In May 1946, Bentley announced its first new post-war car, the Mark VI. Factory bodywork was limited to the four-door sports saloon. But those wanting for something more individual could, as in years past, choose from one of the well-known coachbuilders of the era such as James Young, Freestone & Webb, Gurney Nutting, H.J. Mulliner, or Park Ward to provide custom coachwork for the Bentley-supplied rolling chassis. Power came initially from a 4¼-litre straight six-cylinder engine, which was replaced in 1951 with the introduction of the “big bore” 4½-litre. The Mark VI remained in production until 1952 with some 5,208 examples built; the large majority of which received the standard factory bodywork.

As per the registry listing in Bentley Mk VI by Bernard L King, chassis number B287BG, offered here, was ordered as a coachbuilt car. The Bentley was styled with Sedanca Coupé bodywork (design number “C15”) completed by the Mayfair-based coachbuilder Gurney Nutting, who built only four examples of the Mark VI to this body type. Four others were made under the same design number but to an identical Sedanca Coupé shape albeit with ‘teardrop’-style non-opening rear windows. Once completed, in October 1948, the car was exhibited on the Bentley Motors stand at the British International Motor Show at Earls Court. It was displayed alongside a standard steel saloon (with bodywork completed in-house), a Park Ward Foursome Drophead Coupé, and a Four Door Sports Saloon by H. J. Mulliner.

Following its motor show display, in December 1948 the Bentley was delivered to its first private owner, Abdel Hamid Bey Shawarby Sharid of Cairo, Egypt, with the order fulfilled by the Cairo Motorcar Company. While in Egypt the Mark VI is thought to have changed hands twice, with the last owner in the country noted as Mr Farid Saad. The consigning owner first saw the Bentley while in Egypt in the 1970s, where the car was noted to be in poor cosmetic condition, but it was not until 2012 that they acquired it at auction, with Mr Saad having returned the car to the United Kingdom.

While chassis B287BG was subject to restoration work in the 1980s—with mechanical tasks performed by Jeremy Padgett of Padgett Motors in Lincolnshire and bodywork restored by Nigel Cooper of London, all supervised by the consigning owner—by the time it was bought at auction in 2012 it had been retained on static display for several years. The Bentley was last used by the vendor around 10 years ago, when it was used as part of a photoshoot for the book The Spirit of Bentley by Bentley Motors and published by Assouline. Since then, the car has remained largely unused as part of a private collection. It has been returned to running condition but would benefit from inspection by a mechanic prior to being used on the road.

With its rare coachwork and fascinating backstory, this important Mark VI should not be overlooked by Bentley enthusiasts.