With all the accolades that the Vintage Bentley has received, a single postwar model deserves similar praise. The R-Type Continental Fastback is, in all respects, a stroke of genius, and is perfectly represented by the extraordinarily original example offered here.

A clean-sheet design for which there was no equivalent Rolls-Royce, the R-Type Continental Fastback by H.J. Mulliner defines the essence of 1950s luxury grand touring. Upon its release, the R-Type Continental was the world’s fastest four-seater as well as the most expensive production car. Its top speed of 120 mph was achieved in the utmost comfort, luxury, and style. Of the 207 production R-Type Continentals built, 192 received fastback coachwork by H.J. Mulliner as developed on the prototype, which was known affectionately as “Olga.” From the highly curved front windscreen to the slightly raked radiator shell and the perfectly proportioned rear fenders, the design is sensational and evokes the effortless performance that Bentley provided with its uprated Continental underpinnings.

Lightweight was the watchword, and H.J. Mulliner’s proprietary, all-aluminum construction method delivered. Even the carpets, leather, and glass were considered aerograde, weighing less than standard automotive materials. Production of the exclusive Continental commenced in January 1952, and the limited production was marked by gradual evolution and improvement.

The Continental Fastback offered here, like many others, has had a rather interesting life thus far. According to Bentley factory records, chassis BC22LD was originally supplied as a bare chassis to be bodied by Franay in Levallois-Perret, France. However, when the chassis arrived, Franay managers had already begun the process of shuttering their business, and it was returned to the Rolls-Royce and Bentley facility at Lillie Hall, in London, where it was updated to US specifications and re-dispatched to H.J. Mulliner to receive its coachwork.

Specified in Maroon with Putty hides, with the more comfortable front seats, its options include a chromed side-spear molding, whitewall tires, and twin driving lights. The completed fastback was delivered in January 1955 via New York’s J.S. Inskip to 21-year-old socialite Peter van Gerbig at his 5th Avenue apartment in Lenox Hill. Following six years of ownership, Mr. van Gerbig sold the Bentley to his friend Stephen Wheelock, who drove the car in New York before shipping it home to his native Scotland. Following Mr. Wheelock’s passing in 1976, the car was inherited by his brother, Thomas, who sold it in 1981 to William de Segundo, of Surrey, UK, who, along with his brother, owned an additional R-Type Continental with special H.J. Mulliner coachwork. During his 21 years of ownership, Mr. de Segundo added only about 8,000 miles to BC22LD’s odometer, and numerous receipts in its file speak to the attentive conservation the car received in his care. Mr. de Segundo kindly loaned the fastback to the Motor Museum of Bentley in Bath, UK, for a term, and participated in the 50th anniversary celebration of the R-Type at Silverstone in 2003. The consignor acquired the R-Type in early 2011, today showing just over 50,000 total miles recorded, becoming a piece in his formidable collection.

Beyond its notable ownership history is this R-Type’s incredible originality. According to the consignor, it still sports a majority of its original Maroon lacquer and its original leather interior, which presents with a welcoming and irreplaceable patina. The carpets, while showing the effects of time, are wonderfully original, both in the passenger compartment and the trunk. With such originality and low mileage, one could argue that this Bentley, though nearly 70 years old, is just getting started.

Presented here is the ultimate specification R-Type in its original, sporting livery, that has been held in appreciative ownership since new. As one of what must be a miniscule number of preservation-quality R-Types, it exists essentially in a class of its own. BC22LD’s interior exudes a combination of heady, vintage scents that are impossible to duplicate, making it one of the most inviting and rarified spaces in the world. It is deserving of a special place in a sophisticated collection where its charm, and 5th Avenue roots, will be fully appreciated.