What's old is new again at Bentley, and we mean that literally. Through Bentley Mulliner, the iconic Speed Six from the late 1920s will return as a continuation series. Only 12 will be built, and if you have the cash to get one, it's already too late. Each one is spoken for.
Let's take a brief trip back to the late 1920s. Bentley was a force to be reckoned with in the racing scene, thanks to the infamous 4.5-liter Blower cars that have also recently been resurrected with a continuation series. The Speed Six was a successor to that machine, trading a supercharger for a larger 6.5-liter straight-six engine. Utilizing twin carburetors and a high-performance camshaft, the Speed Six cranked out 180 brake horsepower in standard trim. In racing trim, however, power increased to 200 bhp and the engine was mounted in a car with a shorter 132-inch wheelbase.
Gallery: Bentley Speed Six Continuation Series
That's the car Mulliner will build. Using original blueprints and direct analysis of two surviving Speed Six models, the recreations will be hand-built to the same specifications as the original. That includes the same epic engine with the same power curves, and to make sure it's accurate, Bentley will use a 1929 Speed Six in its Heritage Collection as a benchmark for performance.
"After incredible levels of skill were acquired by the Mulliner team through the development of the Blower Continuation Series, and with the success of the cars with their customers, a chance to honor the Speed Six is a fantastic next step," said Bentley Chairman and Chief Executive Adrian Hallmark. "It's vital that we protect, preserve, and develop not just this important part of our heritage, but also the knowledge we've gained through working with these classic Bentleys."
With the announcement of the Speed Six Continuation Series coming at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the first car from Mulliner will be assembled later in 2022. It will serve as the development vehicle for the remaining models, of which only 12 will be made. Each car will sell for £1.5 million, which currently translates to $1.84 million in US currency. As previously mentioned, each Speed Six already has a buyer.
