1961 Bentley S2 Continental Flying Spur

Coachwork by H.J. Mulliner

6,230cc V8 Engine
Twin S.U. HD6 Carburetors
Approximately 200bhp
4-Speed Hydra-Matic Automatic Gearbox
Coil Spring Front Suspension, Semi-Elliptic Rear Leaf Springs
Hydraulic Front Brakes, Hydraulic and Mechanical Rear Drum Brakes

*Originally the property of socialite Madame Hélène Beaumont
*One of only 388 S2 Continentals Produced
*Copies of factory records on file
*Dashing Lightweight Alloy Coachwork

Previewing in Bedford Hills, New York by appointment. Please contact [email protected] for scheduling.

THE BENTLEY S2

A cousin of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, the Bentley S2 debuted in September 1959. While retaining the basic body design and chassis of its predecessor, the S1, the new S2 replaced the F-head 6-cylinder engine of the S1 with an all-new aluminum overhead-valve V8 engine, under design and development for the previous decade by the engineers at Crewe. While Rolls-Royce, Bentley's parent firm, had long disdained publication of horsepower ratings, the new V8 engine was estimated to develop over 200 brake horsepower and, due also to its lighter-weight all-alloy construction, made both the Silver Cloud II and S2 faster and quicker than their immediate predecessors. Remarkably, this basic V8 engine design would remain in use for nearly 40 years, until the advent of the Bentley Arnage in 1998. The S2 also introduced standard power-assisted steering and shared its GM/Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic gearbox with the Silver Cloud II. A manual gearbox was no longer available.

Recalling the "Continental" name first used in the 1930s, a flowing two-door coupé by H.J. Mulliner bearing that revered nameplate returned on Bentley's 1952-55 R-Type chassis. When the S1 debuted, the Continental was given higher compression for improved performance. Park Ward and James Young were also enlisted as body suppliers, with Park Ward supplying Drophead Coupé bodies, while James Young provided four-door Saloon coachwork. H.J. Mulliner introduced the four-door "Flying Spur" body for the S1 in 1957, which joined their two-door Saloon. All these body styles were applied to the S2, which continued into 1962 when its successor, the S3 debuted.

The higher-specification Continental variant of the S2 chassis carried on in the tradition established by the R-Type Continental of the early 1950s by offering distinctive stylistic and performance-oriented upgrades to discerning buyers. Among them were lightweight alloy body panels, a lower-profile radiator, upgraded braking with four-leading-shoe drum brakes up front, special high-speed tires and a higher rear-axle ratio applied to the Continental chassis up to 'B-Series' Chassis BC99BY. Of total Bentley S2 production numbering 2,308 cars, just 388 H.J. Mulliner-bodied Continental Coupes were ultimately produced. Today, each surviving example remains particularly coveted by astute marque enthusiasts today by virtue of their robust V8 power and stylistic excellence.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This example of the timelessly beautiful single headlight Flying Spur has a modest history file, but fortunately owing to the presence of copies of the original order details and a small annotation at the bottom of one page, which states Madame Hélène Beaumont we are pointed to the likelihood that this lady was its original owner. And while the name might not resonate among collectors of fine automobiles, it is more than possible that it will ring bells with those who collect fine jewelry, for when her collection was auctioned in Geneva in 1994, it was said to rival that of Wallace Simpson, who was a friend of hers!

Hélène Beaumont, was born here in America as Helene Thomas, and began her career as an opera singer in London in 1917. This turned out to be short-lived, for she married Louis Dudley Beaumont not long after that, Mr. Beaumont being one of the founders of the May Company of department stores. The considerable wealth accrued from this business afforded them an extravagant lifestyle, which they chose to pursue in the South of France for the most part. Ultimately, she would outlive her husband who died in 1942, by another 46 years, and while his death curtailed some of their renowned spending, little trinkets such as this Bentley Continental where still acquired.

Other particulars that we know of its original order are that the car was delivered through the Swiss agency Garage de L'Athenée, with odometer in kilometers per hour and predominantly to standard Continental specifications, with left hand drive. One anomaly on the order is that it is stated to be a 2 door car, but clearly from its form today and known history it was in fact a four door Flying Spur.

By the 1970s, Madame Beaumont was no longer its keeper and the car crossed the Atlantic and arrived on the Eastern Seaboard, where its ownership is tracked by Schoelkopf records as being with Eric E. Weissberg of Brooklyn in June 1973, then Lee Shapiro of Freehold, New Jersey from November 1975, and then Steven Elkman of New York City in August 1984. From then onwards, its history is untraced until it passed through Richard Gorman's esteemed Vantage Motor Works in September 2007 to the current owner. At the point of sale it was described as retaining its original interior which had been reconditioned, while the paintwork, wood trim and carpets were 'new'. Work carried out as part of the acquisition included installation of tinted glass, and air-conditioning. Since that time the car has seen very limited use and will likely require professional recommissioning prior to being returned to the road.

A supremely elegant model, with an appropriately elegant first owner.