James Bond creator Ian Fleming's 1953 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback has been unearthed in an unrestored condition, and is set to go to auction.
Finished by renowned British coachbuilder H.J. Mulliner, the R-Type Continental Fastback was built in extremely limited numbers. These high-performance grand touring cars attracted an elite clientele that included royalty, celebrities, and captains of industry. This car - BC10LB - is no exception, as Ian Fleming, creator of the James Bond series, ordered this Bentley for his friend and collaborator Ivar Bryce. Bryce worked for the British Security Coordination during World War II and was the inspiration for Fleming's character Felix Leiter. It's a little known fact that Fleming penned James Bond as a Bentley driver in the first six of his novels.
Originally finished in Deep Grey and specified as a left-hand drive, manual gearbox car with front wing spats and lightweight seats, Bryce's R-Type Continental was equipped with bespoke features such as fitted luggage and a racehorse mascot. Recently discovered in a Hollywood garage, where it had been hidden away for over three decades, this unrestored R-Type Continental is one of the most exciting post-war Bentleys to come to market.
Official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Gooding & Company, will be overseeing the sale and have put an estimate on the '53 Bentley at just over £1million.
The auction takes place on Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16 in Pebble Beach, California.