Bentley Mark VI Mallalieu Mercia

This is a 1949 Bentley Mark VI rebodied as a Mallalieu Mercia, number 007 of the series and so one of the earliest. Derry Mallalieu, a Bugatti enthusiast, built these cars in the early 1970s. He started with a stripped Mark VI, underslung the chassis and moved the engine back to improve weight distribution. The aluminium two-seat bodies were first made by Wilkinson.

The car is finished in Bordeaux with a tan interior. It has a 4.25-litre straight-six with twin SU carburettors, a four-speed manual gearbox, power steering and electric seat adjustment. A tonneau cover, hood and side screens are included. The odometer reads 21,062 miles.

The car spent at least the last 20 years in California with one owner, and the dealer describes it as in near-mint condition. The dealer has recently had the fascia re-veneered, serviced the car and fitted original Lucas P100 headlamps. The chassis number is B133FU.