The Bentley 8-liter was shown to the public for the first time at the London car show on Earl Court in 1930. With an engine which had been inferred directly of the six-one-half liter version of the race winning Speed Six, the Bentley-factory entered the competition battle with Rolls Royce. At the Rolls Royce factory were `not amused’ that this new Bentley was able to do a top of 100 miles per hour, whereas the fastest Rolls obtained 90 mph with great difficultly. The complete name of this car is: Bentley 8-liter Sportsman Coupe. This version with the relatively short footing of 144 inch was identical to those of the Rolls Royce Phantom but this YR5088 has 156 inches between the front and rear wheels, which is a half foot longer than the longest similar type Rolls.

It also made the Bentley 8-liter considerably more expensive: the rolling chassis cost the sum of £ 3,700 British pound - a really firm price tag for that time - and after that the bodywork would cost another £2.000 British pound. A lot of money for just one car and the timing of the introduction was picked extremely bad as the Great Depression had announced itself. It cost a fortune just to put this car on the market and because of the worldwide financial misery the customers did not stand in line to buy with perhaps as exceptions; the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York !

Woolf Barnato, president and most important financer of Bentley took his loss and left, cutting all ties. After production of just 100 Bentley's 8-liter production was stopped.

To make sure that in the future the mark Bentley would never be able to do this ‘trick’ again (and as such embarrass the mark Rolls Royce) the Bentley factory was saved from bankruptcy by Rolls Royce. They (RR) set-up a complete new line of models which had to serve as basic models for the ultra luxuriously segment in which RR would have the lead. No new Bentley 8-liter engine would ever see daylight again if Rolls Royce could help it!

This Bentley 8 liter Sportsman Coupe with chassis number YR5088 came out of the factory in 1931 and became a supreme Gurney Nutting coachwork, which an incredibly beautiful and simply unique coachwork and it came if no surprise that this sport man Coupe in 1932, in RAC-rally won the best Coachwork Award. The British had rally’s with everything that had 3 or 4 wheels, even with a mastodont of a car such as this one. In the many years to come this car - recording SM8794 - would win a lot of prices; like during Louis Vuitton Classic in 1999. And after a lot of different owners when it was in the possession of the first American collectorit won at Pebble Beach (California) the 2001 a real prestigious price: “Second in Class”. The current owner of this jewel has in his possession of a letter from 1999 of The Right Honorable Lord Monro Langholm who was present at the delivery to the first owner, a certain Captain John Moller.

These Moller just to fly in a Gipsy Moth - the famous British plain which was top-of-the-bill at that time – which explains why on a photograph of the car during RAC-rally a badge of the Gipsy Moth can be seen. For Lord Monro it was the first time he would - together with Moller - drive a car at the powerful speed of 100 miles per hour!

The interior of the Bentley 8-liter is overwhelming with regards to comfort and class and the upholstery is still perfect. The dashboard has been filled with Bentley instruments.

In the back a chic miniature-bar has two original crystal whisky glasses with a carafe on both sides. The Gurney Nutting original and very large ‘drawer-roof-part’ which was the incorporated in the roof as well as the woodwork are in top condition. The outside the Bentley looks particularly beautiful as the blue lake is in virtually perfect state. The car stands high on its 21 inch wheels and the relatively small track breadth with respect to altitude makes a striking apparition of these splendid Bentley.

Driving with the car is a joyful event in itself. Sound insulation is such that you must look at the revolution counter to see if the engine runs. The eight bearings in the crankshaft also contribute to a extreme quiet behavior of the engine. Once on pace it is no problem to go to the highest gear because the car has a huge cross-belt.

Maneuvering this car is a different story all together. The car may have got the name Sportsman Coupe, driving it is not at all sporty. It is certain that it takes enormous muscle balls just to handle this Bentley on the road not to mention turning it. The immense weight ensures that something as taking a roundabout rapidly simply becomes impossible. You must put all your efforts into getting the steering wheel twisted with two firm hands and that is an enormous anticlimax, which proves that the British Upper indeed gladly displayed themselves as a sportsman, tough because of the heavy work a driver was standard with these cars and the average cricket or polo player - the sport pre-eminently where also the British nobility occupied himself on relaxed Sunday afternoon – did not have sufficient testosterone to be piloting this car through the city of London or Edenbury. Although it is a very special treat to be able to get acquainted with this powerful car which is a beautiful piece of British heritage.

"Polished wheel discs, dual sidemounts, luggage trunk, green glass windshield visor, sliding sunroof, airfoil-shaped running boards. An excellent old restoration that took a 2nd in class at Pebble Beach when it was ten years old. Great paint, interior and chrome with a nice patina that only adds to its charm and appeal. Lovely sweeping fenders. Excellent interior wood. This car isn't fresh but it is even better, a sharp, clean well maintained automobile of impeccable history. Original engine, body and chassis. Sold for $442,500 by Christie's at Pebble Beach in 1999, maybe one of the best buys of the last decade. Its style, grace, accoutrements, restoration and performance lit fires here in Amelia and brought a huge price, but also bought a superb Bentley."

