Bentley S3 Saloon, 1965
Chassis No.: B116GJBGJ58 Auction: Monterey 2018 Auction date: August 25, 2018 Lot No.: F164 $30,800 | Sold • Exterior: Black / Cream • Interior: Black • Body: Saloon • Last of year of production for this model • Original 6.2L V-8 engine • 3-speed semi-automatic transmission • Black and Cream exterior • Black leather interior • Original wood dash • Rare right-hand drive • Factory radio • Chrome spoke wheels • Stored in a climate-controlled building • Original interior and exterior The Bentley S-series was introduced in 1955, and a decade later this 1965 Bentley S3 was among the last of the series handcrafted into elegance by the skilled craftsman at the Crewe facility in Cheshire, England, before the coach-built body-on-frame era came to a close with the introduction of the unibody T-series. Long-term storage in a climate-controlled building went far to help preserve Bentley originality from the wood-trimmed cream leather interior out to the sleek two-tone black and cream body. Factory constructed in right-hand-drive configuration, the S3 is one of just 1,285 saloons constructed over the course of production. The 6.2L light alloy-aluminum block and head V-8 engine was factory-equipped with dual SU carburetors and hydraulic lifters for an estimated 200-plus HP. A standard 4-speed automatic transmission delivers propulsion through a hypoid-drive rear axle and rear wheels with great dispatch, and the S3 is capable of a 115 MPH top speed. Power-assist steering works with unequal-length wishbone front suspension and anti-roll torsion bar for superior road control and expected ride. Hydraulic servo-assist brakes help slow the Bentley from speed with confident authority. The S3 differentiated itself from its predecessors with a side-by-side quad-headlamp configuration and a lower-mounted radiator and grille that lent a rakish downward slope to the long hood. Proof of lasting build quality is apparent in the well-appointed cream leather interior with individually adjustable split-bench seating and original burled-wood trim throughout. A 3-spoke steering wheel with column-mounted gearshift selector sits over the wood dash with full instrumentation, factory-issue radio and heater controls. Chrome-spoke wheels and whitewall tires finish off the exterior. One drive—or ride in regal splendor—is all it takes to understand the handcrafted luxury of one of the last coach-built Bentleys. https://www.mecum.com/lots/336519/1965-bentley-s3-saloon/
