The Six cylinder Bentley came about as WO Bentley observed that not all of his 3-litre cars were being used simply for racing; many were having heavy luxury coachwork mounted on the chassis and the 3-litre was strugling. WO Bentley built a 4.25-litre 6-cylinder engine based on the 3-litre motor, but the prototype didn't please him so he created the 6.5-litre (6,597cc) 147bhp production version and launched in in 1926. With wheelbases ranging from 132-inches to 150-inches the Bentley 6.5-litre could now attract luxury buyers. The Speed Six came about by tuning the 6.5-litre engine to 180bhp (200bhp in racing form). A Bentley Speed Six won Le Mans 24 hours in both 1929 and 1930, and in fact it was the same car ('Old Number One') and the same driver (Woolf Barnato). Production ended in 1930 with 544 built of which 182 were Speed Six
ac Bentley Speed Six 1930 head
Bentley Speed Six 1930. This was the Bentley No.3 Team Car. The Speed Six engine was a 6,597 cc inline six with 4-valves per cylinder from a single overhead camshaft and tuned to 180bhp.
Bentley Speed Six 1930 DHC front
Bentley Speed Six 1930 DHC, coachwork by HJ Mulliner. The Speed Six had a 6,597cc 6-cylinder sohc 4-valve 180bhp engine and was usually sold on a 138-inch chassis
Bentley Speed Six 1930 front
Bentley Speed Six 1930. This was the Bentley No.3 Team Car for the 1930 Le Mans and has a 4-seat Vanden Plas body
Bentley Speed Six 1930 rear
Bentley Speed Six 1930. As with many Bentleys of this period it carries a Vanden Plas body, in this case a 4-seat tourer
