1936 Bentley 4¼-Litre
- Engine
- 4,257 cc inline engine with twin SU carburettors, raised compression ratio, reprofiled camshaft
Bentley 4¼-Litre chassis B112HK was bodied by Park Ward and displayed on the Rolls-Royce stand at the 1936 Olympia Motor Show before entering private ownership in Suffolk. During the Second World War it was requisitioned for Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, subsequently allocated to Field Marshal Montgomery, who purchased it in 1946. Its longest keeper, Desmond Burleigh of Leeds, held the car from 1952 and documented its distinguished wartime history through correspondence with Prince Bernhard and the Ministry of Defence. The car retains its original coachwork, blue leather interior, and engine.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold £115,000 (≈ $144K)
- 1936-10-01 →Acquisition unknownMr Tryon, North Green Farm, Suffolkfull documentation
First registered owner after the Olympia Motor Show display; original Bill of Sale documents the delivery and registration.
- 1937 →Acquisition unknownWarwick Wright, Bond Street dealerpartial documentation
London dealership on Bond Street that held the car briefly before onward sale.
- 1940 →Acquisition unknownD.A. Coutoubis, Knightsbridgepartial documentation
- 1941 → 1946Acquisition unknownPrince Bernhard of the Netherlandsfull documentation
Vehicle was requisitioned for wartime use by the Prince, who was a pilot and part of Allied planning operations in London; repainted black and used by Allied Forces during this period.
- 1946 →Private saleField Marshal Montgomerypartial documentation
Purchased the car while serving as chief of the Imperial General Staff; previously allocated the vehicle by Allied Forces.
- 1952-03-01 →Acquisition unknownDesmond Burleigh, Leedsfull documentation
Longest recorded custodian; conducted thorough provenance research including correspondence with Prince Bernhard and the Ministry of Defence; car was regularly exhibited in Bentley circles through the early 1990s.
- 2004 →Acquisition unknownSpanish owner, firstpartial documentation
Acquired the car in Spain in 2004; identity not recorded in the catalogue.
- → 2007Acquisition unknownSpanish owner, secondpartial documentation
Intermediate Spanish custodian before the current owner acquired the car in 2007.
- 2007 →Private saleCurrent custodianpartial documentation
Has used the car sparingly; vehicle retains original coachwork, engine, and blue leather interior.
Competition
- 1936-09-011936 Olympia Motor ShowDisplayed on the Rolls-Royce stand
Chassis delivered to Park Ward and earmarked for the Rolls-Royce display stand at Olympia; likely sold at the show itself.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Modification
During wartime requisition the bodywork was repainted black for official use by Allied Forces.
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