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Bentley 3.5 Litre
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bentley 3½ Litre | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Manufacturer | Bentley |
| Also called | Bentley 4¼ Litre |
| Production | 1933–1939 2411 produced |
| Predecessor | Bentley 4 Litre |
| Successor | Bentley Mark V |
| Class | Luxury car |
| Engine | 3.7 L I6 4.25 L I6 |
| Wheelbase | 126 in (3200 mm) |
The 3½ Litre (and later 4¼ Litre) was the first Bentley to be developed by new owner Rolls-Royce. Released in 1933, it became the "entry level" car that the 4 Litre failed to become. With good performance and a low-profile look, the 3½ Litre became known as the "silent sports car."
Based on an experimental Rolls-Royce with a supercharged 2¾ L engine, the 3½ Litre was finally fitted with Rolls' straight-6 from the 20 H.P.. Despite that name, power output was roughly 110 hp (82 kW) at 4500 rpm, allowing the car to reach 90 mph (145 km/h). The engine displaced 3.7 L (3669 cc/223 in³) with a 3¼ in (82.5 mm) bore and 4½ in (114.3 mm) stroke. A 4-speed manual transmission, 4-wheel semi-elliptical suspension, and 4-wheel brakes were all common Rolls-Royce parts.
1177 3½ Litre cars were built.
Beginning in March, 1936, a 4¼ Litre version of the car was offered as an option. The engine was bored to 3½ in (88.9 mm) for a total of 4.3 L (4257 cc/259 in³). The transmission now included an overdrive gear as well.
1234 4¼ Litre cars were built.
A Drophead 4¼ Litre was featured as James Bond's car in Never Say Never Again.
| Bentley road car timeline | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | ||||||||||||||
| Independent | Rolls-Royce | Volkswagen | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sports | 3 L | 4½ Blower | WWII | |||||||||||||||||||
| Saloon | Six | 4/3½ 4¼/V | VI | R | S1/S2/S3 | T1 | T2 | Mulsanne | CFS | |||||||||||||
| Premium | 8 L | Camargue | Arnage | |||||||||||||||||||
| Coupé | Corniche | Continental | C R/S/T | C GT | ||||||||||||||||||
| Convertible | Azure | C GTC | ||||||||||||||||||||