166 | THE GOODWOOD REVIVAL SALE
Bentleys magnificent Continental sports saloon has been synonymous
with effortless high speed cruising in the grand manner since its
introduction on the R-Type chassis in 1952. With the arrival of the final
generation of Rolls-Royce Ltd's six-cylinder cars - the all-new Silver
Cloud and Bentley S-Type - the Continental lost some of its individuality
but none of its exclusivity. Eulogising about the new S-Type, introduced
in April 1955, Autocar wrote, the latest Bentley model offers a degree
of safety, comfort and performance that is beyond the experience and
perhaps even the imagination of the majority of the world's motorists.'
Later, in October that same year, the Bentley Continental became
available on the 'S' chassis. 'It brings Bentley back to the forefront of
the world's fastest cars,' Autocar remarked of the H J Mulliner-styled
fastback which, arguably, was the quickest fourfive-seater saloon of
its day. The S-Type's new box-section chassis incorporated improved
brakes and suspension and an enlarged (to 4, 7cc) and more
powerful version of the existing inlet-over-exhaust six-cylinder engine,
which for the first time was identical in specification in its Rolls and
Bentley forms. The Continental version came with shorter radiator and
higher gearing and, for a time at least, could be ordered with right-hand
'change, manual transmission.
As had been the case with the original R-Type, the new S-Type
Continental was only ever available as a coachbuilt car, the designs
produced by independent coachbuilders for the S1 Continental chassis
being among the eras most stylish. The firms of H J Mulliner, Park
Ward, James Young, and Hooper all offered bodies on the Continental
chassis. Of these four, James Young and Hooper would soon cease
coachbuilding, leaving only Mulliner and Park Ward to carry on a noble
tradition. Consolidating its in-house coachbuilding capability, Rolls-Royce
purchased H J Mulliner in 1959 and two years later the firm was merged
with Park Ward, which had been acquired in 1939. H J Mulliner bodied
the maQority of S-Type Continentals (21 cars) with Park Ward responsible
for 185 of the remaining 213.Of the 101 cars in the original (AF) sequence of chassis numbers,
BC37AF is one of 3 built in right-hand drive configuration. Completed
by Park Ward with two-door aluminium coachwork, the Continental
was delivered to its first owner, one H Tipper, in May 195 and originally
carried the registration NOM 3.154
1956 BENTLEY S-TYPE CONTINENTAL
SPORTS SALOON
Coachwork by Park Ward
Registration no. VOJ 502
Chassis no. BC37AF
- Matching chassis and engine numbers
- Automatic transmission
- Power assisted steering added
- Recent extensive refurbishment
- Substantial history file