Short answer
The Corniche was a one-off prototype, while Birkin’s Team Blowers numbered four cars. Modern rarities include the 12-car Bacalar and continuation series, the 16-car Batur Convertible and the 18-car Batur coupé.
- One-off
- 1939 Corniche, re-created in 2019
- Modern coachbuilding
- Bacalar, Batur and Batur Convertible
- Continuation cars
- New builds of pre-war designs
8 of the Rarest Bentley Models at a Glance
| Bentley | Era / series | Documented run |
|---|---|---|
| Bentley Corniche1939 original, 2019 re-creation | 1939 original, 2019 re-creation | 1 original prototype |
 | 1929–1930 racing team | 4 team cars |
 | Modern Mulliner coachbuilt series | 12 customer cars |
 | Modern continuation series | 12 customer cars |
 | Modern continuation series | 12 customer cars |
 | Announced 2024 | 16 customer cars |
 | Modern Mulliner coupé | 18 customer cars |
| Bentley R Type Continental1950s production | 1950s production | 208 cars |
No entries match your search.
8 of the Rarest Bentley Models: Entry Details
Bentley Corniche
1939 original, 2019 re-creation · 1 original prototypeStreamlined bodywork made the Corniche an experimental link between Derby Bentleys and the later Continental. Mulliner re-created the lost car.
- Build run
- 1 original prototype
Bentley Birkin Team Blower
1929–1930 racing team · 4 team carsThese were the specialised Birkin racing cars, separate from the broader road-going Blower population. The externally mounted supercharger defines their appearance.
- Build run
- 4 team cars
Bentley Bacalar
Modern Mulliner coachbuilt series · 12 customer carsThe roofless two-seat Bacalar revived Mulliner’s small-series bespoke coachbuilding around a W12 grand tourer.
- Build run
- 12 customer cars
Bentley Blower Continuation
Modern continuation series · 12 customer carsMulliner reproduced the pre-war Team Car design using detailed measurements of Bentley’s original. Development cars sit outside the customer allocation.
- Build run
- 12 customer cars
Bentley Speed Six Continuation
Modern continuation series · 12 customer carsThe Speed Six continuation recreates the specification of Bentley’s Le Mans-winning design. Two development vehicles preceded the customer cars.
- Build run
- 12 customer cars
Bentley Batur Convertible
Announced 2024 · 16 customer carsA retractable roof and two-seat cabin turn the Batur design into an open grand tourer built around the final W12 programme.
- Build run
- 16 customer cars
Bentley Batur
Modern Mulliner coupé · 18 customer carsThe Batur coupé introduced Bentley’s newer design language while retaining the hand-built W12. Each commission allowed extensive personalisation.
- Build run
- 18 customer cars
Bentley R Type Continental
1950s production · 208 carsThe lightweight Continental body and fast touring brief made this small-run Bentley a foundation for the brand’s later grand tourers.
- Build run
- 208 cars
8 of the Rarest Bentley Models: Analysis
Coachbuilding makes rarity part of the design
The Corniche explores aerodynamic bodywork, while the Bacalar and Batur allow Mulliner to create specialised bodies for a small customer group. Their scarcity follows from the way the cars were commissioned and built, rather than simply poor sales of a regular showroom model.
Continuations preserve a different kind of rarity
The Blower and Speed Six continuations are newly built cars, not surviving originals from the racing era. Mulliner’s work recreates the engineering and craftsmanship of those designs, which gives a collector a different proposition from an original Birkin Team Blower.
Our verdict
Which rare Bentley is most compelling?
The Corniche is the strongest historical design story here, the Team Blowers carry the racing connection and the Bacalar offers the clearest modern return to open bespoke coachbuilding.
Strengths
- Direct links to Bentley design and racing history
- Modern commissions offer individual craftsmanship
Things to consider
- Customer-run limits do not include all development cars
- Original and continuation cars have different provenance
FAQ: 8 of the Rarest Bentley Models
How many Bentley Bacalars were made?
Bentley allocated 12 customer cars in the Bacalar series.
Is the Batur Convertible rarer than the coupé?
Its customer run is limited to 16 cars, compared with 18 for the Batur coupé.
Is the re-created Corniche an original 1939 car?
Bentley completed a re-creation in 2019 using period design information and original and newly made components.
Are continuation Bentleys old racing cars?
They are newly built cars that reproduce pre-war designs. Their age and provenance differ from original racing cars.
Sources & methodology
An editorial selection of eight rare Bentley designs and explicitly identified variants, ordered broadly by documented original or customer-series size. It includes a prototype, a racing-team variant and new continuation series, rather than treating all rows as identical production categories. Bespoke body and engine combinations outside these named designs are not exhaustively enumerated. The four-car Team Blower figure applies only to Birkin’s team, not every 4½ Litre Blower. Modern numbers are announced customer allocations, excluding development cars where Bentley states that distinction. The R Type Continental figure is the original production total. Build runs are evidence of rarity, not estimates of surviving cars or current value.
Maintained by Artsiom Dusau, a software engineer and BMW 4 Series owner. Editorial policy
View sources (7)
- Bentley, re-creation of the only 1939 Corniche
- Bentley Heritage Collection, four Birkin Team Blowers
- Bentley, 12-customer-car Bacalar introduction
- Bentley, Blower and Speed Six continuation allocations
- Bentley, Batur Convertible introduction
- Bentley, Batur coupé allocation
- Bentley, R Type Continental production and heritage
