Bentley S-Series History
The S1/S2/S3 luxury saloons (1955–1965) — Bentley twins of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, including a rare coachbuilt Continental.
Photo: “1957 Bentley S1 S Continental Coupe (46315559545).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
History
The S-Series replaced the R Type and ran as the S1 (1955–1959), S2 (1959–1962), and S3 (1962–1965). It was the badge-engineered Bentley sibling of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, sharing bodywork and mechanicals — the period in which Bentley and Rolls-Royce models grew effectively identical apart from the radiator grille.
The S1 used the long-running inline-six; the S2 introduced Rolls-Royce's new 6,230 cc L-series V8 in 1959 — the engine family that, enlarged to 6.75 litres, would power Bentleys for decades. Coachbuilt Continental coupés and dropheads (by H. J. Mulliner, Park Ward and others) were the glamorous, low-volume halo versions of the range.
Generations
S1
Photo: “1957 Bentley S1 S Continental Coupe (46315559545).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
The first S-Series, sibling to the Silver Cloud, with the 4,887 cc inline-six; coachbuilt Continental versions offered alongside the standard saloon.
1955 Photo: “1955 Bentley S1 Saloon (32937298812).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1956 Photo: “1956 Bentley S1 Saloon (34610944402).jpg” by Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1957 Photo: “1957 Bentley S1 S Continental Coupe (46315559545).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1959 Photo: “1959 Bentley S1 Park Ward Division Saloon, front left.jpg” by Mr.choppers / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
S2
Photo: “Bentley S2 Park Ward (1961) (52338882803).jpg” by Charles from Port Chester, New York / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Introduced the new 6,230 cc Rolls-Royce/Bentley L-series V8 — the ancestor of the engine family used into the 21st century.
1960 Photo: “Bentley S2 Standard Saloon (1960) (52127769802).jpg” by Charles from Port Chester, New York / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1961 Photo: “Bentley S2 Park Ward (1961) (52338882803).jpg” by Charles from Port Chester, New York / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
S3
Photo: “1964 Bentley S3 Saloon (32247688024).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Final S-Series, distinguished by quad (twin-paired) headlamps and the enlarged V8; the last Bentley before the unitary-body T-Series.
1963 Photo: “Bentley S3 Cabriolet (1963) (52857021406).jpg” by Charles from Port Chester, New York / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
1964 Photo: “1964 Bentley S3 Saloon (32247688024).jpg” by Sicnag / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Body styles
- Saloon
- Continental Coupé
- Continental Drophead
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Bentley S-Series
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