Bentley PICK-UP up for grabs. Yes, it really is a Bentley Pick-up

A Bentley Pick-up – based on an original Bentley S1 and converted in Australia – is up for auction at Silverstone Auctions’ British Marques sale.

For as long as most of us can remember, makers of proper luxury cars, like Bentley and Rolls-Royce, have really only made big, luxurious saloon cars and the odd saloon-based Coupe.

But as the car market has changed and the world has fallen in love with SUVs, even Bentley and Rolls-Royce have had to bow to the Zeitgeist to generate sales, and we now have, for better or worse, the Bentley Bentayga and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUVs. And they’re big sellers.

But one thing that seems unimaginable is a Bentley or Rolls-Royce Pick-up. Or is it? 

It may be unimaginable for most of us, but that hasn’t stopped one intrepid Australian, George William of Camperdown in New South Wales, doing just that, and now it’s in the UK and up for sale.

Starting life as a 1956 Bentley S1, the Bentley Pick-up was owned by Keith Rous, the 6th Earl of Stradbroke, who sent it off to Australia where it was given a Woody-style load bed, fitted where the back seat passengers would normally be, and painted Banana Yellow. 

It came back to the UK in 2012, and currently boasts the livery of a previous owner, ‘Mount Fyans Black Angus Herd’, and is up for grabs.

It’s not actually UK registered, but all taxes have been paid and Silverstone Auctions, who are selling it their British Marques sale on 11 May, have estimated it at £25-30,000.