1931 Bentley 8-Litre Sportsman Coupe Gurney-Nutting

"This 1931 Bentley 8-Liter Sportsman Coupe has coachwork by J. Gurney-Nutting. It has won the 1932 RAC Best Coachwork Award, and the 1999 Best in Show of the Louis Vuitton Classic at the Hurlingham Club. In addition, it has won a number of BDC Awards and a Second in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2001. It is powered by a 7983 cc, overhead camshaft inline six-cylinder engine with four valves per cylinder, dual carburetors, and capable of producing 220 horsepower at 3500 rpm. A four-speed manual gearbox sends power to the rear wheels while the four-wheel servo assisted drum brakes provide the stopping power. It sits atop a 156 inch wheelbase and suspended in place by semi-elliptic leaf springs in both the front and the rear.

The Bentley 8-Liter was first shown to the public at the 1930 London Motor Show. It was impressive in design, stature, and performance. It was capable of 100 mph, 10 mph faster than the comparable lightweight Rolls-Royce.

There were two platforms for the 8-Liter Bentley, a 144-inch and 156-inch wheelbase. The chassis on the 156-inch version weight 3700 pounds with the full-bodied versions tipping the scale at over two tones! The engineering of the 8-Liter was impressive, with its double-dropped frame and seven tubular cross members supporting the mammoth bodies. Aluminum was used throughout the bodies in an effort to reduce the weight.

Though the combination of beauty, power and prestige was enough to make the Bentley 8-Liter an instant success, the Great Depression was responsible for its low production figures, with only 100 examples being produced. Feeling the pressure of the Great Depression and slow sales, Bentley's chief financier, Woolf Barnato, severed his ties with Bentley and sending them spiraling into financial difficulty. Rolls-Royce intervened, saving the troubled company from receivership. They revamped the Bentley model line, brining their designs and mechanics inline with the Rolls-Royce family. The Bentley's now served as the entry-level cars into the ultra luxury department.

The 8-liters were adorned in stylish coachwork provided by reputable coachbuilders such as J. Gurney Nutting and Vanden Plas. Most of the bodies were graceful saloons and fixed head coupes.

This example has a blue leather interior. There is a sliding sunroof and ample space for luggage in the rear custom built compartment."

In USA in 2006 / Owned by an RROC member

At Amelia Island, 2006

LOT 37
29 August 1999
Los Angeles

Photograph was taken at LeMans Race Track in 1998. Car is second car (from right to left) in first row.

Photograph was taken at Leeds Castle Balloon and Bentley Festival in 1991.

 

Gurney Nutting fixed-head coupe on Chassis No. YR5088, registration SM 8794, subsequently beautifully restored by Charles Teall Esq.

 

 

 

 

This photograph is from an advertisement by Coys of Kensington in "Thoroughbred & Classic Cars" magazine, July 1977.

Text in ad says: 1930 Bentley 8 litre 2-door FHC by Gurney Nutting. Extremely rare.

The 1999 Louis Vuitton Classic Best of Show and Multiple Award Winning
Coachwork by Gurney Nutting
Chassis no. YR 5088

The outstanding 8-Liter Bentley we have the pleasure of offering here is a well-known and very rare Fixed Head Coupe that still retains its original custom coachwork as fitted by Gurney Nutting in 1931. It is a well-documented car with a complete Bentley Driver’s Club history file detailing most of the Bentley’s provenance from new. The stately sunroof coupe’s first owner was a Mr. John H. Moller. Mr. Moller was a flying man by nature, known for his exploits in a Gipsy Moth, and photos of the car while in his ownership first show the Bentley with an aeroplane mascot. Notably, while under Mr. Moller’s ownership the Bentley was entered in the 1932 RAC Rally where it won the Coachwork Award.

The 8-Liter’s recent history is highlighted by the ownership of Mr. Charles Teall who executed an exhaustive ten-year long restoration that brought the car back to its resplendent original condition. Following the restoration the Bentley was debuted at numerous BDC events where it was awarded “Best Vintage Bentley”, “Best Vintage Saloon” and “Best Bentley 8-Liter”. The Sportsman’s Coupe was then shown at the 1999 Louis Vuitton Classic at the Hurlingham Club where it earned the prestigious honors of “Louis Vuitton Grand Prix Best of Show”.

Twelve years after the Bentley’s restoration, now under its first U.S. owner, the car was shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where it was awarded a Second in Class. Since then the Bentley has been expertly maintained as one of the most mechanically sound and most pleasant drivers in the country. It is in excellent overall condition and still retains the distinction of having its original engine and coachwork from new. It is an exceptionally handsome car that we are delighted to present at the 2006 Amelia Island Vintage Motor Car auction.