rediscover 1939 mark V corniche, the long-lost car bentley and mulliner revive after 80 years

Bentley brings 1939 Mark V Corniche to pebble beach

For the first time, Bentley Motors brings the Mulliner-recreated 1939 Mark V Corniche to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California for the Monterey Car Week 2025. Between August 14th and 17th, the vehicle, which was revived and unveiled by the design teams in 2019 80 years after it was first created in 1939, makes its debut at the automobile show and takes part in the Tour d’Elegance. It’s a meaningful remembrance for the car manufacturer because the model set standards for some of its iconic models later on. 

In 1939, Bentley revealed the Mark V Corniche as a means to study the streamlined body shapes and aerodynamics for its future car models. But during the Second World War, the vehicle’s original body was destroyed and lost to history. Fortunately, the founding chassis was rediscovered 31 years ago, and Bentley and Mulliner set out to recreate the original components and coachwork of the 1939 Mark V Corniche based on the model’s original drawings. The recreation project began in 2018, and a year later, it was unveiled in time for Bentley’s centenary in 2019. In 2025, the car manufacturer brings the vehicle for the first time to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, allowing the attendees to see and go through the history and original components of the model.

all images courtesy of Bentley Motors

Mulliner led the recreation of original car model in 2018

The Mark V Corniche that Bentley built in 1939 was a high-performance version of the car manufacturer’s MkV saloon. It was treated as a platform to test new ideas in speed, handling, and aerodynamics, with its styling based on the principle of streamlining to reduce air resistance while driving. The bodywork was created by French coachbuilder Carrosserie Vanvooren from designs by Georges Paulin, and the car had a lightweight chassis made from thinner steel than a standard one, a tuned MkV engine, and an overdrive gearbox. During its time, the vehicle’s pillarless body design and curves were considered innovative. The first Bentley Mark V Corniche was tested at Brooklands in 1939 and reached speeds over 100 mph. 

It then went to France for further road testing, but in August 1939, the car was damaged in an accident and sent for repairs. The chassis was shipped back to the UK, but the body was destroyed in a bombing raid on Dieppe later that year. Fast forward to 2001, automotive historian Ken Lea began a project to rebuild the Corniche using original parts, but the progress was slow because of the funding issues, that is until Bentley Motors took over the project in 2018. The company’s Mulliner division, known for building custom cars, led the project. This was Mulliner’s first historic car restoration, and the rebuild used original mechanical components wherever possible, with a newly made body identical to the 1939 version.

Bentley brings the Mulliner-recreated 1939 Mark V Corniche to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

reconstruction of Bentley Mark V Corniche after 80 years

For the recreated model, the body panels were hand-formed, and the paint laboratory replicated the Imperial Maroon and Heather Grey color scheme. The interior team made seats and trims from period-correct materials, with the Mulliner carpenters using a steam booth to bend wood for the window surrounds. The grille was recreated with CAD analysis and hand-formed metal slats, and Mulliner apprentices contributed to details such as an authentic tool tray in the boot. The project preserves a missing link in Bentley’s history, showing the transition from pre-war designs to the post-war Continental line, because it’s the link between the manufacturer’s important and historic models: the Embiricos 4¼ Litre, the Corniche, and the post-war R Type Continental. 

The reconstruction of the Bentley Mark V Corniche also involved more than just technical reproduction. It required sourcing materials that matched the period, such as Connolly Vaumol leather and West of England cloth. The process included traditional craftsmanship alongside modern tools like CAD modelling. The Corniche is now the only example of its type in existence, and its recreation demonstrates an important chapter of Bentley’s history, now preserved and able to be experienced by the public. It also underlines the role of Mulliner in Bentley’s past and present, from bespoke vehicles for royalty to restorations of lost icons. The completed Corniche is a part of Bentley’s Heritage Collection and displayed at events worldwide. It first appeared at Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace in September 2019 and is set to debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California during the Monterey Car Week 2025.

roof view of the recreated vehicle

the vehicle was revived and unveiled by the design teams in 2019 80 years after it was first created in 1939

detailed view of the front

boot view with space for emergency tire

Mulliner carpenters used a steam booth to bend wood for the window surrounds

view of the leather seats

Mulliner and Bentley bring their coachbuilding techniques to the replicated vehicle

project info:

name: 1939 Mark V Corniche

car manufacturer: Bentley Motors | @bentleymotors

recreation: Mulliner

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