The 1931 Bentley Won Best of Show at 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, fitting as Bentley celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the historic British marque. The car is owned by the Honorable Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong.
The car guide explains the Bentley 8-liter as basically an enlarged version of the six-speed with a new and lower chassis. Designed to compete head-to-head with the Rolls-Royce Phantom the first 8-liters were unveiled at the Olympia Motor Show in October 1930. At the 8-liter launch, W. O. Bentley wrote, “I have always wanted to produce a completely silent 100-mph car, and now, I think, we have done it.” The car was guaranteed capable of 100-mph, regardless of the coachwork. Kadoorie’s Sports Tourer with its cowl and the detachable rear windscreen is one of two short chassis 8-liters built with this particular Gurney Nutting body style. As the body of the other was transferred to a Rolls-Royce Phantom chassis this is the sole survivor. The car was fully restored in 2004 and acquired by Kadoorie in 2010.
The 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance featured the following marques and special classes among others:
Bentley Centennial
Zagato Centennial
Bugatti Race & Touring Cars
Historic Hot Rod “Cover Cars”
Thomas Flyers
Ballot
Lamborghini Miura
2019 CLASS LIST DESCRIPTIONS
A: Antique
C-1: American Classic Open
C-2: American Classic Closed
D: Packard
F-1: Bentley Centennial: Vintage 4 Cylinder
F-2: Bentley Centennial: Vintage 6 Cylinder
F-3: Bentley Centennial: Derby
F-4: Bentley Centennial: Postwar
G: Duesenberg
H: Rolls-Royce Prewar
I: Mercedes-Benz Prewar
J: European Classic
K-1: Bugatti Grand Prix
K-2: Bugatti Touring
L-1: Prewar Preservation
L-2: Postwar Preservation
M-1: Ferrari Grand Touring
M-2: Ferrari Competition
O-1: Postwar Sports
O-2: Postwar Touring
P: Zagato Centennial
R: Historic Hot Rod “Cover Cars”
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