1923 Bentley 3 Litre Vanden Plas Sport Tourer, Chassis 246
Pebble Beach Concours, August 2019

1923 3 litre, Reg No: MF 1900, Engine No: 246, Chassis No: 246

246 was a BentleyTeam car, raced by Frank Clement in the George Boillot Cup in Boulogne in September 1923 (No 25). Frank Clement's racing notes record the car as averaging 92.31 mph over half a mile under test, but during the race the experimental magnesium alloy pistons burnt out during the second lap. Frank Clement was also the car's first registered owner (MFI900) and in December 1923 the car was fitted by Vanden Plas with a new tourer body (which survives on the car today) and used by the Experimental Department and as a Works Demonstrator through to 1925 it had full Speed model specs including SU carburettors and four-wheel brakes.

It was featured in 'The Motor" road test of March 3, 1925, driven by Clive Gallop, when it was reported to have done 23,000 miles.

In 1929, 246 was exported to Australia and after several owners passed in 1959 into the ownership of Robin Ritchie (who also owned Graeme Miller's Speed Six).

In 2001, forty years later, Suzanne bought the car from Robin and had the engine completely rebuilt by Simon Elliot, increasing the compression ratio to 6.7:1, so that now, eighty-four year on, it can better Frank Clement's 1923 test results.