HENDON.- A 1927 Bentley 3-Litre Speed Model Tourer was the star of the show at the Bonhams auction at the RAF Museum in Hendon on Monday 28th April, selling for £225,500 – half again its high estimate of £150,000.

First unveiled at the 1919 Olympia Motor Exhibition, the W.O. Bentley’s 3-Litre model was to become a legend in motor racing history and has become the archetypal Vintage sports car. Bentley made approximately 1,600 3-Litre models, and the Tourer sold yesterday sent waves of excitement through the crowd; fending off stiff competition, it eventually was won by a bidder in the room.

Also selling very strongly was a 1966 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage Sports Saloon, selling for over 150% of its top estimate.

And a 1956 Bentley S-Series Continental Sports Saloon was sold for just under £250,000.

Tim Schofield, Head of the Bonhams Motor Car Department, said: “We are delighted with the results achieved at Hendon, particularly as the top prices achieved were for outstanding vintage Bentleys- a marque for which we hold the record price at auction.

“We pride ourselves on being the only UK-managed international auction house, so to be able to deliver a result like this for another great British brand is deeply satisfying”.

The £2.1 million achieved at the Bonhams Hendon Sale brought to a close a busy weekend for the Bonhams Motoring department. An auction at the Staffordshire County Showground on Sunday 27th April achieved just over £2 million, with the highlight a Brough Superior SS100 owned and raced by the designer himself, which far exceeded its estimate by selling for £253,500.