• Home
• 1946-1955 Rolls-Royce & Bentley

1946-1955 Rolls-Royce & Bentley

In the immediate post-war years, Crewe emerged as the heart of British luxury motoring, producing cars that combined craftsmanship with modern engineering and reviving luxury motoring with the Bentley MkVI, followed by the Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith and Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn. The MkVI and Silver Dawn were the first to feature factory-built all-steel bodies, while the Silver Wraith remained a rolling chassis for bespoke limousines.

All three used a straight-six engine, starting at 4.257 litres and increasing to 4.566 litres in 1951, with the final R Type Continental and Silver Wraith models reaching 4.887 litres. Early cars had four-speed manuals until 1952, when GM Hydramatic automatics became standard, though manual options remained.

The Bentley R Type replaced the MkVI with a larger boot, while the high-performance Bentley R Type Continental—mostly bodied by H. J. Mulliner—earned acclaim as the fastest four-seat production car of its day. The Silver Dawn was essentially a Rolls-Royce–badged Bentley with a single carburettor, and the Silver Wraith, with its 127–133-inch wheelbase, remained in production until 1958.