1961 Bentley S2

The Bentley S2, introduced in September of 1959, was the stablemate to the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and retained the basic body design and chassis of its predecessor, the S1. The F-head six-cylinder engine of the S1 was replaced with an all-new overhead-valve V-8 engine, under design and development for the previous decade by the engineers at Crewe. Breaking from the tradition of its parent firm, Rolls-Royce, long disdained publication of horsepower ratings, the new 6230cc V-8 engine was estimated to develop over 200 brake horsepower, approximately 25% more than the old six. With the light-weight all-alloy construction, the Silver Cloud II and S2 were faster and quicker than their immediate predecessors. Significant changes were made to the running gear, with power-assisted steering offered as standard equipment and the manual gearbox was no longer offered, with the Rolls-Royce four-speed automatic being the sole offering.

Continuing the tradition established by the R-Type Continental of the early 1950s, a higher-specification Continental variant with distinctive styling was offered on the S2 chassis to discerning buyers. Upgrades included four-leading-shoe drum brakes in the front, special highs-peed tires, a higher rear axle ratio applied up to 'B-Series' Chassis BC99BY, lightweight alloy body panels, and a lower-profile radiator.

The Continental was exclusively a coachbuilt automobile. The firms of H J Mulliner, Park Ward, James Young and Hooper (with a solitary example) all offered handcrafted bodies on the Continental S2 chassis. James Young and Hooper would soon cease coachbuilding, leaving only Mulliner and Park Ward to carry on a tradition. Consolidating its in-house coachbuilding capability, Rolls-Royce had purchased H J Mulliner in 1959 and two years later the firm was merged with Park Ward, which had been acquired in 1939.

Bentley produced 2,308 examples of the S2 with 388 being Continentals, 222 were bodied in styles that originated with H J Mulliner and 125 with those of Park Ward.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2020