Rare painted Wood Effect Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost owned by The future Edward VIII, broke auction estimates.

A 1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost carrying ingenious painted ‘wood-effect’ shooting brake coachwork from a car once owned by the future Edward VIII – one of the earliest ‘woodies’ – burst through its £120,000 upper estimate to sell for £161,280 at H&H Classics’ 20 June auction. 

The sale was held in conjunction with the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club Annual Concours & Rally at Burghley House, Lincolnshire.

The lady vendor had driven the 92-year-old car to the event, no doubt relying on Rolls’ reputation in the day for making the ‘best car in the world’ – although it’s no stranger to adventure, having enjoyed many Ghost Club tours through Europe, South Africa and Australasia. 

In recent weeks the car has been the subject of much Fleet Street speculation that the then Prince of Wales employed it to smuggle Mrs Simpson out of Balmoral, making effective use of the black, `pull down' silk blinds.

In an auction that saw over 70% of motor car entries finding new buyers, other significant sales included the ex-Marquis de Portago 1931 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Sports Saloon achieving £95,200, £154,560 for the rare 1964 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III 'Flying Spur' and a canny buyer paying £47,250 for the 1969 Bentley T-Series Mulliner Park Ward (‘MPW’) Drophead, the perfect car for a picnic with friends at next year’s RREC Rally.

H&H broke all records with an extensive selection of nearly 500 lots of automobilia, which grossed nearly £150,000. Lot 201, an Austin Pathfinder Child’s Pedal Car, finally sold for £4928, some 25% above its upper estimate. 

Similarly, healthy bidding on the rare 1920s Michelin Tyres Illuminated Lightbox eventually saw the hammer coming down at a with-premium price of £6160 (estimate: £2500 - 3500).

The extraordinary Bentley “Blue Train” car to appear at Rétromobile 2015

• The extraordinary “Blue Train” car to appear at Rétromobile 2015
• The 1930 Bentley 6½ Litre Speed Six with Gurney Nutting coachwork, starts its 85^th anniversary in style

Bentley Motors is delighted to announce that the legendary Speed Six Bentley known as The Blue Train will celebrate the start of its 85^th anniversary with an exclusive first appearance at the Rétromobile Exhibition this week in Paris (Hall 1, Stand P43).

In 1930, Captain Woolf Barnato, Chairman of Bentley Motors, and also a true “Bentley Boy” having entered and won the Le Mans 24 hours three times, was staying in Cannes at the Carlton Hotel with his golfer friend, Dale Bourn. He accepted a wager that he could not only beat the Blue Train to Calais, as had been done before, but could be at his club in London before the train reached Calais.

On the day of the race, he finished his drink in the bar at the Carlton hotel when he heard the train had departed at 17.54. He had arranged for fuel stations to remain open through the night in Aix-En-Provence and Lyon, and a tanker lorry in Auxerre, and despite a puncture near Paris, he reached Boulogne with an hour to spare. 

He arrived at the Conservative Club in St James, London for a celebratory drink having passed the clock at Victoria Railway Station at 15.30 the next day, four minutes before the train was due to arrive in Calais, having averaged 43.43 mph driving on pre-motorway roads. He won the £100 wager, although the Automotive Club de France attempted to fine him £200 for an un-authorised race in France.

Richard Charlesworth, Head of the Bentley Heritage Collection, comments: “We are most grateful to Bruce McCaw for the loan of his legendary Bentley Speed Six. There are many exciting plans for the car to mark its 85^th anniversary, including a recreation of the original run from Cannes to London.”

The Speed Six evolved in 1929 as a racing version of the 6½ Litre, introduced in 1926. The first car raced as No 1 at Le Mans in 1929 where it won, and returned as ‘Old No 1’ to win again in 1930. A total of 182 Speed Sixes were built between 1929 – 1930 with a variety of body styles and types from several coachbuilders. Speed Six Chassis No HM 2855 was delivered to Bentley Chairman Woolf Barnato by Coachbuilder Gurney Nutting in May 1930. Barnato had many Bentleys personally commissioned to suit his requirements, all were bespoke, ‘one off’ vehicles.

In recent years evidence has come to light that suggests that although the car appeared in the Terence Cuneo painting of the race, it may be that it was in fact another Speed Six with a Mulliner Saloon body, also owned by Barnato, that actually accomplished the feat. It remains a mystery, the truth will never be known for sure, but this unique car remains one of the most striking, stylish and famous vintage Bentleys from that era.

Introduction first registered May 1930

Body Gurney Nutting Speed Six

Engine 6-cylinders, in-line; front; 100 mm x 140 mm, 6597 cc; compr 5.3:1; 180 bhp (134.23 kW) @ 3500 rpm; 27.8 bhp (20.34 kW)/L

Engine Structure 4-valves, double springs; 8-bearing camshaft, 3-throw coupling rod drive; cast iron cylinder block with stainless steel jacket plates; single port block; 2 vertical HVG5 SU carburettors; two champion plugs per cylinder; Bosch magneto and Delco-Remy coil; Autovac fuel system; 8‑bearing camshaft, with damper; water-cooled

Transmission rear wheel drive; sdp clutch; 4-speed C-Type gearbox, right hand change; spiral bevel final drive 3.53:1

Chassis pressed steel frame 0.188 in (4.77 mm), 7 cross-members; semi‑elliptic leaf springs; Bentley and Draper friction dampers; self-wrapping, Dewandre servo mechanical brakes, front Bentley-Perrot; 15.75 in (40 cm) drums; worm and sector steering; 25 gal (113.6 1) fuel tank; Dunlop tyres 21 x 6.00, rear 21 x 7.00; Rudge-Whitworth centre lock wire wheels

