The Bentley Speed Six was manufactured between the years 1926 to 1930. Walter Owen Bentley’s desire for more engine power led to the creation of this machine and he added two cylinders to the regular 4 engine that was used in those times. Introduced in 1928, Bentley Speed Six is still renowned as the most successful racing car ever produced by Bentley. The twin carburetors fit was the main difference between the Speed Six and the other standard models of Bentley. The car was an absolute delight for those who had an eye for motor sports events.
The Bentley Speed Six, in general, had a wheel base of 138 inches but a change in the front springs and redesigning of the front axle fixing led to a stop in its production and only the 140 inch variant remained. Initially, the tyres of the car could not withstand the pressure of these heavy cars and to deal with this problem Bentley equipped all their subsequent cars with tyres from the Goodrich Rubber company. The tyre problem also caused a delay in the car making its entry in the Le Mans event.
Overall, a total of 182 Bentley Speed Six were produced during its years of production. The car mostly had a very lavish coachwork to aim at high end clients. Though being a masterpiece, the car had to bear the brunt of the dramatic economic decline when the Wall Street crashed in 1929 and if it were not for this, the technically sound car would certainly have been a success today.
