1954 Bentley R-Type Sedanca

This R Type Sedanca Coupé is one of the most beautiful cars to have passed through our hands, an assessment the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club endorsed when it awarded it First Place in one of its Concours competitions.

Built in 2009 by Nick’s Old Car Specialty in Redwings, California, its Norman Leitman-designed bodywork, which emulates the Gurney Nutting Mark VI Sedanca Coupé, set the owner back a six-figure sum…

Now registered here in the United Kingdom under the registration number ‘421 HYT’, it has just been serviced by marque experts Alpine Eagle, so it runs and drives beautifully.

The Sedanca bodywork, named after the 1920s Spanish distributor for Rolls-Royce and Grand Prix winner and also known as a coupé de ville or a town car, provides an open compartment for the driver and a closed rear compartment for the passengers, although this example takes pity on the staff by offering shelter by way of a removable fabric roof.

Design aside, the coachwork is – and we’re quoting Our Man With the Magnifying Glass here, a man who is almost impossible to please and never rests in his quest to ensure bidders are aware of even the smallest flaw – “stunning, absolutely stunning.”

We can't see any dents, dinks, ripples, or scrapes. Just beautifully applied paint on beautifully aligned panels.

Even the painted radiator grille surround is free of stonechips, something that’s almost never the case; the radiator slats also run straight and true, with a shine has to be seen to be believed; and the winged ‘B’ radiator cap, which sits directly behind an impressively preserved Bentley badge, is a piece of art in both style and condition.

The 16-inch wheels are in a fine condition, with no scuffs or scrapes to the rims and no scratches to the full-diameter chrome hubcaps. Tyres are 6.70R16 Avon Turbosteel, proving yet again that money simply wasn’t a consideration in this car’s build. They were also made in 2023, so are fresh and show a very good depth of tread. 

Plus, we will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

The headlamps and central driving lamp are Bentley-branded, while the brace of fog lamps are from Lucas, the same firm that supplied the rear lights, including the fog light that’s been so neatly mounted in the rear window. 

In summary, it is as elegant now as it was when it was completed 17 years ago and its few blemishes are minor: We spotted some microblistering to the panel upon which the offside fog lamp is mounted; a few small chips near the driver’s door handle; and a larger chip to the panel beneath the offside bonnet.

Those of a fastidious nature will have spotted that there are swirls marks on the paintwork, most noticeably to the black panels. We imagine anyone short of a concours enthusiast would be very happy with the finish as it is, but a paintwork correction should be all that is required to bring it back to show-winning condition. 

The cabin has been trimmed throughout with some of the nicest hide we’ve ever seen; as soft as a baby seal’s nose, the dominant colour is warm caramel, with burgundy piping providing a subtle contrast.

The seats are every bit as sumptuous and comfortable to sit on as they look. Barely creased, they’re free of anything that could be described as wear ‘n’ tear, an assessment that applies equally to all the seats, the door cards, and the rear panels.

The vast steering wheel holds the controls for the adjustable rear suspension dampers, and behind this lies the gear lever.

A central burr walnut dashboard containing instruments to monitor road speed, battery charge, fuel level, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and the distance travelled, both cumulative and trip. Beneath this is a pull-out walnut veneer table and ashtray.

Those sitting in the front can adjust the height of their door-mounted armrests, and the switches they handle are Bakelite, with chrome being used for major controls such as the window winders and door handles.

A modern Kenwood headunit is hidden in a compartment beneath the glovebox, the lid of which contains a clock and a proper Yale lock. 

Those in the back can enjoy a fold-down burr walnut picnic table apiece as well as a vintage cigarette case, lighter, match holder, and pencil, which are stored in a lined compartment behind a sliding door in the C-pillar situated immediately below the walnut-framed mirrors.

They will also appreciate the good head- and legroom that’s on offer, and the rear-hinged door that provides elegant entry and egress. 

All will appreciate sinking their tootsies into a plush deep-red carpet that has also been trimmed with burgundy piping.

The boot contains a full-size spare wheel and a jack in the lower compartment, with the upper area being reserved for luggage in addition to the driver’s roof when it isn’t needed.

Of course, the luggage space is as functional and meticulously trimmed as everywhere else because this might just be the best-presented and curated interior we’ve seen in 2026.

Even the full tool kit, which is under the driver’s seat, is in a custom-made, leather-covered case.

Our Man describes the engine bay as “spotless” – and rest assured, if there was a spot to find then he’d have been crowing about it.

And it really is a joy, to admire and to work on; everything is accessible and it is built using the sort of materials that mean you’ll be able to repair it in another 75 years with nothing more than simple hand tools.

Our Man said it “drives well” too, an assessment that says far more than those two words would have you believe: For him, those words mean it does what it should, when it should. 

It also means the car does it without making any odd noises, or emitting inappropriate quantities of smoke, or pulling to one side, or doing anything else that might cause the drivers or passengers anxiety.

Which is entirely in character because this is a car that has been soothing its occupants for the past three quarters of a century. 

The underside is so clean that we doubt it has ever seen rain; winter salt would certainly be a new and unwelcome experience. 

However, the paint on the underside of the boot floor looks like it might have reacted and will need stripping off and reapplying. We also spotted a somewhat crude welded repair to the rear nearside (40/60), with a small rust hole in the same area on the offside (42/60).

Everything else is so clean that the only thing stopping you eating your dinner off it is gravity.

We understand that the Bentley is now UK-registered and has had the appropriate duty paid, although it does not have an MoT certificate. 

The history file includes photos of the finished car as well as an album of the restoration and build. The rosette from its concours win is there too, as is the handbook and wallet. The original logbook, which was issued with 1954, has stayed with it over the years too as has its California registration plate of ‘SEDANCA’, which is pretty cool.

Just as importantly, there are dozens of invoices for the restoration by Nick’s Old Car Specialty in Redwings, California. We haven’t totted them up but the seller estimates more than $100,000 was invested on bodywork and paint to bring it to that show-winning standard.

The summary of our notes for this car runs to just five words: This is stunning, really stunning.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy an R Type Sedanca built in the style of the Gurney Nutting Coupé, our guide price of between £40,000 and £50,000 strikes us as an absurdly small sum to pay for such a beautifully crafted and curated machine.

Even better, it’s being offered with no reserve, so will be considered sold after the very first bid has been placed.

Right, we’re off to buy a lottery ticket. 

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’.