Bentley R Type

Bentley R Type
Standard steel sports saloon 1953
Overview
Manufacturer	Bentley Motors
Also called	Bentley Mark VII
Production	1952–1955 2323 built
Assembly	Crewe, United Kingdom
Body and chassis
Class	Luxury car
Body style	Standard 4-door saloon; otherwise as arranged with coachbuilder by customer
Layout	front engine, rear-wheel drive
Related	Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn
Powertrain
Engine	4.6 L IOE straight-6 130 hp (97 kW)(estimate)
Transmission	4-speed manual 4-speed automatic (optional)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	120 in (3,048 mm)
Length	200 in (5,080 mm)
Width	69 in (1,753 mm)
Height	64.5 in (1,638 mm)
Chronology
Predecessor	Mark VI
Successor	S1

The R Type is the second series of post-war Bentley automobiles, replacing the Mark VI. Essentially a larger-boot version of the Mk VI, the R type is regarded by some as a stop-gap before the introduction of the S series cars in 1955. As with its predecessor, a standard body was available as well as coachbuilt versions by firms including H. J. Mulliner & Co., Park Ward, Harold Radford, Freestone and Webb and others.

Other than the radiator grilles and the carburation there was little difference between the standard Bentley R Type and the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn. The R Type was the more popular marque, with some 2,500 units manufactured during its run to the Silver Dawn's 760.

During development it was referred to as the Bentley Mark VII; the chassis cards for these cars describe them as Bentley 7. The R Type name which is now usually applied stems from chassis series RT. The front of the saloon model was identical to the Mark VI, but the boot (trunk) was almost doubled in capacity. The engine displacement was approximately 4½ litres, as fitted to later versions of the Mark VI. An automatic choke was fitted to the R-type's carburettor. The attachment of the rear springs to the chassis was altered in detail between the Mark VI and the R Type.

For buyers looking for a more distinctive car, a decreasing number had custom coachwork available from the dwindling number of UK coachbuilders. These ranged from the grand flowing lines of Freestone and Webb's conservative, almost prewar shapes, to the practical conversions of Harold Radford which including a clamshell style tailgate and folding rear seats.

All R Type models use an iron-block/aluminium-head straight-6 engine fed by twin SU Type H6 carburettors. The basic engine displaced 4,566 cc (278.6 cu in) with a 92 mm (3.62 in) bore and 114.3 mm (4.50 in) stroke. A 4-speed manual transmission was standard with a 4-speed automatic option becoming standard on later cars.