$900k for 90 years of Bentley history.
Back in 1921 Noel Van Raalte purchased and took delivery of a Bentley 3 litre chassis number 3 for of £1,150. At the 2011 Gooding & Co. Pebble Beach Auction the same 1921 3-litre Bentley sold for an astonishing $962,500 (with 10 percent buyer’s premium).
For ninety years the Bentley has survived with the original brass brightwork and aluminum coachwork. Bentley’s engineering and racing successes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924 and 1927, along with their historical five wins in eight years, stemmed from the original production 3 litre.
“Pebble Beach is the ideal venue to showcase Bentleys old and new,” said Chairman and Chief Executive, Wolfgang Dürheimer. “On the same day that Gooding & Co. auctioned the world’s oldest surviving production Bentley, we hosted a private preview of a brand new model. During Monterey week, the enthusiasm for the evolution of the automobile is palpable.”
Expect the oldest surviving production Bentley to last another 90 years at the hands of the buyer who invested nearly one million dollars into the classic automobile.
1921 Bentley 3 litre Video
httpv://youtu.be/qiUhk4l0lWo
1921 Bentley 3 litre Gallery
[Source: Bentley, Gooding & Co.]
How much would you pay for the 1921 Bentley 3 litre at auction if you had the money? Leave a comment and let us know!
