Description
A Bentley Mark VI isn’t a car defined by noise levels or gimmicks. It communicates through its stance, the materials it’s made from, and a kind of sovereignty that can only come from genuine substance. This right-hand-drive Mark VI from 1948 presents itself in a particularly harmonious two-tone paintwork in the Bentley Original shade “Knightsbridgeblue” and black—classic, elegant, and unmistakably itself.
The interior is finished in grey and, thanks to its restraint, it matches perfectly with the car’s many wood applications. With Bentley, wood isn’t decoration—it’s part of the whole impression. Surface, feel, and atmosphere are just as important here as the mechanicals. And technically, this example also delivers: the engine has been overhauled and runs brilliantly, as does the manual gearbox. Exactly as you’d hope from an older British touring limousine.
The vehicle has been comprehensively restored, including a major job on the large steel sliding sunroof, and it’s in very good condition. As a small extra, automatic three-point safety belts were installed at the front during the restoration. The car originally came from Australia (previous owners known, earlier number plates still available), was then sold to Germany, and ultimately—freshly repainted—ended up in Switzerland. There, the mechanical restoration began in 2013 and concluded after well over 600 hours of specialist workshop work and the revision of the six-cylinder engine in 2022. Supporting documentation is available and complete.
This Bentley is for people who don’t just want a reliable, timeless luxury classic, but are also looking for a special driving feel: calm, cultivated, mechanically understandable—and without any exaggeration.
More data and pictures can be found at:
- details above
A 4K video including sound for the car can be found at the following YouTube link:
- details above
Details:
- 89’370 km
- Inv. 01. 07. 1948
- Veteran MFK 08. 02. 2022
- 4’257 ccm R6 engine
- 132 bhp
- Type certificate X
- Chassis number 411. 572. 973
- Chassis B88DA
- Kerb weight 1’850 kg
- Payload 350 kg
Model history:
The Bentley Mark VI was a turning point for Bentley and Rolls-Royce alike. It’s regarded as the brand’s first post-war luxury model and was built from 1946 to 1952. At the same time, it represents the shift away from the classic “rolling chassis” era towards a more industrialised production approach: the Mark VI wasn’t just a post-war Bentley—it was also one of the first Rolls-Royce/ Bentley vehicles to feature a factory-built all-steel body, fully completed in the factory.
A key figure in this transition was W. A. Robotham: early on, he recognised that after the war the market would demand less in the way of individual coachwork on chassis, and he negotiated a standard body with Pressed Steel. The steel bodies were supplied by Pressed Steel and were then painted, assembled, and finished at Crewe using the typical Bentley materials.
In terms of design, the Mark VI is closely linked to J. P. Blatchley. Bentley itself credits him as the designer of the standard steel body and later as design chief in Crewe. That also helps explain the Mark VI’s particular character: restrained elegance rather than opulence, clear lines, carefully judged proportions—luxury that expresses itself through quality rather than show.
Technically, the Mark VI embodies classic Bentley principles in a very robust, long-distance-ready configuration. Bentley fitted the Mark VI with the 4’257 ccm straight-six (B60), a four-speed synchromesh gearbox, and a traditional Rolls-Royce servo-assisted setup for the drum brakes.
The chassis concept is consistently aimed at comfort and stability: an independent front axle with coil springs and wishbones, and a live rear axle with leaf springs, plus a sturdy steel frame. So while the Mark VI wasn’t a sports car in the classic sense, it could cover the very high travel speeds of its day in a remarkably quiet, controlled manner—“a Driver’s Bentley” in the best sense.
For today’s buyers, the Mark VI is so appealing because it connects several worlds: the classic pre-war aesthetic, the solid, service-friendly technical understanding of the immediate post-war years, and the beginning of a new production logic. In good condition—especially after a clean, comprehensive restoration and with an overhauled engine—it’s less of a display piece and more a cultivated piece of motoring history: a Bentley meant to be driven, because that’s where its quality is most clearly felt.