Dimensions wheelbase 140.5 in (356.87 cm), track 56 in (142.2 cm), length 187 in (474.9 cm), width 68.5 in (173.99 cm), ground clearance 7.25 in (18.4 cm), turning circle 47.5 ft (14.5 m)

Equipment Smith & Jaeger instruments, white figures black faces, German silver parallel-sided radiator shell; Green Label badges. Zeiss headlamps; Bosch electrics; Hobson fuel telegauge; brake vacuum gauge

Performance maximum speed 92 mph (147.7 km/h) – 100 mph (160.9 km/h), fuel consumption 15 mpg (18.83 l/100 km)

Price Chassis £1800

Production 1

MINI SUPERLEGGERA™ VISION | The Creative Process

• Classic Italian body construction and hand-shaped metal sheeting give the MINI Superleggera™ Vision a unique emotional appeal.
• The interior reflects traditional coachwork construction in terms of materials and styling, combined with the icons of MINI interior design.
• High-end materials such as leather, aluminium and black chrome highlight the clear aesthetics of the interior.

MINI and Touring Superleggera, the tradition-steeped design and coach building house based in Milan, have brought the MINI Superleggera™ Vision to the UK for the first time at the highly exclusive Salon Privé.

The MINI Superleggera™ Vision is on the one hand a classic roadster – a compact and agile two-seater – expressing the most minimalist and emotional style of motoring; and on the other hand its electric drivetrain gives the car distinctly modern driving dynamics.

In collaboration with MINI, Touring Superleggera™ has designed and built an elaborately crafted, unique model which blends the tradition of classic coachwork construction with the MINI’s authentic British styling to create timeless aesthetic appeal.

British design with an Italian accent - the exterior design.

"The MINI Superleggera™ Vision elegantly perpetuates what the Classic Mini started 55 years ago: reduction to the essentials. Its energetic, minimalistic design embodies the dynamic essence of an automobile. At the same time it creates unique emotional beauty in combining the past and future of the automotive industry, i.e. traditional coachwork craftsmanship and modern design styling. It was a pleasure for me to design a concept like this," says Anders Warming, Head of MINI Design.

The perfectly balanced proportions indicate at first glance what the electrically powered MINI Superleggera™ Vision has to offer in terms of a driving experience: the stretched bonnet, long wheelbase and cool, short overhangs convey pure driving fun. As in every MINI, the wheels are set widely on the body, promising a high degree of agility. The passenger cell is slightly set back, further underscoring the car's dynamic impression.

The front of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision features the traditional MINI design icons: two circular headlights and a hexagonal grille define the unmistakable front section, providing a contemporary interpretation of features which have become firmly established over decades. There are also striking classic sports car elements such as a wide track and distinctively curved wheel arches that give the front a dynamic presence. The classic MINI bonnet stripes are three-dimensionally embossed and run on into high-quality polished aluminum accents.

Meanwhile the horizontal rib look of the radiator grille adds a classic sporty touch. The fact that it is closed is a discreet indication of the car's electric motor. The two fog lights echo the circular contours of the headlamps, providing a smaller interpretation of them in the radiator grille. The air inlets are also circular, giving the front section a distinctive touch. A flat front splitter made of carbon fibre closes off the front to the road, thereby underscoring the car's sporty statement down to the last detail.

Classic coachwork construction in a cutting-edge interpretation. 

The striking element of the side view is the characteristic “Touring” line. It embodies both the high art of coachwork building and classic aesthetics. Surrounded by tight, seamless surfaces, it traces a precise, vibrant movement from the front wheels through to the rear. This reflects the great craftsmanship and longstanding experience of Touring Superleggera in area of body construction: ever since it was founded the company has stood for fine, light sports car bodies. To this day, Touring Superleggera™ shapes large aluminium sheets by hand using the most performing frame structures. 

There are very few gaps in the body since it is constructed from large sheets of metal. The result is a closed look that conveys high-quality elegance. The specially developed exterior paint finish Como Blue, almost liquid in effect, stands for both classic and modern style. It particularly underlines the refined Italian touch of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision. The elaborate rims and the elegant exterior mirrors in long-hole look complete with a mirror base in polished aluminium add exclusive accentuations at the side. 

Meanwhile the striking fin defines the look of the rear, adding a touch of extravagance. It gives the MINI Superleggera™ Vision a particular longitudinal dynamics while at the same time embodying the unconventional air of both MINI and Touring Superleggera. Like the “Touring” line at the side, it is modeled with enormous precision. The highlight of the flat, wide rear is the unusual lights: designed in the form of a Union Jack divided in two, they combine functionality and symbolism in a way never seen before. 

Echoing the exterior - the interior design.

The exterior and interior design of the MINI Superleggera™ Vision merge seamlessly. Only a surrounding shoulder line in polished aluminium visually separates the exterior and interior from each other. The border creates an encircling, sporty gesture that consistently perpetuates the clear elegance and generous surfaces of the exterior.

In its styling and in the look and feel of its materials, the interior design celebrates the tradition and the essence of classic coachwork construction. It reflects how the automobile was created: the essential features are quoted - the untreated aluminium sheeting and the tube-shaped structural elements - and they are made visible in the interior by means of a high-quality interpretation. This is most striking in the dashboard. The latter is created from a single aluminium sheet and has been left in the state the automobile body would look like without a paint finish. The generously sized unpainted surfaces and the clearly visible hand craftsmanship of the dashboard go together to reflect the skilled artistry of the coachbuilders. 

The Center Instrument in the middle of the instrument panel draws on MINI design styling and has been extended for the MINI Superleggera™ Vision to include a touch-sensitive control element and two circular instruments with metal surrounds on the right.