Bentley S1 Saloon, 1956
Bentley S I
Bentley S I•
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Chassis No.: B494LAN
- Exterior: Gold/Brown
- Interior: Tan
- Two owner California car
- Believed to be 72,360 miles since new
- 4.9L inline 6-cylinder engine
- 4-speed automatic transmission
- Two-tone Gold and brown finish
- Burlwood interior accents
- Smiths instruments
- Full sized wheel covers
- White stripe tires
- Bumper guards
- Service records dating back to 1964
- Original handbooks and tools
At a cost of nearly double that of Cadillac’s top-range offerings when it debuted in 1955, there was no doubt that the new Bentley S-type had to prove itself worthy among motorists around the world; and prove itself it did. Larger and roomier than the preceding R-type, with a longer all-new chassis and front suspension setup, the five- to six-seater S-type washed away any prewar influences with fully integrated front fenders and a tapering profile that satisfied modern tastes without offending traditionalists.
In fact, the factory-issue Standard Steel bodywork was so satisfactory for the majority of consumers that of the 3,107 S-types built through 1959, only 145 were ordered with bespoke coachwork. The lavish appointments, including picnic tables and a leather interior set off with burl walnut, were taken for granted, as were refinements such as an electric ride control switch to vary the rear shock absorber settings. While the GM Hydra-Matic automatic transmission used in the preceding R-type was retained, performance was enhanced by adopting the enlarged 4887cc 6-cylinder block employed in the final R-type Continentals.
The S-type was road tested at 103 MPH with 0-60 MPH coming up in 13.1 seconds. This 1956 S1 Saloon is a two-owner California car with 72,360 believed-original miles since new and service records dating back to 1964. A left-hand drive example, it is fitted with Standard Steel coachwork tastefully liveried in two-tone brown over light gold. The S1 is a fitting final flourish of the illustrious 6-cylinder Bentley theme that began in the 1920s, a fact appreciated by many owners who consider the S1 easier to live with than the V-8-powered S2 that followed. Moreover, although differing only in detail from its Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud counterpart, the S1 was considerably more popular.
Perhaps that’s because Bentley owners generally preferred to drive rather than let chauffeurs have all the fun.
