1956 Bentley S1 Saloon

Replacing the Bentley R-Type in 1955 was the new S-Type, more closely related to the equivalent Rolls-Royce, the Silver Cloud, than ever before - radiator and badges apart, there were no differences between the two. Under the stately bonnet, the superb six-cylinder engine was revised with a light alloy cylinder head and the new box-section chassis boasted many improvements, including hydraulic brakes all round. The perfectly proportioned, traditional styling of the S-Type and Silver Cloud was by John Blatchley and too this day remains the very epitome of British luxury motoring. Although Standard Steel coachwork was fitted to the vast majority of chassis built, there were still a small number of cars bodied by outside coachbuilders and six months in the high performance Continental derivative was also announced. The interior of the Bentley used, as one might expect, only the finest quality hides and timbers, hand-made to the highest standards. Production of the Bentley was always limited, with only 3,107 made in total (of these 157 were coachbuilt cars) but still handily exceeded Silver Cloud numbers, indicative of the regard in which Bentley was held in the day.