The Bentley 3½ Litre was introduced in 1933 and was the first Bentley made under the ownership of Rolls-Royce. The 3½ Litre was created to move the Bentley brand away from its racing exploits in order to create cars of better quality and refinement. The 3½ Litre was fitted with a 3.5L inline six engine and was sold as a rolling chassis in order to be coachbuilt to the owner's desires. In 1936, the 3½ Litre saw a larger engine installed, leading to the creation of its successor, the Bentley 4¼ Litre.