| Bentley S1 | |
| Manufacturer: | Bentley Motors Limited (1931) |
| Production: | 1955–1959 3,538 produced |
| Assembly: | Crewe, Cheshire, England |
| Predecessor: | R Type |
| Successor: | S2 |
| Class: | Full-size luxury car |
| Body Style: | 4-door saloon 2-door coupe |
| Layout: | FR layout |
| Platform: | separate chassis |
| Engine: | 4.9 L I6 |
| Transmission: | 4-speed automatic |
| Wheelbase: | 1230NaN0 1270NaN0 |
| Length: | 211.75inches |
| Width: | 1898.65frac=4NaNfrac=4 |
| Height: | 1631.95frac=4NaNfrac=4 |
| Weight: | 1924kg (4,242lb) |
| Related: | Bentley S1 Continental Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud |
| Sp: | uk |
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.
The car was announced at the end of April 1955,[1] 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 [hood] and luggage locker lid [trunk lid] were of aluminium.
Having a totally new external appearance, although with the traditional radiator grille, the main differences from the R type were:
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 95.25mm, stroke was 114.3mm 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: 123inches and, from 1957, 127inches.
A standard-wheelbase car tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1957 had a top speed of 103mph and could accelerate from 0- in 13.1 seconds. A fuel consumption of 16.1mpgimp was recorded. The test car, which had the optional power steering, cost £6305 including taxes of £1803.[2]
| Bentley S Continental | |
| Manufacturer: | Park Ward, London, on chassis provided by Bentley Motors (1931) Limited |
| Assembly: | Crewe, Cheshire, then London |
| Class: | Full-size luxury car |
| Body Style: | 4-seater 2-door fixed-head coupé or drophead coupé |
| Layout: | FR layout |
| Platform: | separate chassis |
| Engine: | 4.9 L I6 |
| Transmission: | 4-speed automatic |
| Wheelbase: | 123inches 3225.8mm |
| Length: | 210.5inches |
| Width: | 1828.8mm |
| Height: | 1587.5frac=2NaNfrac=2 |
| Weight: | 1803.5kg (3,976lb) |
| Related: | Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud |
| Sp: | uk |
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.