The Bentley 4 1/4 Litre (1936-1939) was the Derby-built successor to the 3 1/2 Litre, essentially a larger-bore version with a 4,257cc overhead-valve six derived from the Rolls-Royce 25/30 engine. Marketed as 'the silent sports car', it combined refined road manners with genuine performance. It is among the most usable pre-war Bentleys, prized for coachbuilt bodies from Park Ward, Barker, Thrupp & Maberly and Vanden Plas.
It represents the last pre-war chapter of the Rolls-Royce-owned 'Derby Bentley', blending Rolls-Royce engineering with a sporting character and elegant period coachwork. Its robust mechanicals, quiet refinement and eligibility for major pre-war touring events make it an enduringly satisfying car to drive.
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Sources: Bonhams
Targa has recorded 46 auction sales of the Bentley 4 1/4 Litre between 2004 and 2026, from Bonhams. The cars sold were built between 1935 and 1939. In the last 12 months there has been one sale.
Latest recorded sales
- 1936 Bentley 4¼-Litre Coupé
- 1939 Bentley 4¼-Litre MX Sedanca Coupé
- 1937 Bentley 4¼-Litre Tourer
- 1939 Bentley 4¼-Litre Vanden Plas-style Tourer
- 1937 Bentley 4¼-Litre Sports Saloon Project
- 1936 Bentley 4¼-Litre Sports Saloon
- 1939 Bentley 4¼-Litre Vanden Plas-style Tourer
- 1936 Offered from the Peter Blond Collection, 1936 Olympia Vanden Plas Stand…
- 1937 The ex-Alan Clark MP,1937 Bentley 4¼-Litre Open Tourer