If the Vauxhall Prince Henry was the first British sports car, the one which most readily springs to mind at the words "vintage sports car" is the Bentley, and particularly the 3-litre. Yet when the Bentley was announced in May 1919, there was no car in existence, nor would there be for several months.

Walter Owen Bentley, or W.O. as he was always known, had come up with the design after working on locomotives and aero engines, as well as selling French DFP cars. As an illustration, he used a drawing by the Autocar artist, F. Gordon Crosby He described to Crosby the car he had in mind and then gave him a free hand. The winged B emblem and famous pointed radiator were Crosby's, the rad a modified form of the DFP's which became more rounded in the Bentlevs.     Continued...