abused and under-rated for many years, the 3.5 litre was nevertheless a true thoroughbred car

Only due to Rolls-Royce Ltd. having acquired in 1931 the remains of the financially troubled previous competitor the Bentley name as a major part of the British motor industry was saved from oblivion. In 1933 the Bentley 3 1/2 Litre emerged as a clever combination of a chassis derived from an experimental supercharged 2 3/4 litre Rolls-Royce which never saw production and redesigned and tuned 20/25 hp engine. The engine developed around 110 bhp at 4,500 rpm and gave brisk acceleration and a top speed in excess of 90 mph if light coachwork had been specified. The term "The Silent Sports Car" was coined and this model gained even W.O. Bentley's approval, since he was employed by Rolls-Royce from 1931 to 1935 and involved in road testing, but not design, of the early cars. 1177 cars were built.