Bentley hit the ground running after World War II, delivering its first, new post-war car in September 1946, only 16 months after VE Day. The new model was known as the Mark VI, and it was powered by an F-head, six-cylinder engine with overhead intake, side-mounted exhaust valves, and an aluminum alloy cylinder head, which was mounted on a separate chassis with coil-spring independent front suspension; this was quite an engineering advancement for its time.

The Mark VI was powerful and beautiful, especially when dressed with custom coachwork, as a lucky few buyers chose to do. This car arguably wears the greatest bodywork on this chassis, and it was crafted by Hooper & Company Ltd., of London, the longstanding coachbuilders to the Royal Family. Hooper was always renowned for its excellent quality of its construction, and post-war, it would become equally well-known for its advanced modern design. This vanguard was led by stylist Osmond Rivers and his Empress fenders, which began fully and curvaceously at the front of the body and then swept down the flanks to fade completely away into the rear.

The car offered here, chassis number B92H, was one of seven Mark VIs bodied to Hooper design number 8282, a two-door coupe with Empress fenders. Rolls-Royce Foundation documentation, which is on file, notes that the Bentley was received “on test” on June 29, 1950. It was delivered new to A. Henshaw, and then it passed through the ownership of American enthusiasts Edward Wurzel and Walter Wolfson, before its acquisition by the present owner in Texas two decades ago.

In its current ownership, the Bentley was restored by Automotive Restorations of Stratford, Connecticut. It is finished in a lustrous dark green and a complementary hide. The owner reports that the car has been well-maintained during the 1,000 miles driven since the restoration, and it will be fully detailed and sorted prior to sale. It will also be accompanied by receipts and photographs from the restoration.

With values of the comparable R-Type Continental skyrocketing, this car marks an exquisite opportunity to enjoy an eminently drivable Bentley grand tourer that has stunning design, rarity, and long-term ownership at considerably less cost.