W.O. Bentley's founding car — the four-cylinder sports tourer that won Le Mans in 1924 and 1927 and established the marque.
The 3 Litre was Bentley Motors' first production car and the cornerstone of W.O. Bentley's reputation. Powered by a 2,996cc four-cylinder engine with single overhead camshaft, four valves per cylinder and twin magnetos, it was technically advanced for 1921 and powerful enough to win the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1924 (Duff/Clement) and 1927 (Benjafield/Davis in the famous 'Old Number 7'). Approximately 1,613 chassis were built across Standard, Speed and Super Sports specifications, the latter typically with the shorter 9-foot 9.5-inch wheelbase and Red Label engine.
The 3 Litre is the car that made Bentley. Continuous Le Mans success and W.O.'s personal involvement in design give every surviving example genuine historical weight.
| Variant | Years | Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (Blue Label) | 1921–1929 | Not separately recorded | 9'9.5" or 10'10" wheelbase touring chassis. |
| Speed (Red Label) | 1924–1929 | Not separately recorded | Higher compression, twin SU carburettors, Le Mans-derived spec. |
| Super Sports (Green Label) | 1925–1927 | Not separately recorded | Short 9' wheelbase, 100 mph guaranteed; very rare. |
For pre-war and vintage cars such as the Bentley 3 Litre, provenance is paramount. Chassis and engine number matching, period coachbuilder records, factory build sheets where available, continuous ownership documentation, original handbooks and any competition or concours history are the foundation of value. Vanden Plas Le Mans-style open coachwork on a Speed chassis with verified Red Label engine and registry-accepted history.
The four-cylinder engine is robust if maintained, but bearings, valve gear and the dual magneto ignition system reward specialist service. Compression and oil pressure tests on a hot engine are mandatory. A pre-purchase inspection by a recognised marque specialist should include compression and leak-down testing, magneto and ignition checks, chassis straightness and frame survey, axle and steering wear assessment, brake system review (mechanical or hydraulic per period), and an extended road test on varied terrain to expose carburation, cooling and gearbox issues that only emerge under sustained running.
Pre-war coachwork is rarely truly original after a century of use. Establish whether the body is original to the chassis (period photographs, build records, coachbuilder plates), whether it has been re-bodied at any point, and the standard of any restoration. Quality of timber framing, ash health, panel beating and paint depth are all critical. Concealed structural rot, re-bodies presented as original, and 'tribute' cars built on later or unrelated chassis must be priced accordingly.
Cars on the original short Speed Model chassis with documented Vanden Plas open coachwork and continuous history are the strongest examples; rebodied cars and 'specials' built on saloon chassis trade at substantial discounts. For vintage cars, event eligibility — Mille Miglia, Goodwood Revival, Pebble Beach, VSCC events, Le Mans Classic — can underwrite a substantial proportion of market value. Verify FIA/FIVA papers, period race history where claimed, and the car's standing with the relevant marque registry before purchase.
| Date | Auction | Car | Mileage | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-05 | Gooding Christie's Amelia Island Auctions, Lot 38 | 1924 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Sports Tourer | — | US$302,000 Sold |
| 2026-01-28 | RM Sotheby's Paris, Lot 160 | 1924 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Tourer | — | €230,000 Sold |
| 2025-10-08 | RM Sotheby's Hershey, Lot 296 | 1926 Bentley 3 Litre Tourer | — | US$178,750 Sold |
| 2025-08-15 | RM Sotheby's Monterey, Lot 128 | 1927 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Four-Seater Sports | — | US$555,000 Sold |
| 2025-07-08 | RM Sotheby's Cliveden House, Taplow, Lot 123 | 1926 Bentley 3 Litre 'Red Label' Weymann Saloon | — | £126,500 Sold |
The car that built Bentley's reputation. Verified Speed Model examples with continuous history are blue-chip and unlikely to soften meaningfully.
Our view, not advice. This section is Car Collector International's editorial judgement on where this model sits in the collector market, based on the production, specification and market data set out in this guide. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell and it is not investment advice. Values can fall as well as rise.
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The valuation figures in this guide are for research purposes only and do not constitute financial or investment advice. See our full disclaimer.
