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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Vanden Plas Tourer - the origin of the Le Mans successes

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Created on November 18, 2019

Text:

Daniel Koch

Photos:

Darin Schnabel - Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

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Darin Schnabel - Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Classic lines

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Familiar Bentley face

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - The windshield can be folded down

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - For a sophisticated outing for four

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Beautiful lines in matching color

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - also beautiful to look at from behind

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Imposing appearance

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - The soft top offers a little protection from the weather

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Sporty cockpit

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Classic Instruments

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Beautiful watch collection

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Leather seat for the passengers in the second row

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - The headlights show the way at night

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - When engines were still allowed to look like sculptures

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - You can see what you've got

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - A work of art

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - SU Carburetor

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Operating a pre-war car takes skill

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Adjustable friction shock absorbers

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Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer by Vanden Plas - Spoked wheels with center lock

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Bentley 3 Litre (1927) - Photographed at Le Mans 1958, next to a Bentley Continental

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Bentley 3 Litre Sport (1925) - At a historic event in the seventies

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Bentley 3 Litre (1924) - Speed Model, participation in the historic Klausen Race 1974

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Bentley 3 Litre (1926) - photographed at Le Mans in 1973

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Bentley 3 Litre (1925) - The spare wheel is attached to the rear

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Bentley 3 Litre Sport (1925) - View of the four-cylinder engine

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Bentley 3 Litre (1925) - Engine with four cylinders and four valves per cylinder

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Summary

In the mid-twenties, Bentleys were almost unbeatable on the racetrack and their victories at Le Mans were legendary. The winning streak began with the 3-Litre models, of which we present a particularly beautiful example. The painstakingly restored vehicle from 1925 is clad in a body by Vanden Plas.

This article contains the following chapters

Important model
Successful racing cars
Proven engine
Several power levels
Different bodies
The customer was king
Operation needs to be learned
Rare opportunity

Estimated reading time: 3min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The Bentleys of the 1920s and 1930s are undoubtedly among the best-known pre-war vehicles and are equally popular with collectors and participants in historic racing events. The 3-Litre was presented at the Olympic Motor Exhibition in London in 1919, albeit without a working engine. The first vehicle was delivered to a customer in 1921, and by the end of production in 1929 over 1600 vehicles had been built, making it the most successful Bentley of the pre-war period. In the 1920s, Bentley's reputation benefited from the racing successes achieved by the drivers known as the "Bentley Boys". Among the most impressive successes were the victories in the 24-hour race at Le Mans, where the drivers of a 3-Litre stood at the top of the podium for the first time in 1924, and many more victories were to follow.

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