1952 Bentley Mark VI

This 'standard steel' Mk VI has the big-bore 4½-litre engine and was supplied new on 10th June 1952 by Hooper & Co to its first owner in Virginia Water, Surrey. 

One of Britain's most celebrated coachbuilders, Hooper fitted reclining front seats and a rev counter prior to delivery. The Bentley subsequently spent 30 years in Canada.

The car was the recipient of a bare-metal respray some three decades ago and, overall, it is in very good condition.

We understand that prior to the vendor’s tenure the car has had just two owners, and they were relatives. 

The vehicle has been in storage from 2014 until very recently. Immediately before going into storage a Rolls-Royce/Bentley mechanic spent five days trouble shooting the car, rectifying any faults and giving it a full service.

Once released from storage, the Bentley was recommissioned and serviced. It has been driven just two miles since then. 

The car is in very good condition, bar a few minor cosmetic issues, and has clearly been fortunate enough to be in the diligent ownership of fastidious curators over the course of its long life. 

The stately curves and presence of this majestic Bentley present very well and the bodywork is reassuringly free of any dinks, dents, creases or ripples of consequence.

The paintwork has stubbornly clung on to its lustre and shine, although it is an older respray and there are issues with cracking and lifting in places.

The chrome-work is decent but is not without foxing and tarnishing, which are present to varying degrees on the bumpers, grille, headlamp surrounds and hub cups.

The panels are straight and true and the shut-lines are as consistent and even as you would want and hope to find on a car of this quality.

There are some scratches and scuffs on the o/s/r wheel-arch and some cracked paint at its base. 

We’ve spotted a little bubbling at the bottom of the central ‘B’ pillar between the two offside doors, another small patch at the base of the n/s/r wing behind the bumper, and a little blistering and some scratches and cracked paint on the offside ‘A’ pillar and on the front valance.

We’ve also seen a few scratches on top of the o/s/r wing, some swirly paint run at the top of the nearside ‘A’ pillar, a number of short scratches between the sunroof and the windscreen, and some cracked paint and blistering below the windscreen and at the base of both ‘A’ pillars.

Beyond that, we found a dent in the chrome strip below the driver’s door window and some cracked paint below both rear windows.

The lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings all look good as far as we can see.

The vendor tells us that the o/s/r chrome rim is in the boot because, for reasons best known to itself, it has developed the unwelcome habit of deflating the adjacent tyre when installed. 

The interior of this car is a treat for the senses and reflects the fact that it has been restored and the carpets and much of the leather have been replaced very recently.

Unsurprisingly, then, the gorgeous tan-coloured leather is buttery-soft, supple and warmly inviting.

The upholstery, front and back, has yet to earn much more than a light crease, let alone the sort of ingrained patina you might expect to find in a car that’s achieved the ripe old age of 73.

The wood on the dashboard, door cappings and picnic tables is all pretty impressive, but the wooden surround to the rear window looks a little ragged, as does some of the surrounding headlining and trim.

The door cards are in very good order and the carpets and mats, being new, are beyond criticism or reproach.

The dashboard itself is in fine fettle and all dials, gauges, knobs, buttons and switches are, as far as we’re aware, fully functional. 

The capacious two-level boot is in good order and contains a spare wheel, what looks like a pretty original and complete toolkit, a custom-made fleece car cover, sundry spare parts, the original rear footrests, the original radio, and two oil cans that have previously found somewhere to live in the engine bay.

The engine bay is clean, dry and everything inside it appears to be present, correct and in its right and proper place.

Much the same can be said for the undersides, which look to be possessed of plenty of structural integrity and have given us no cause to question the car’s honesty or character.

This car comes with copies of its original ‘Works Instruction’ sheets from Bentley - which confirm that it is a matching engine and chassis car – and written evidence that it was bodied by Hooper.

It also comes with all manner of bills, invoices and receipts attesting to work carried out - repairs, servicing and restoration – since 2011.

Various manuals and handbooks form part of the inventory.

We know from the vendor that the car has been used for several weddings and other special occasions by friends and family and over the years.

We see a fair few Bentley Mk VIs here at HQ.

And we know a good one when we see it.

Yes, there are a couple of minor cosmetic things to consider on the car’s exterior, but at its heart this is a properly sorted and fettled car that has many more years of elegant, stately motoring to offer any potential owner possessed of the right amount and quality of taste and discernment.

We like it a lot and we think you will, too.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £18,000 - £23,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.