1950 Bentley Mk VI

Now then.

We’ve seen quite a few Bentley Mk VIs come through the hallowed portals of THE MARKET’s Oxfordshire HQ.

Some in excellent condition, others wearing the signs of ageing rather more visibly, and a few that probably require the services of a priest more than those of a mechanic.

But we honestly don’t recall ever seeing one that presents quite as impressively as this sublime example.

It is, in every meaningful respect, quite exceptional – and it drives and behaves as well as it looks.

The vendor has owned the car since 2005, when he purchased the car from a relative who had owned it since 1973.

For much of this car’s long and meticulously archived life it was in the possession of its first owner, a tantalisingly mysterious German (or possibly Austrian) émigré.

Please indulge us while we explore some entirely unfounded (but enjoyably intriguing) conjecture.

Walter Huttenback was born in 1907 and arrived in England at some point in the late 1920s.

In 1937, he moved to Harrow with his wife Gerda and changed his surname to Hutton.

For obvious reasons, the anglicisation of Teutonic-sounding surnames was far from uncommon in Britain in the late 1930s.

By 1939, he was living in Banstead, Surrey, with his wife, brother, parents, two servants, and a retired psychiatrist by the name of Felix Plant.

From this time onwards, Walter’s profession is recorded as being ‘journalism’, but there are no records of his employment with any newspapers or magazines, or extant examples of features or columns he may have penned.

Walter ordered this car new from Bentley on 26th June 1950, specifying that it should come with the following options: Bergers Lagoon Blue and Glasso Horizon Blue colours for the exterior; grey Vermol hide with blue piping; grey head lining cloth, and blue carpet for the interior – among numerous other bespoke options and idiosyncratic additions.

In 1952, Walter and his wife moved to 11/12 Chesham Mews, Belgrave Square.

They remained living at this remarkably prestigious address, surrounded by European embassies and clubs, for the next eleven years.

We can safely assume that no jobbing journalists are living in Belgrave Square today.

Water travelled extensively throughout Europe in his Bentley and was also a regular traveller on the First-Class decks of the ocean liners of the day.

In 1959 his commendable book – ‘Go Continental – By Car’ was published, a copy of which accompanies the car.

After 1963, only Gerda is recorded as living at Chesham Mews and all traces of Walter disappear.

Intriguingly, no death certificate could be found in his name.

All of which makes us wonder if there might have been a hidden side to Walter Hutton, a man whose Germanic or Mittel-European origins and extensive knowledge of continental Europe might have been of considerable value to the British during WWII and the ensuing Cold War.

Was Walter an international man of mystery, an undercover SOE operative, or some sort of MI5/MI6 spook?

Did Walter H carry a Walther PPK?

Who knows?

Either way, this car is enough of a talking point in its own right.

We know that at some point prior to 1972 the car’s original 4257cc engine was replaced by the larger 4566cc engine from a later model Mk VI.

At the time of the swap the original engine had covered just shy of 100,000 miles.

With its new engine in situ, the car clocked-up a further 17,000 miles by 1977, at which time we believe it was put into storage and remained there until 1992.

The then owner (the vendor’s relative) was a retired engineer and, together with Four Ashes Garage, he embarked upon a programme of work to get it back into a decent aesthetic and mechanical state.

The car then went back into storage and remained there until purchased by the vendor in 2005.

The intervening years had not been particularly kind to the car and the vendor embarked upon a long, painstaking and expensive journey to ensure the optimal preservation of the car.

And preservation is the key word here.

Wherever possible, the car has been kept original and authentic.

Where that wasn’t possible, the restoration work has been carried out sensitively and with a view to retaining as much of the car’s original specification and character as could be achieved.

The engine has been rebuilt completely and the car’s fuel, ignition, cooling, transmission, electrical, braking, steering and suspension systems have been thoroughly overhauled where required.

All and any bodywork and chassis issues have been expertly addressed and the much of the car’s brightwork has been re-chromed.

The car has been resprayed in its original, two-tone livery.

Today, it is surely one of the very best examples of a Mk VI anywhere out there.

The vendor tells us, and we believe him, that over the 20 or so years he’s had the car some £139,000 has been spent on ensuring it looks, feels and performs the way it does.

These are refined and stately cars, born of an age of elegance when opulence didn’t mean ostentation and luxury was quietly expressed with decorum, taste and class.

This example epitomises those noble qualities throughout and presents exceedingly well from every angle.

The bodywork is straight, true and free of any aberrations of all but the most insignificant consequence.

The two-tone blue paintwork has evidently been professionally applied to a very high standard, and the finish has a depth of lustre and shine that really sings in the sunshine.

