Bentley’s Mulliner division will resurrect the Pace Six as its second continuation challenge. Introduced on the sidelines of the 2022 Goodwood Competition of Pace, the born-again basic will probably be almost similar to the vehicles that received the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1929 and 1930.
Continuation vehicles stay a big supply of controversy amongst lovers; Ralph Lauren is among the high-profile collectors who wrote an offended letter to Bentley after the agency introduced plans to make 12 replicas of the 4 1929 Workforce Blower fashions. The criticism did not dent the mannequin’s reputation; all 12 models had been spoken for in file time, and this success inspired Bentley to deliver the Pace Six again to life.
Why the Pace Six? It is one of the vital essential fashions in Bentley’s historical past, in keeping with the corporate’s archives division, largely because of its success at Le Mans. It was an evolution of the 6½-Litre mannequin whose 6.5-liter straight-six engine was tuned to develop about 180 horsepower, an enormous quantity within the Nineteen Twenties. It was supplied with three completely different wheelbases, and 182 examples had been made between 1928 and 1930. Solely a small handful of these had been modified for racing; they had been constructed on a 132-inch wheelbase and fitted with a 200-horsepower six.
Bentley began the continuation challenge by sourcing two of the unique vehicles. One is the third of three models that raced at Le Mans in 1930, and it has been nicknamed Previous Quantity Three. It is in personal palms. The second is a 1929 mannequin that is a part of the carmaker’s assortment and that has beforehand obtained a full restoration. Mulliner has accomplished a 3D CAD mannequin of the Pace Six utilizing these vehicles and interval paperwork.
Pricing for the Pace Six continuation automobile begins at £1.5 million, a sum that represents about $1.8 million on the present conversion fee. Manufacturing is proscribed to 12 models, and collectors scooped up your complete batch earlier than the challenge was introduced to the general public.
Bentley will start constructing the primary automobile, which isn’t a part of the 12 and which will probably be used as a testing and engineering mule, within the second half of 2022.
