Bentley bonnet mascot in chrome, against a black background

Which Classic Rolls Royce or Bentley Should I Buy?

Looking to add a classic Rolls-Royce or Bentley to your collection?

Choosing to buy anything is a very subjective process, and so of course buying a classic car is no exception!

It all depends so much on what your budget is, what you want to use it for and of course (and probably most importantly) what you actually like.

Here at Harvey Wash Ltd, we’ve got 50 years experience in looking after classic Rolls-Royce and Bentleys, and so of course we get asked a lot “If I want to add another Rolls or Bentley to my collection, what should I be buying?”

The honest answer is that we can’t tell you what to buy….But what we can do is tell you what we’d buy right now, and the reasons why.

It wasn’t easy, but we’ve split the 100 years from 1904 to 2004 into 3 ‘Eras’ of vintage and classic Rolls-Royce and Bentleys, and we’ve picked the one model from each ‘Era’ that we would buy….

Era 1 – Pre-war Rolls and Bentleys:

From the very first Rolls-Royce motor car to the very first Rolls-Royce Phantom, this era has a lot to offer. What a time for innovation, new ideas and automotive excitement!

Our pick for this Era, without a doubt, has to be the 20/25. And there are a few reasons for that. We think of the 20/25 as one of the more ‘accessible’ pre-war Rolls-Royce and Bentleys and it’s generally considered more affordable than some of the other pre-war cars too. But that’s not the only reason that we think it’s more accessible. Spares are more obtainable for 20/25s than for some other cars of a similar age, and in general they are very well built -known for their robust engineering. One of the biggest positives of the 20/25 could also be considered a potential negative though…The Coachwork. Of course the beauty of the 20/25 is the unique coachbuilt body and allowances for personalisation. But the condition of the coachwork is something that will directly affect the cost of the car. The coachwork for these vehicles was constructed in various bespoke workshops, and some better made than others. The condition of the timber construction of the coachwork is not always easy to spot either, so something to watch out for when looking to buy.

But, we still think this is wonderful car to own. Its driveability for its era is fantastic – far easier to drive than some of the other pre-war cars, meaning you can pootle to the pub or take a day out to a car show with minimal fuss.

The 20/25 is also far more manageable in terms of size than other Pre-War cars. The Phantoms for example are prestigious and impressive vehicles, but perhaps a little more laborious in terms of size.

Another big positive of the 20/25 is that it follows on from the Rolls-Royce 20hp, which was of course the first Rolls-Royce designed for an owner driver as opposed to chauffer. The 20/25 is therefore a development of this, with many improvements, making it our choice of pre-war cars.

Front view of teal coloured rolls royce 20/25 with large grill and lights — This 1932 Rolls Royce 20/25 has recently been into our workshop for some mild recomission work and was then sold by us on behalf of a client. In its early days, whilst touring Europe, its rumoured that one rural Swiss village got very excited to see the car, stating that it was the first car that they’d ever seen!

Era 2 –Post War to Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III/Bentley S3

This is a really interesting period in terms of Rolls-Royce and Bentley design and innovation. We can see the slow progression from pre-war to the modern era as it evolves throughout the Wraith, Silver Wraith and Silver Dawn, But the Silver Cloud and Bentley S series is where we really start to see Rolls-Royce and Bentley make a shift from pre-war to moving confidently into the modern era. In this era we also see Rolls-Royce and Bentley moving closer together as brands and making changes to the design and manufacture of their vehicles in line with post war austerity.

Arguably the most notable of these innovations came with the Bentley Mk6, which was the first Rolls-Royce or Bentley to offer a factory built standard steel body, unlike its previous coachbuilt offerings. Seemingly testing the waters with the Mk6, Silver Wraith and Silver Dawn, Rolls-Royce made a big step forward with the Silver Cloud, offering it as fully factory-built vehicle from the very beginning. Designed by John Blatchley and launched in 1955, the Silver Cloud or Bentley S series is our pick for this era…But which one?

Well, it’s a matter of personal preference. Many of our clients would say that they favour the Cloud III or Bentley S3. And that’s generally because they are a progression and development of their two predecessors. The cloud II and III offer the legendary L Series V8 engine, and of course the Cloud III offers split front seats, quad headlights and larger carburettors.

For us though, we’re going against the grain and saying that our pick is the S1 or Cloud I. We actually think that the straight six-cylinder engine really suits this car, it feels more ‘of it’s time’. The Cloud is designed to be comfortable, smooth and elegant, and we think the S1 or Cloud I is all of those things, even with the smaller engine.

Black Bentley S1. Sideview, parked outside the Harvey Wash Ltd workshop — This Bentley S1 is in original condition and has been owned by the same gentleman for nearly 50 years! We at Harvey Wash Ltd have been lucky enough to have looked after it for the majority of that time.

Era 3: Rolls Royce Silver Shadow/ Bentley T type to Bentley GT

This is our final era and we’re only stopping here because as specialist’s we ourselves don’t work on anything newer than the GT (choosing to also work on other carefully chosen classics from 1920 to the early 2000s, rather than working on the later Rolls-Royce and Bentleys).

This is another era that offers some lovely choices from the Silver Spirit to the Bentley Mulsanne. This era feels like another huge shift in Rolls-Royce Design and innovation. Produced from 1965 to 1981 the Silver Shadow/Bentley T Type is our pick from this era.

As much as we adore the Silver Cloud, it’s safe to say that by the end of the 50s, customers wanted something more modern, sleeker and smaller, but still with Rolls-Royce Luxury.

The answer lay in a relatively new technology – monocoque assembly. This totally revolutionised the way in which Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars were manufactured, and the Shadow was the first in that line.

We have of course got the Shadow/ T type 1 and two to choose from. And like the Cloud, our pick is the first one – Shadow I/T1.

For us, you just can’t beat the purity of design with an early shadow I/T1. We think the chrome bumpers in particular really suit the car. There’s no denying that the Shadow II offered a number of upgrades (steering rack, modified front suspension, climate control), but for us, the simplicity of an early shadow I in good condition, just can’t be beaten. Perhaps the downside of the Silver Shadow is its overproduction. There are a lot of Silver Shadows around, and it’s therefore easy to find them in a variety of conditions. If you’re looking to buy one choose carefully, and unless you’re confident it would be best to consult a specialist to advise and carry out an inspection.

Red Bentley T1 parked showing three quarters view. The grill and headlights are visible. — This is one of our favourite Bentley T Types and another example of a car that we’ve been looking after for several decades. This vehicle has been owned by the same gentleman for 30 years, and is in lovely condition.

Despite our recommendations however, we would always emphasize that the best classic car you could buy is the one that you are happy with and that you will enjoying owning and driving!

If you’re looking to purchase any classic vehicle, we here at Harvey Wash Ltd are always happy to help. We can carry out inspections, offer advice and answer any questions you have. Just give us a call on 01376 571174 or drop us an email on [email protected].