The repainting, after much preparation, was done in 2013 and 2014. Three part-full tins of original specification Lagoon Blue and Horizon Blue paint (with paint codes) from the respray are included with the car.

Any brightwork that needed re-chroming has been assiduously worked upon, with the result that the front grille and headlamps, in particular, look practically as good as new.

The colour-matched wheels are in irreproachable condition, and the matching Dunlop Road Speed RS5 tyres look to have plenty of life left in them.

The trafficators flick in and out; the sunroof slides to and fro; the doors close with plenty of weight and precision; and all lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures are present, correct and in fine fettle.

While any flaws or blemishes are in extremely short supply, it’s our job to point them out.

So, here goes.

After much scrutiny with an inspection lamp and a magnifying glass, we noticed a tiny spot of overspray atop the n/s/f wing, a barely perceptible line of creasing on the n/s/r door, and a few spots of foxing on the chromed arms of the wing mirrors.

That’s it.

Everything else is minty fresh, squeaky clean and in fine order.

Happily, we’re able to give the interior an equally glowing report, which is particularly commendable given that it seems to us to be wholly authentic to the very personal specifications sent to Bentley by Walter.

The interior has been expertly re-upholstered in the same grade of grey ‘Vermol’ hide originally specified.

It is unmarked, untroubled by any creasing or time-served patina, and uniformly comfortable and supportive – front and back.

The carpets are equally beyond reproach, as are the door cards, and the wood on the dashboard, door cappings, rear picnic tables and elsewhere has stoically resisted any temptations to crack, fade or shed its lacquer.

Things that hardly ever work properly, like the tubular, sliding ashtrays concealed in the rear armrests are still present, correct and can be summoned forth with little more impetus than a gentle tug.

Even the electro-mechanical Smith MA clock in the front passenger cubby door works perfectly.

It has been repaired and a micro switch added, enabling it to be turned off if the car is not to be used for many months.

The headlining is intact, taut and free of any holes or tears.

The lockable tool tray fitted under the passenger cubby hole has all the original tools in place. The key lock works, as do all the locks on the car, using the original brass Yale key. A steel Silca key is included for everyday use.

As far as we’re aware, all dials, knobs, switches, levers and instruments are fully functional and do what they’re supposed to do without hesitation, deviation or repetition.

The boot contains two bespoke, fitted suitcases containing various books, documents and spare parts, and there’s also a spare wheel in the lower section of the boot.

The engine bay looks remarkably clean, dry and fresh and everything appears to be in its right and proper place.

A cut-out switch has been fitted to the supply for the twin SU petrol pumps. This allows the twin carburettors to be run dry before the engine stops running, reducing the risk of ethanol causing problems.

Even the under-bonnet torch and brass tools are still in place.

The undersides of the car also look to be possessed of oodles of structural integrity and everything seems sound and solid as far as we can tell.

Nothing we’ve seen has given us any cause to tut, frown or raise an eyebrow.

The car comes with more history than the Parthenon.

Every aspect of its life has been assiduously recorded, annotated and documented, and there are countless bills, invoices and receipts - many from highly respected marque specialists such as Jonathan Wood and Harvey Wash - attesting to the diligent, money-no-object curation and care lavished upon it by its small handful of owners.

Among the documents and records accompanying the car are the following.

· Original RF60 registration book issued September 1950.

· Letter to Solihull Council from T.A. Goddard (the vendor’s relative and a previous owner) about the original registration book.

· Bentley SXB 363 job list (1972?).

· Six MOT Test Certificates from 7 February 1972 to 10 November 1992.

· Five MOT Test Certificates from 2006 to 2001.

Also, all records on the car held by the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club including:

· Car Specification - Works Instruction

· Chassis record card

· Build specification record sheets

· Original costings detail page

· Driver's seat special requirements page.

It comes with a copy of Walter’s book, various photographs of the preservation/restoration work in progress over the years, and photographs of its attendance at meetings of the RREC Post-War Six-Cylinder Register in locations as diverse as Cornwall, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire – all of which it happily drove to and from without missing a beat or threatening to do so.

The vendor drove this 76-year-old Bentley 170 miles to us from his Norfolk home.

That tells us a great deal about the mechanical and dynamic condition of the car and strongly supports our opinion that it is every bit as good as it looks.

And it looks sensational.

But, for us, it’s the attention to detail that really sets this car apart from lesser Mk VI examples: the torch under the bonnet; the full sets of tools in in the engine bay, under the passenger glove box and in the boot; the working electro-mechanical clock; and the fully functional map-reading and companion lights – to name but a few.

If you’re holding out in the hope of a better Bentley Mk VI coming along, prepare for a very long wait indeed.

This is a special car.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £25,000 - £35,000. However, we wouldn't be surprised if this exceptional example made more!

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) 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’.