supercharged engines in them and were called the Blower Bentley. They can fetch many millions of pounds
Although this Bentley 4 1/2 has been given an estimated value of between £150,000 to £250,000 it would not surprise Bonhams if it were to achieve a sale price at auction exceeding £300,000.
The Bonhams Collectors’ Motor Cars and Motorcycle auction is to take place on the 5th September 2015 in Beaulieu, Hampshire – not that many miles from the office of AIB Insurance. You may be interested to read that these are just the sort of cars that we love to arrange insurance on so if you would like a quote for your classic car why not get in touch with us on 02380 268 351.
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