1965 Bentley S3 Series

During the 1950s, Rolls-Royce and Bentley models were visually similar except for the badges and front radiators. The Bentley S1 replaced the R-Type was therefore basically a Silver Cloud I, and the last Bentley powered by the 140-horsepower 4.9-liter straight-six engine. It had a separate chassis and body which meant it could receive custom coachwork, although the vast majority of S1s were built with the standard steel body. In the front was an independent suspension with coils springs and in the back was a live axle and semi-elliptic units. Braking was performed by servo-assisted drums at all four wheels.

In 1959, the S2 made its debut and brought with it a boost in performance, thanks to the all-new, all-alloy 6.2-liter V8 engine. The top speed rose to 115 mph and greatly enhanced acceleration. Power steering became standard and electrically operated windows an option.

The final iteration of the model was the S3, introduced in October of 1962 at the Paris Salon. It was given a different grille, four headlamps, and a more contemporary 1.5 inch lower bonnet line. Inside there were individual seats for the front occupants and increased legroom for those in the rear. The engine power output rose by seven percent, thanks mostly to a higher compression ratio from 8:1 to 9:1 and larger carburetors. Top speed was now achieved at 117 mph. There was a new exhaust system that had three acoustic stainless steel silencers, each tuned to absorb a different range of frequencies. The noise was further diminished by insulation being installed at every likely point of vibration.

The interiors were well-appointed with grade on Connolly hide for the trim and French walnut veneer for the fascia and garnish rails.

The Continental chassis variants were identical to the standard one, which marked a first for the Bentley line. They did have wider section tires, a slightly higher axle ratio of 2.92:1, and four shoes per drum in the front brakes. The standard Saloon bodies were fashioned from steel, however, the coachbuilt Continentals were formed from aluminum, which was a considerable reduction in weight.

Bentley built a total of 311 examples of the S3 Continental and 291 were by Rolls-Royce-owned Mulliner Park Ward and 20 by James Young. On average, the Continentals cost around 40 to 50 percent more than the standard examples.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2019