Bentley S1
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Bentley S | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Bentley Motors (1931) Limited, Crewe, Cheshire |
Production | 1955–1959 3,538 produced |
Assembly | Crewe, Cheshire, England |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Full-size luxury car |
Body style | 4-door saloon 2-door coupe |
Layout | FR layout |
Platform | separate chassis |
Related | Bentley S1 Continental Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 4.9 L I6 |
Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 123 in (3,124 mm) [1] 127 in (3,226 mm) |
Length | 211.75 in (5,378 mm) [1] |
Width | 1,898.65 mm (74+3⁄4 in) |
Height | 1,631.95 mm (64+1⁄4 in) |
Kerb weight | 1,924 kg (4,242 lb) |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | R Type |
Successor | S2 |
The Bentley S1 (originally simply "Bentley S") was a luxury car produced by Bentley Motors Limited from 1955 until 1959. The S1 was derived from Rolls-Royce's complete redesign of its standard production car after World War II, the Silver Cloud. Each was its maker's last standard production car with an independent chassis. The S-series Bentley was given the Rolls-Royce - Bentley L Series V8 engine in late 1959 and named the S2. Twin headlamps and a facelift to the front arrived in late 1962, resulting in the S3. In late 1965 the S3 was replaced by the new unitary construction Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow-derived T series.
Bentley standard steel saloon[]
It was announced at the end of April 1955,[2] and it was noted that the existing Continental model would continue. The new standard steel saloon replaced the R type standard steel saloon which had been in production, with modifications, since 1946. It was a more generously sized five- or six-seater saloon with the body manufactured in pressed steel with stressed skin construction. Doors, bonnet and luggage locker lid were of aluminium.
Having a totally new external appearance, although with the traditional radiator grille, the main differences from the R type were:
- three inches longer wheelbase
- lower build without reducing headroom and with an enlarged luggage boot
- softer suspension with electrically operated control of rear dampers
- lighter steering and improved braking
- engine capacity increased to 4887cc, the same size as used in the Bentley Continental
- four-speed automatic gearbox was standard, with ability to select individual ratios if desired.
Standard and long wheelbase saloon and chassis[]
As with the preceding Mark VI and R type Bentleys, there was almost no difference between standard Bentley and Rolls-Royce models; this Bentley S differing only in its radiator grille shape and badging from the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I.
The models shared the 4.9 L (4887 cc/298 in³) straight-6 engine. They were the last vehicles to be powered by descendants of the engine originally used in the Rolls-Royce Twenty from 1922 to 1929. The bore was 95.25 mm (3.750 in), stroke was 114.3 mm (4.50 in) and compression ratio 6.6:1. Twin SU carburetors were fitted, with upgraded models from 1957. A 4-speed automatic transmission was standard.
Two wheelbases were produced: 123 inches (3,100 mm) and, from 1957, 127 inches (3,200 mm).
A standard-wheelbase car tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1957 had a top speed of 103 mph (166 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 13.1 seconds. A fuel consumption of 16.1 miles per imperial gallon (17.5 L/100 km; 13.4 mpg‑US) was recorded. The test car, which had the optional power steering, cost £6305 including taxes of £1803.[1]
Production[]
- S: 3072 (145 with coachbuilt bodies)
- S long wheelbase: 35 (12 with coachbuilt bodies)
S Continental[]
Bentley S Continental | |
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Overview | |
Manufacturer | Park Ward London on chassis provided by Bentley Motors (1931) Limited, Crewe, Cheshire |
Assembly | Crewe Cheshire then London, England |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Full-size luxury car |
Body style | 4-seater 2-door fixed head coupé or drophead coupé |
Layout | FR layout |
Platform | separate chassis |
Related | Bentley S1 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 4.9 L I6 |
Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 123 in (3,100 mm) [1] 3,225.8 mm (127.00 in) |
Length | 210.5 in (5,350 mm) [1] |
Width | 1,828.8 mm (72.00 in) |
Height | 1,587.5 mm (62+1⁄2 in) |
Kerb weight | 1,803.5 kg (3,976 lb) |
A high-performance version S Continental (chassis only) was introduced six months after the introduction of the S1. Lighter weight fixed head and drophead coupé bodies were provided to special order for a premium of about 50% by H. J. Mulliner & Co., Park Ward, James Young and Freestone & Webb. A pre-production 2-seater fixed-head coupé on the new chassis was designed and built for the Bentley factory by Pininfarina. In 1959 motoring correspondent Archie Vicar described it as a "comfortable large saloon with a decent turn of speed".[3]
Park Ward
Park Ward
H J Mulliner
H J Mulliner
H J Mulliner
Production[]
- S Continental: 431[citation needed]
References[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bentley S1. |
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Type | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | |||||||||||||
Ownership | Bentley Motors Limited (1919–1931) |
Rolls-Royce Bentley Motors (1931) Limited (1931–1980) |
Vickers plc Rolls-Royce Bentley Motors (1931) Limited (1980–1998) |
Volkswagen Group (1998–) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Coachbuilder's open 2/4 seater |
3 L | 4½ L 6½ L Speed Six |
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Coachbuilder's large saloon coupé or convertible |
6½ L Speed Six 8 L |
4L 3½ 4¼L Mark V |
Mark VI | R | S1 S2 S3 |
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C o n t |
Continental S1 Continental S2 Continental S3 |
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Cars with Bentley own-factory coachwork | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Large saloon |
Mark VI | R | S1 S2 S3 |
T1 | T2 | Mulsanne | Brooklands | Arnage | Mulsanne | |||||||||||||||
Turbo R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coupé | Corniche | Continental R/S/T | Br. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Convertible | Corniche | Continental | Azure | |||||||||||||||||||||
Bentleys on Volkswagen Group platforms | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Large saloon |
Flying Spur | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Coupé | Continental GT | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Convertible | Continental GTC | |||||||||||||||||||||||
SUV | Bentayga | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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- Bentley vehicles
- Sedans
- Coupés
- Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
- Cars introduced in 1955