1956 Bentley S1

When Bentley introduced their R-Type Continental in 1952, it had a top speed of 120 mph and was hailed as 'the fastest four-seat car in the world.' For motoring enthusiasts, this was to be expected based on the company's racing heritage and their proven ability to produce the finest performance-oriented motorcar. The R-Type was replaced in 1955 by the S-Series, which also had a Continental variant. With a higher compression ratio and taller gearing, the S-Type Continental chassis provided an excellent foundation for bespoke, lightweight coachwork.

The S Series had a long chassis (measuring 211.75 inches in length compared to 200-inches of the R-Type) which many feared would degrade the car's performance. This was not so, as the engine received an increase in displacement and the rear-axle ratio was changed to provide performance levels on par with the model it replaced. The suspension was improved which gave the car a nicer ride while improving its performance.

The Bentley S1, originally dubbed the 'Bentley S', was introduced at the end of April 1955, and like the preceding Mark VI and R type Bentleys, there were only minor differences between standard Bentley and Rolls-Royce models. The Bentley S and the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I shared the 298 cubic-inch (4.9 liter) straight-6 engine, a descendant of the engine that powered the Rolls-Royce Twenty, first introduced in 1922. It had a 3.75-inch bore, a 4.5-inches troke, 6.6:1 compression, and was paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Differences between the S and the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I were with the badging and the radiator grille shape.

The Bentley S1 initially rested on a 123-inch wheelbase platform, joined in 1957 by a 127-inch platform. Most used the shorter wheelbase platform; 35 used the long wheelbase while 3,072 examples rested on the shorter platform.

The Standard Steel Saloon fulfilled the company's commercial requirements, but for clients who required something more, Bentley offered the Continental in chassis form. The Continental was introduced six months after the arrival of the S1, and they were given fixed head and drophead coupe coachwork by Park Ward, James Young, H.J. Mulliner & Co., and Freestone and Webb. Of these four, James Young and Hooper would soon cease coachbuilding, leaving only Mulliner and Park Ward to carry on the tradition. Rolls-Royce consolidated its in-house coachbuilding capabilities in 1959 by acquiring H.J. Mulliner and two years later the firm was merged with Park Ward, which had been acquired in 1939. H.J. Mulliner bodied 218 examples of the S-Type Continentals and Park Ward bodied 185 examples of the remaining 213.

The final iteration of the W.O. Bentley-designed straight-six engine was introduced in 1956, with output growing by approximately thirteen percent due to increased compression, larger intake valves and carburetors, and a boost in power by approximately thirteen percent.

The Bentley S1 was replaced by the S2 in 1959 and it would remain in production through 1962 with 2,308 units built. The S2 came equipped with a V8 engine, power steering, and an improved air conditioning system. Wheelbase sizes continued to measure 123- and 127-inches and a high-performance S2-derived Continental edition was also available.

by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2017