Solved - NEH 1656: Bentley Korea prototype - 1960

[Carnut]

Another easy Rookie point - what's this, from when - for 1 point?:

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[foxawy]

italian??

[Carnut]

italian??

No.

[foxawy]

british??

[Carnut]

british??

Yes.

[foxawy]

aston martin DB1

[Carnut]

aston martin DB1

Not an Aston!

[foxawy]

alvis??

[Carnut]

alvis??

No, it's not an Alvis.

[RayTheRat]

Bristol?

[Carnut]

Bristol?

..nor a Bristol!

[foxawy]

its a long shot but, gordon-keeble ??

[Carnut]

its a long shot but, gordon-keeble ??

No, I'm afraid not.

[RayTheRat]

It seems like foxawy and I are on the same trail.  I'll try the next logical one, Warwick.

[Carnut]

It seems like foxawy and I are on the same trail.  I'll try the next logical one, Warwick.

No, not a Warwick.

I'm moving this one up now since it's had its week with the Rookies.
The Experts will make very short shrift of it, I'm sure!

[bentleybob]

The sporty Continental Bentley that never was but for a short lived prototype. Experimental Bentley Korea 61-B Sports Coupé, styled by V.Koren and built by Park Ward, registered 800 PTU, constructed ovet 1959 - 1961 (March).  Tubular body construction with steel panelling with aluminium doors, bonnet and boot lid. Did 140 mph on the speedo, being 133 mph in reality. Regarded as too much of a competitor for the regular S2 and later S3 Continentals, particular the cabriolet by Park Ward. In the end a fixed roof was fitted to the cabriolet body to create a coupe, whichwas cheaper to make.  Project stopped in September 1961 after only 2000 miles, one only built, second never was. Mechanics out by 1963, body in storage unitil 1970 until scrapped

[Carnut]

The sporty Continental Bentley that never was but for a short lived prototype. Experimental Bentley Korea 61-B Sports Coupé, styled by V.Koren and built by Park Ward, registered 800 PTU, constructed ovet 1959 - 1961 (March).  Tubular body construction with steel panelling with aluminium doors, bonnet and boot lid. Did 140 mph on the speedo, being 133 mph in reality. Regarded as too much of a competitor for the regular S2 and later S3 Continentals, particular the cabriolet by Park Ward. In the end a fixed roof was fitted to the cabriolet body to create a coupe, whichwas cheaper to make.  Project stopped in September 1961 after only 2000 miles, one only built, second never was. Mechanics out by 1963, body in storage unitil 1970 until scrapped

Absolutely!

[Carnut]

Here's a front view of it plus a better rear picture:

[Djetset]

It is such a shame that this car never made it into production, as it is stunning.  I would seriously consider parting with my Bristol to buy one of these.  Perhaps I can get some body to build an exact replica, based on a Bristol chassis (more fun to drive than a Bentley!).

[Carnut]

I agree.  The British motor industry has rarely been noted for its foresight and much preferred to rest on its laurels and keep on making what had been selling, e.g. their insistence on keeping cars like the Morris Minor and MGB going long after their sell-by dates..

This is what it said on the website where I found the pictures:

QUOTE
Park Ward was used for another project, codenamed 'Korea'. "The nearest thing to a four-seater Ferrari with traditional Bentley luxury and comfort." Koren wrote later, recalling the brief. "We built two prototypes but the project was axed by the sales people as "too modern and too expensive" and did not go into production." Koren was to leave Rolls-Royce after only 4 years.
UNQUOTE

What a waste.