1954 Bentley R-Type

This car is offered from outside of the European Union. It has been imported under temporary admission customs bond and is therefore subject to Dutch import tax on top of the winning bid price.

The winning bidder will receive a receipt for the final hammer value, as their proof of purchase.

This vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and the documented history available is limited to that displayed in our photography section.

We have not tried to start or drive the car, and cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

As CARS Europe BV is the guarantor of all customs duties and taxes for vehicles within Dutch customs bond, the car cannot be released to the buyer or transporter immediately after the sale. For all enquiries relating to Customs, please contact CARS Europe BV.

Purchases will only be released once cleared funds are received. All vehicles must be collected after the payment of funds. All storage charges must be paid in full prior to the vehicle’s collection or onward transportation.

Storage charges payment must be arranged with the storage company. Collection is strictly by appointment only.

Please send a booking email to the storage centre to ensure vehicle(s) are ready at time of collection. Photographic ID will be required at time of collection. If a third party is collecting for you, then written authorisation is required in advance from you and photographic ID of the third party is required at the time of collection. Collection either by buyer or third party is only possible for vehicles within customs bond if applicable import taxes paid are paid to import into country of bonded storage location.

As soon as The Market by Bonhams will receive your payment, The Market by Bonhams accounts service will inform the manager of the storage facility where your car(s) is stored: a release note will be sent to them.

CARS Europe BV will contact you just after the sale to confirm onward transport requirements. Direct contact at CARS for enquiries is as follows; Joanna Herlihy, +31 (0) 252 682 526, +44 7483 433912, joanna@carseurope.net.

STORAGE CHARGES

€30 + local VAT per motor car per day commencing from the sixth day following the auction end.

CUSTOMS CHARGES

€500 per motor car (plus applicable permanent import taxes from bond).

Chassis No: B150LWH

Odometer: 58,289 kms.

In common with many vehicles from the vendor’s collection, the car comes with no history or service records.

With the proviso that we haven’t tried to start or drive this car and can therefore only comment on its cosmetic condition, we think this LHD automatic 1954 Bentley R-Type is a lovely example of a very grand car from one of the world’s most prestigious automotive marques.

It’s not perfect and there are some issues to address both inside and out, but it appears to be completely authentic and original.

We know that it entered the vendor’s collection of static display cars in 2012.

And we know that prior to that it was living in the Netherlands.

But that’s all we know.

Presented in two-tone cream and black, the car’s paintwork is good in some parts, less so in others.

The bodywork is largely free of any indentations, bumps or creases, although there are cracks and damage to both rear wheel arches.

There is also some rust in evidence underneath the rear indicator on the driver’s side.

There are scratches and scuffs on the driver’s side wheel arch and wing at the front and some bubbling beneath the windscreen and along both sills.

The sunroof does not appear to be seated properly and there are numerous scratches on the roof.

The rubber trim around the rear window has cracked and perished.

The wheels seem to be good all round, as does the majority of the chrome, badging and lights.

The panel gaps and shut lines are consistent and even.

The interior looks to have survived reasonably well overall, although there are issues with the upholstery, woodwork and some fabrics and trim.

The two front seats, while apparently structurally sound, have significant rips in them.

The rear bench seats have fared rather better.

The back of the driver’s seat looks a bit scuffed and dirty but should clean up reasonably well.

Both picnic tables could do with a sympathetic polish.

The carpets have endured the years fairly commendably, but there is a threadbare patch in the driver’s footwell and it’s a little scruffy elsewhere.

The wood and veneers are quite good in most places but have rotted through to leave a hole in the section below the windscreen on the passenger’s side.

The headlining is stained and frayed in places, particularly on the sunroof section and where the parcel shelf meets the rear screen, where the fabric and surrounding trim appear to have suffered from some water damage.

The instrument cluster seems fine, as does the steering wheel and gear selector.

We can’t make any claims about the functionality of switches, knobs, levers, toggles, buttons, dials or other electrics as we haven’t tried to start the vehicle.

The boot is in decent condition and contains a spare tyre, tools and some spare parts.

Lifting up the mats here or elsewhere reveals a fair bit of rust dust but nothing that seems particularly alarming.

Everything looks fairly solid and honest but there is some rust dust and flaking in evidence, and it’s difficult to know what the structure looks like under its layer of protective wax/bitumen.

You’ll will want to see it for yourself and reach your own conclusion.

Everything in the engine bay is in its right and proper place and appears to be clean and dry.

The car doesn’t come with any history or service record.

Any paperwork we have is photographed and displayed in the photo gallery. The documents are photocopies. We do not have anything else.

Apart from some cosmetic issues and a few necessary repairs, inside and out, this car seems reasonably good and fairly sound.

Provided that the engine and mechanicals prove to be in good working order, this car might prove to be a particularly good buy for someone wanting a car for weddings or other events…or just to enjoy for its sense of majesty, grandeur and occasion.

Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.