The story unfolds in 1930, in the heart of interbellum Cannes, where some early petrol heads decided to make a bet after a heated discussion. The subject of that discussion was an advertisement by Rover that claimed its car had beaten the famous ‘Train Bleu’ from Calais to the French Riviera. The proud French could not abide by this shameless blemish on their proud engineering heritage. However, playboy millionaire Captain Joel Woolf Babe Barnato (with enough money, you can have as many names as you fancy apparently) was prepared to wager £100 that he could prove it wasn't a fluke, and do it again in his Bentley Speed Six. This is 1930 - the average yearly income in the UK at the time was around £165, so it’s not like we’re talking small money here. The race would be run in reverse this time, presumably because Barnato planned to celebrate his predicted victory with pals in London.

In the early morning of the following day, the blue train left the Riviera behind, quickly followed by Barnato and his Bentley. The 180 bhp strong car roared through quiet France, but even though he started fairly well, you can only have so much luck. A punctured tire, a desperate search for petrol in the French countryside and heavy weather made the victory less than assured. Nevertheless, even after a choppy ferry ride back to England, he reached central London minutes before the Blue Train came to a stop in Calais.

The story doesn’t end there, though. When the French authorities caught wind of the race, they were furious. They fined the millionaire a hefty sum, far more than the money he won with his bet, for racing on French public roads. Along with that they also banned Bentley from the Paris motor show that year for having advertised an unauthorized race. However, that didn’t prevent the car and the story from becoming legendary.

This beautiful black car, finished with a gorgeous red interior and highly polished walnut cabinets is powered by a 5.6l eight-cylinder Bentley engine and is perfectly detailed. While not a historically accurate copy of a 1930 Bentley Speed Six, you've got to admit it's super cool. If you’re interested in this recreation of a legend, check out the listing for RM’s upcoming sale at Amelia Island.