Property of a deceased's estate
1957 Bentley S1 Continental Fastback Sports Saloon

• Unsurpassed style and luxury
• One of 431 S1 Continentals
• Present ownership since 1989 and professionally restored in 1990
• Fitted with its matching-numbers engine

Bentley's 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. Unlike the ordinary, factory-bodied, 'standard steel' R-Type, the Continental was bodied in the traditional manner and first appeared with what many enthusiasts consider to be the model's definitive style of coachwork - the lightweight, wind tunnel-developed fastback of H J Mulliner.

The Continental's performance figures would have been considered excellent for an out-and-out sports car, but for a full four/five seater saloon they were exceptional: a top speed of 120mph, 100mph achievable in third gear, 50mph reached in a little over 9 seconds and effortless cruising at the 'ton'. Built for export only at first, the Continental was, once delivery charges and local taxes had been paid, almost certainly the most expensive car in the world, as well as the fastest capable of carrying four adults and their luggage. "The Bentley is a modern magic carpet which annihilates great distances and delivers the occupants well-nigh as fresh as when they started," concluded Autocar.

With the arrival of the final generation of 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-Series cars, introduced in April 1955, The 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 four/five-seater saloon of its day. The S-Type's new box-section chassis incorporated improved brakes and suspension and an enlarged (to 4,887cc) 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 era's the most stylish, although, arguably, none ever improved on H J Mulliner's sublime original.

Chassis number 'BC71AF' with engine 'BC70A' was delivered new in the UK in April 1956 and first owned by one E Hall. The car has belonged to the late owner since 1989, and in 1990 was restored by Robert Betteridge of London. Notable features include air conditioning; a Kenlowe electric cooling fan; and an alternator conversion. The Bentley has been regularly maintained: a major mechanical service was carried out by Michael Hibberd in May 2010 and another by Adam Redding in October 2019.

Among other events, the Continental has attended the Hurlingham Club Concours while in the current ownership but has been stored for the last two years. It runs and drives but needs fully checking over before any extended use. Please note that the private plate '1 SHS' is being retained and is not included in sale. Offered with a V5C document, this beautiful Bentley would be the perfect car for touring the Continent.