One of the most important Bentleys in existence, 1921 Bentley 3 Litre was the first customer car to leave the Bentley factory. Bentley Chassis 3 is an extraordinary, matching-numbers car with brass brightwork and an original aluminum body with fully disappearing top as specified by the first owner. It’s participation in Vintage Bentley rallies, and many other recent events, attests to the car’s usability.
The Bentley 3 Litre car was shown at the 1919 London Motor Show, but the engine had not yet been finished. It took two years to get the engine right, with the first customer delivery in September 1921. Production lasted through 1929, by which time the car had been surpassed by Bentley’s own 4½ Litre car.
The true test of the engineering of the Bentley 3 Litre, however, was in the historic wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance races back in 1924 and 1927. This august sporting heritage remains at the heart of all Bentley models today – including the brand-new concept car unveiled at Pebble Beach 2011, the limited-edition 631hp Supersports Convertible ISR (Ice Speed Record), inspired by world rally champion, Juha Kankkunen.
At the Pebble Beach classic car auction, Bentley Chassis 3 found a new owner $ 962,500 dollars.
