That feeling of owning a car no one else has—something truly unique.
Hand-built by English craftsmen in the 1930s, with a custom-ordered body by the prestigious coachbuilder Thrupp & Maberly.
Mortgage the house and buy a Bentley Airline Saloon from 1933!
This cream-white beauty began its days in the circles of English motoring aristocracy. Carl Breeden had made a considerable fortune supplying bumpers to British manufacturers. And just to be safe, he also married into the Lucas family—yes, you guessed it, the company famous for electrical components.
In the mid-1930s Breeden decided to treat himself to a new car and set his sights on a Bentley 3½ Litre, fresh on the market since 1933 and a must-have for the very wealthy. He turned to the London-based Thrupp & Maberly, one of several coachbuilders tailoring bespoke bodies for Bentley chassis.
To maximize the cool factor, he ordered an Airline Saloon—a streamlined body with sweeping front wings and a distinctive sloping rear. The combination of “Old English White” with a red leather interior was a true classic.
“Streamline Moderne” was all the rage at the time, especially in the U.S., and not just in cars, but also in architecture, boats, and trains. Even the cautious Volvo joined in with its PV 36 “Carioca.”
According to the current owner, Thrupp & Maberly built only two Bentleys with this exact body style, and this is said to be the sole survivor.
It came to Sweden in 1981 and has since had four owners. The engine was fairly recently rebuilt and fitted with alloy cylinder heads, and both the rear axle and the electrical system have been refurbished. The interior and exterior remain in a patinated, usable condition, with minor blemishes that one can either live with—or restore, depending on the new owner’s preferences.
Either way, this 1930s Bentley is a magnificent survivor from the glory days of the British Empire, and perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone who has dreamt of owning something truly unique.
The auction ends on September 18, with the market value estimated between 750,000 and 850,000 SEK.
To the auction: https://bilwebauctions.se/septemberauktion-3-2025/bentley-airline-3-12-litre-54353
