1934 3.5-litre Derby Bentley 'Bologna'

A personal project by the respected coachbuilder Ian Pitney of Pitney Restorations Conceived as an homage to the metalworking skills of the Carrozzeria in Modena and Bologna Based on a 1934 3.5-litre Bentley with a sound chassis and excellent mechanics Handcrafted details and period features abound. Classic styling cues from the twenties and thirties Brand new tailored hood and weather equipment Superbly crafted, beautifully finished, and real presence. A work of art. It is a sobering thought. Had Rolls-Royce not purchased its financially troubled competitor Bentley in 1931, the world would have been denied the Continental, Turbo R, Mulsanne and countless other legendary models subsequently graced with the 'Flying B'. Of particular loss for many, would have been the coachbuilt Derby Bentleys manufactured between 1933 and 1939. The chassis was derived from an experimental supercharged 2.75-litre Rolls-Royce (codenamed Peregrine) that never saw the light of day, and power came from a redesigned and tuned version of the company's 20/25 engine, initially of 3.5-litres (3669cc). Fed by a pair of SU carburettors, it drove through a four-speed manual gearbox, the suspension was by semi-elliptic springs all-round, and retardation by servo-assisted drums. The newcomer was introduced to the public in the appropriate surroundings of Ascot during August 1933, and production of these 3.5-litre cars continued into 1937; by which time 1,191 examples had been produced. The last year's allocation was manufactured alongside the incoming 4.25-litre (4257cc) version that would ultimately supersede the 3.5-litre cars. The Derby Bentley was, of course, an exclusively coachbuilt automobile with body styles being the preserve of the customer, and a number of illustrious firms including Park Ward, Barker, Vanden Plas, Thrupp & Maberly, Gurney Nutting, H.J. Mulliner, Hooper, James Young and Arthur Mulliner were keen to clothe these fine cars. In the event, nearly fifty per cent were finished as stylish saloons by Park Ward and these were frequently dubbed 'The Silent Sports Car', a slogan which was used by Rolls-Royce in their advertising for many years to come. However, the remainder were coachbuilt in any number of shapes and sizes, mostly with sporting aspirations almost certainly influenced by the 'Bentley Boys'. Beloved of the press and contemporary newsreels, the Bentley Boys were a group of British motoring enthusiasts that included Woolf Barnato, Sir Henry