12 new examples of the Speed Six are set to be produced, each costing customers over A$3 million (Image: Bentley Motors Inc.)
For the first time since 1930, Bentley has delivered a brand-new example of the legendary Speed Six to a customer, marking the first of 12 ‘Continuation Series’ examples to be produced.
Commissioned just over a year ago, it took eight months for the finished car to be built in the Mulliner workshop. A variety of technicians, specialists, and suppliers from across the UK were involved in the process of producing a perfect match for the vehicle’s original specifications, right down to every switch and gauge.
Featuring over 600 new parts including a new 6.5-litre engine block were made, the car’s bodywork is finished in authentic Parsons Napier Green paint.
Every detail of this new Speed Six is authentic to the original, right down to the exact finish of the Parsons Napier Green paintwork (Image: Bentley Motors Inc.)
Built entirely by hand, a combination of modern 3D laser-scanned data and original drawings from the 1929 4.5-litre supercharged Team Car #2 which resides in the Bentley Heritage Collection were used to create this authentic continuation build.
Although the aim was for it to produce identical performance to the original – which to this day is still Bentley’s most successful racing car – modern technology has eked a little bit more power out of its race-spec engine, bumping it from 200hp (149kW) to 205hp (153kW).
Over 600 individual new parts were produced for this build, including everything from the engine block to interior switches (Image: Bentley Motors Inc.)
This first example was delivered to a customer in the USA – Nebraska-based car collector John Breslow – who already owns a Bentley Blower Continuation Series build which this will sit alongside.
When first announced, Bentley claimed each example of the Speed Six Continuation Series would cost around US$2 million (A$3.05 million), with 11 more still set to be completed following this initial customer delivery.
