1953 Bentley R Type

POA

Exhibited at the 1953 Geneva Salon
Factory right-hand drive with Lightweight Seats and rear wheel spats
Finished in its wonderful original colours
Original engine and manual transmission
Beautifully restored and in exceptional condition

The Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback is widely regarded as one of the most elegant and important post-war grand touring cars ever produced. Built between May 1952 and April 1955, only 207 chassis were constructed, of which 193 received the iconic H.J. Mulliner Fastback coachwork that has since become one of the most recognisable shapes in classic motoring.

The car offered here is chassis BC20A, an exceptionally early example from the desirable A-Series, representing the purest and earliest form of the R-Type Continental design. Significantly, BC20A was the 19th R-Type Continental produced, making it one of the earliest surviving examples of this legendary Bentley grand tourer.

Factory records supplied by the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club confirm that BC20A was ordered with a particularly well-equipped specification. As with many early Mulliner Fastbacks, the car was fitted with the distinctive full rear wheel spats, while also benefiting from the lightweight adjustable seats, making it a desirable early “seats and spats” specification example.

Additional special-order equipment included: flashing-type trafficators with amber lenses, double-filament headlamps with convex lenses, high-frequency horns with muting switch, speedometer calibrated in kilometres, twin fog lamps, heavier front shock dampers and special steering ratio for improved handling, high-speed 17-inch engine cooling fan and a radiator for enhanced cooling. A radio was also fitted when new, supplied as an optional extra at the owner’s request.

Delivered on 19 February 1953 to Louis Schneiter of Coffet, Vaud, Switzerland, the car was displayed shortly afterwards at the Geneva Salon car show in spring 1953, an indication of its importance as a new example of Bentley’s flagship high-performance grand tourer.

The Bentley remained in Europe until 1960, when it passed to its first American owner, Lamont Haggarty. In later years the car was acquired by the late Anthony “Bud” Korteweg of River Edge, New Jersey, founder of The Coachworks, a highly respected Rolls-Royce and Bentley restoration specialist known for award-winning concours level restorations.

Under Korteweg’s ownership the Bentley underwent a comprehensive restoration to its original specification, carried out to an exceptionally high standard. The work was undertaken with great attention to authenticity and detail, returning the car to the appearance and character it would have had when new. The restoration was carried out for Korteweg’s personal collection, where it joined several other important Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars housed in his private garage.

With its early A-series chassis, desirable seats-and-spats configuration, Geneva Salon appearance, and restoration by a highly regarded marque specialist, BC20A represents a particularly significant example of the legendary Bentley R-Type Continental.