Bentley Mark VI (1949)
Caught up in the tumultuous events of World War II and its immediate aftermath, things at Bentley had transitioned from an era of innovation to one of rationalisation between 1940 and 1949. The 1949 Mark VI, like this one in Yohan’s collection, was the product of such rational thinking. However, being the first car to be completely built at Bentley’s Crewe factory, this is none the less a coveted piece of automotive history.
The Mark VI used a shortened Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith chassis along with a modified four-and-a-quarter-litre engine. The 4,257-cc engine had six cylinders in line and used a four-speed manual gearbox for transmitting an undisclosed power output to the rear wheels. The chassis featured a leaf-spring suspension at the rear, working in conjunction with independent coil springs up front to keep occupants isolated from road shocks. A knob on the steering wheel allowed the driver to adjust the stiffness of the rear suspension by hydraulically adjusting the rear dampers. Braking duties were taken care of by 311-mm internally expanding drums on all four wheels, further assisted by Rolls-Royce’s mechanical servo system. What is noteworthy is that the Mark VI had hydraulically operated brakes at the front while the rear pair was mechanical.
It was also the first Bentley to be offered with a pressed steel body-shell as standard. Coach built cars, of course, continued as an option for those who wanted one. The Mark VI was one of Bentley’s best-sellers.
