Can a non-original vehicle cost as much as a large apartment? Oh, yes, especially when behind it stands one of the craziest and most aristocratic automotive stories of the last century! An amazingly accurate copy of the legendary Bentley Speed Six coupe from 1929 is going under the hammer at a private auction in the Netherlands. Although the shiny bodywork does not hide the authentic copy from the golden era of motorsport, experts expect the bidding to break records and nail the stunning sum of $ 600,000. The ad is already catching the eyes of collectors on the website of the prestigious auction house RM Sotheby's.
More than half a million for a replica? At first glance, the figure seems shocking, but in the world of classics this is simply the deal of the century. The reason is simple - if you decide to pursue the original, you will have to lighten up by at least 10 million dollars. Moreover, the machine in question recreates not just any Bentley, but the unique Bentley Speed Six Blue Train coupe, made in a single copy at the time. This car became a world sensation thanks to a crazy, unconventional race that gave birth to a true legend.
It all started in March 1930. British multimillionaire, playboy and avid racer Wolf Barnato was relaxing in the luxuriant resort of Cannes when, at a table garnished with an expensive drink, he decided to bet crazy money. He claimed that he could overtake the then technological king of the rails - the famous "Blue Train". The challenge was brutal: the express train flew along the route from Cannes to London, and Barnato guaranteed that he would drink champagne in the British capital before the locomotive even reached the shores of the English Channel. And look - he won against all odds! The luxurious monster Bentley Speed Six flew the distance of 1,340 kilometers in a phenomenal 22 hours, overcoming thick fog and a serious breakdown with a flat tire. From that day on, the car proudly bears the combat name “The Blue Train“.
The revived copy, which is now looking for a new home, was sculpted in 2018 by the specialists at the British Racing Green studio. The guys played hard, recreating the appearance and luxurious interior down to the last bolt and seam of the leather seats. The more modern Bentley Mark VI from 1953 was used as the technical donor for the project. Under the long hood, a 5.8-liter inline eight-cylinder Bentley B80 engine with a power of 160 horsepower purrs. The car is practically brand new, with a modest mileage of only 2,900 kilometers recorded on its digital dial. An ideal opportunity for some rich person to step into the shoes of Wolf Barnato without breaking the bank.
