Bentley 3 1/2 Litre Price Guide

The Bentley 3½ Litre was the first “Derby Bentley”, the first car produced after Rolls-Royce’s acquisition of the bankrupt W.O. Bentley company. The Bentley Boys era was over; the era of the “silent sports car” had begun.

The Car

Produced from 1933 to 1937, the 3½ Litre was based on the Rolls-Royce 20/25 chassis with a tuned version of its 3,669cc overhead-valve six-cylinder engine. It was a very different car from the thundering W.O.-era machines: refined, quiet, and civilised where the Cricklewood Bentleys had been raw and exuberant. The Derby Bentleys attracted elegant coachwork from Park Ward, Thrupp and Maberly, and Vanden Plas. Around 1,177 were built. W.O. Bentley reportedly wept when he first saw the car that bore his name but shared none of his engineering philosophy.

Buying

The Derby Bentleys are beautiful, refined grand tourers that offer a very different experience from the W.O. cars. Values are substantial but below comparable W.O. models. The 4 1/4 Litre succeeded the 3½ Litre with a larger engine and improved specification.