Discover the Bentley Speed Six Continuation Series: A Legacy of Racing Excellence
Many Bentley enthusiasts develop a deep connection with the brand from early childhood, and the story of the owner of one of the twelve Speed Six Continuation Series cars is a perfect illustration. As a child, he received a 'Models of Yesteryear' scale model Blower Bentley from his uncle, sparking his enduring passion for Bentley's pre-war racing legends.
The owner and his wife boast a remarkable collection of Crewe-built Bentleys, including a pioneering Continental GT, a race-inspired Continental GT3R, a robust second-generation Continental Supersports, and a luxurious First Edition Bentayga. Nevertheless, the centrepieces of their collection are his Continuation Series Blower 4½ Litre Supercharged and the newest acquisition, a Speed Six Continuation Series. The cherished scale model 'Blower' remains in his possession and inspired the designs of his two Bentley Continuation Series cars.
At Mulliner Classic's workshops, the team's mission and pride lie in bringing customers' dreams to life. The creation of Continuation Speed Six #3 exemplifies this, replicating the original 1930s works racer with exacting precision and incorporating distinctive personal touches, such as a unique paint finish and the racing number 3 on its side and radiator.
The Continuation Series Speed Six and Blower occupy the third slot in their respective series. The Speed Six features the cherished racing number 3, which holds special significance for its owner, a former semi-professional rugby player and tighthead prop who donned the number 3 jersey.
The bespoke 'Embelo Green' paint on both the Blower and Speed Six bridges the gap between the light green of his childhood scale model and the iconic British Racing Green. The colour name derives from the initials of the couple's three daughters. Contrary to the original toy, the Speed Six's interior is upholstered in red, albeit in a subtler shade.
True to Bentley's ethos, the owner regularly drives his Speed Six. He requested that Mulliner provide two exhaust systems: one proper to the original, unsilenced specification and another silenced version for noise-restricted circuits. Mulliner engineers specifically designed this silencer for the Continuation series. Additional finishing touches include a white identification patch on the nearby front fender and a hand-painted Union Flag on the driver’s side.
Commissioning a Continuation Series Bentley offers a highly personal experience. Like many Mulliner Classic clients, the #3 Speed Six owner became a regular at the Crewe workshops. A skilled craftsman, he joined the liner team for a day to help fit the period-correct Rexine fabric on his Blower’s Weymann-style bodywork. Although unable to do so for his Speed Six, he is determined to use it as intended by W.O. Bentley—fast, reliable, and capable of impressive performance.
Introduced in 1928, the Speed Six was a sportier version of the Bentley 6½ Litre. It was enhanced with twin SU carburettors, a higher compression ratio, and a high-performance camshaft. Built from 1928 to 1930, the Speed Six secured its legendary status with two victories in the 1929 and 1930 Le Mans 24 Hour race24-Hourthe Continuation Series, Mulliner Classic meticulously modelled the new Speed Sixes on two originals: their Speed Six, GU409, and 'Old Number 3', a works racer from the 1930 Le Mans, provided by its current owner for reference. The W.O. Bentley Memorial Foundation also contributed significantly, providing 80% of the original drawings and notes used by the team.
