1937 Bentley 4¼-Litre Aerofoil Sport by Gurney Nutting

Chassis No. B90KT
Engine No. N3BY

J. Gurney Nutting & Co. Limited was founded in 1919 and within a few short years the coachbuilder had become one of Bentley's primary body suppliers. Its clients included the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York, and the firm earned a Royal Warrant in the early 1930s along with the nickname ''coachbuilder to the maharajas'' for its Indian royal commissions. That prestige carried into the firm's design work, and by 1930 Gurney Nutting's reputation for streamlined coachwork made it a natural choice when London distributor H.R. Owen commissioned a series of exclusive aerodynamic sports saloons marketed as ''Aerofoil.''

Built after Rolls-Royce's 1931 acquisition of Bentley, the model combined the Aerofoil program's aerodynamic ambitions with the mechanical engineering and comfort both companies were known for. Power came from a 4,257-cc six-cylinder with twin SU carburetors and a backup ignition system with two coils and two distributors, mirroring Rolls-Royce practice of the era.

Of the four Aerofoil-bodied 4¼-Litres, chassis number B90KT is the singular example fitted with an opening roof. Its coachwork is also unusual for having no center pillar between the front and rear windows, offering a cleaner, more open profile when both are open. From its prow, led by the famous 'Flying B' mascot, the high waistline plunges across the length of the doors parallel with its sculpted running boards before an artful dip in concert with rear fenders-a line accentuated by the current two-tone exterior livery.

The coachbuilt Bentley was delivered to H.R. Owen on 8 June 1937 and not sold until 19 December 1938, when it went to first owner Claude E. Goodyear of Warwickshire, who registered it CUE 302, a number plate it still carries. Captain C. Hyland of Yorkshire took ownership from May 1943, followed by John Gaul, whose wife was photographed with the car during the war.

Robert Briggs-Bury of Bournemouth owned it from 1946 until his family emigrated to Jamaica a year later, returning it to H.R. Owen through Jack Barclay. H.M. Everett acquired it in 1949, followed by T.D. Darwall in 1958. Around 1990, Peter Holton rescued it from long-term storage and restored it. It was finished in cream with blue leather, a livery later featured in Nick Walker's book, Bentley 3½ & 4¼ Litre 1933-40, In Detail. It then passed through a chain of collectors before reaching its current owner in 2017.

A 2016 restoration refreshed the paintwork, interior, trim, and matching luggage to their present condition. The Aerofoil has since built a strong concours record, including Best of Show at the 2023 Concorso d'Eleganza San Pellegrino Terme and the British Classic Car Meeting in St. Moritz in 2018, plus class wins in Lugano and at THE ICE St. Moritz.

Only four Aerofoil Sports were ever built by Gurney Nutting, with this car having the added distinction of being the only one with a sliding roof. With its recent strong concours record and well documented history from new, this distinct Aerofoil continues to captivate nearly 90 years later.