Is the Bentley T1 the most undervalued classic Bentley of them all? Perhaps… Ultra rare, adorned with all the good stuff we like on classic Bentleys like lashings of chrome, hand painted fine lines and bur walnut veneers the T series cars, in all their guises, are masterful. And actually extraordinarily usable. What we have here is a very nice original example still prowling the streets in her original specification of Larch Green with single Gold fine line over tan hide. It is true to say that whilst the T1 isn’t a million dollar motorcar to buy they do consume like one, fuel economy is best not thought of. Down hill with a following wind you might get to about 22mpg, in town probably 12
**Just incidentally there is a record of 18 gallons of fuel being put into the car on the 3rd September 1973, the day before she was first registered to her first keeper. The cost of those 18 gallons, £6.30**
Servicing too can be costly, although not as dangerous as a ‘modern’ equivalent/alternative. The key is to find a car thats had the money spent, guess what…? It certainly has been here. 6 previous owners in total, the most recent of which went to great extent to ensure she is a brilliant usable classic Bentley. And she is. In March of 2025 she had a 6000 miles service with Frank Dales to the tune of £3000, new fuel hoses at the time as well to mitigate for that pesky ethanol now found in modern fuel. All new tyres in July 2024, proper Avon Turbosteels with white band. A matter of 200 miles covered since. More crucially in 2018 the car was given to The Prasads Automotive Ltd, an independent Rolls-Royce & Bentley specialist who went through the entire mechanicals of the car replacing all the brakes and ancillaries, rebuilt the carburettors, renewed the hydraulic components, replaced the thermostat & coolant pump as well as stripping the sides of the engine block and sump to ensure everything was tightened up and sitting nicely. Since purchasing we have changed the exhaust manifold gaskets as she had a slight blow and she’s driving and breathing superbly well.
With a little over 110k miles this CL still feels almost showroom fresh. A recent trip a Mercedes Benz specialists who were given carte blanche to go through the car & renew everything necessary resulted in a £13,000 mechanical & electrical overall. Consequently the car drives like new and presents in the same way too, heated, fanned & electric seats, cruise control, sunshine roof, automatic lights, artic air conditioning, creamy soft hides, cosy alcantara headlining, deep wood veneers & the silent monster up front. The engine is a masterpiece disguising itself as a 'pussycat' in slow moving traffic or cruising gently on beautiful B roads barely making a noise, just ticking over calm and serene as the cabin would suggest. She has a dual personality however, all one need do is plant the right foot to deploy a gargantuan 470Nm of torque ensuring no matter what gear you're in and what speed you were doing you'll very soon be braking the law to the soundtrack of an orchestral German roar. This surely must be one of the best examples of these with the condition she's in and the vast expense that has just be deposited into her. One extra touch is the leather trimmed magnetic phone holder which having used for a trip up the Scotland I can confirm is a brilliant & suitable modern addition.
In my humble opinion perhaps one of the best blends between classic & modern sports car out there. The button to turn off the traction control really does turn it off, very nice hydraulic power steering in ultimately a very light car makes for a genuinely sporty driving experience. Although as only the 2.2 not the full fat 2.8 she does lack a bit for ultimate poke, however thats never really gotten in the way of enjoyment. The Edition, as this is, was sold with the lovely black spider alloys an inch or so bigger than what customers buying a standard car got, moreover the iconic BMW Estoril blue paint was also reserved only for cars above standard spec. The interiors came fully fitted with all the extras available; heated seats, A/C, electric mirrors and some other now outdated options. The brushed aluminium centre console does look super duper as against a standard car. She is prodigiously reliable whilst being pleasingly analogue. Something of a connoisseurs choice.