At the end of Moonraker, Bond loses his beloved supercharged Bentley and buys a Bentley Mark VI to replace it. The Bentley Mark VI is the quieter car of the two: a post-war saloon built to be understood rather than noticed. For a man with a little patience, it is also one of the more attainable Bond cars.
In the books
In Ian Fleming’s 1955 novel Moonraker, the old Blower is written off after a chase with Drax. Bond then buys a Mark VI to take its place. Fleming spends far less time on it than on the Blower, and we have found no detailed description of the car in the research, so we do not claim a particular colour or body. The point of the car is what it says about Bond: that he stays loyal to the marque after losing the one he loved.
The details
The first of its kind. Bentley describes the Mark VI as the first car it produced at Crewe and the first Bentley of the post-war era. It was also the most popular Bentley the company had built up to then, with 4,001 made according to Bentley’s heritage notes: 3,171 factory Standard Steel saloons and 830 coachbuilt cars.
Quiet by design. Britain in 1946 was still recovering from the war, and Bentley says even buyers with money preferred not to look ostentatious. The Mark VI was built for that mood: as well engineered as the equivalent Rolls-Royce, but less showy.
What is under the bonnet. A 4,257cc six-cylinder engine with 132bhp at 4,500rpm and a four-speed gearbox with synchromesh on the top three gears. Top speed is 93mph. The engineers were aiming at 100,000 miles before a major overhaul.
Inside. Connolly hide, walnut veneer on the fascia and door trim, and Wilton pile carpet, with an improved heater and demister that Bentley counts as a major innovation.
Owning it now
The Mark VI is out of production, so the exact car comes second-hand. Classic dealers such as Hemmings and Car and Classic list them regularly, and our button runs an eBay search for the model. Condition and history matter far more than the asking price here: a documented car with its original coachwork is a better buy than a tired one that looks cheap.
It is a car for a man who enjoys driving slowly and well. At 191.5in long and 69in wide it is substantial by period standards, and the 93mph top speed is a reminder that nobody built it for hurrying. We would take a Standard Steel saloon, which is the commonest and simplest to maintain, over a rarer coachbuilt car unless you have a specific reason.
Specifications
| Model | Bentley Mark VI (1946 to 1951 per Bentley) |
|---|---|
| Engine | 6-cylinder, 4,257cc, 132bhp at 4,500rpm |
| Gearbox | Four-speed, synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and 4th |
| Body | Four-door, five-seat saloon; weight 3,976lb (1,804kg) |
| Dimensions | Wheelbase 120in, length 191.5in, width 69in, height 64.5in |
| Top speed | 93mph (149kph) |
| Price | Second-hand only; see the eBay search |
Bentley’s heritage notes on a 1949 Mark VI are on Bentley Newsroom.
Questions
What car does Bond buy in Moonraker?
A Bentley Mark VI, bought at the end of the novel to replace the Blower that was written off in the chase with Drax.
Is the Bentley Mark VI a Bond film car?
No. It appears in Fleming’s novel only, as far as the evidence we have shows.
How many Bentley Mark VIs were built?
Bentley’s heritage notes give 4,001: 3,171 Standard Steel saloons and 830 coachbuilt cars. Other sources give higher totals, so treat the figure as Bentley’s own count.
Where can you buy a Bentley Mark VI?
Second-hand only. Classic-car dealers and auction sites list them, and our button searches eBay for the model.
For the car it replaced, see our vehicles collection; the films and Bond actors pages sit alongside it.
