1936 Bentley Derby – Classified of the Week
February 27, 2024
It’s no secret that we have a bit of an affection for Bentleys here at Car & Classic. From enjoying time with the company’s fascinating heritage collection and reporting with earnest on its continuation series of Blower and Speed Six models, to racing our very own own 3/4½ Litre at Le Mans as part of Benjafield’s centenary celebrations, it’s a company that’s close to our collective hearts. It was only natural then, that when this 1936 Bentley Derby 4¼ Vanden Plas Sports Coupé jumped out at us during one of our regular browsing sessions we just had to feature it as Classified of the Week. And what a thing it is!
For those not au fait with the nomenclature, the Derby part of the car’s title refers to the location where the car was born, as Bentleys of this period were built in the Rolls-Royce factory in Derby following Rolls-Royce’s acquisition of Bentley in 1931. The 4¼ denotes the car’s engine displacement in litres with Sports Coupé signifying it as a two-door hard top. With myriad coachbuilders being employed to create custom bodywork for these cars at the time, this particular example was dressed by Vanden Plas at the behest of its owner, renowned Brooklands racer Hugh Curling Hunter.
Having set up a successful engraving company Hugh found himself with the means to fully indulge his passion for motorsport, taking part in all manner of events, from rallies to hill climbs, and even competing in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1937 in this very car. Sitting proudly among his fleet the Bentley would take pride of place next to Hugh’s ex-Mille Miglia Alfa Romeo 2.9, a Fiat Topolino and a Frazer Nash BMW 328. Quite the line-up.
Not content with just one famous owner, the Bentley Derby would subsequently be snapped up post-war by speed freak and multiple world record holder Donald Campbell, CBE, who remains the only person to set both world land and water speed records in the same year. Various other owners would follow before the car would head across the pond, ending up in the U S of A with a retired NASA engineer who worked on Project Mercury, Project Gemini and the Apollo space program!
Hunter’s nephew would then rediscover the car and repatriate it back to the UK whereby it was comprehensively restored by well-known Bentley and Rolls-Royce restorers Alpine Eagle and completed in mid-2002. The car’s originality was preserved with only the addition of a modern Fiennes overdrive unit to improve the car’s drive-ability.
Not only was the car quite the concours show winner back in the day (with photographic and colour cine-film evidence from Hunter’s ownership) but following its recommissioning it continues to wow to this day, coming top of the class in whichever event it decides to grace with its presence.
Mechanically the Bentley Derby is on point and coupled with that stunning black and terracotta coachwork over matching terracotta and black interior it represents an incredible opportunity to own one of the most beautiful and luxurious pre-war Bentleys to ever grace tarmac. Featuring close coupled seating, low roofline, sunroof and concealed spare, no stone was left unturned when the design brief was supplied to Vanden Plas and the attention to detail is sublime.
Just as happy touring the south coast of France as it is turning heads parked up at concours events the world over this Bentley Derby is a peak behind the curtain to the golden age of British car manufacturing and design, perfectly melding performance with elegance. Not only that but it’s quite the rarity too, with only 1,234 Bentley Derby 4¼ models having been built, all with bespoke coachwork, it’s an exclusive club but an incredibly welcoming and rewarding one.
