BENTLEY S-TYPE
ENGINE 4887cc/6-cyl/IOE POWER 155-197bhp@4000-4500rpm TORQUE 330lb ft@2500rpm 0-60MPH 14sec MAXIMUM SPEED 119mph FUEL CONSUMPTION 10-17mpg TRANSMISSION RWD, three-/four-speed automatic ENGINE OIL Castrol Classic XL30 9.1 litres GEARBOX OIL Castrol Dex 11 11.4 litres AXLE OIL Castrol Classic EP90 0.85 litres
Okay, cards on the table. For matters of record, although the S-type went on sale in 1955, it was sister model, the Silver Cloud, that appeared at that year’s Earls Court show (the Bentley starred there in 1956). Nonetheless, it’s difficult to overlook the impact of the S-type.
The styling had been refined in a pushpull process between John Blatchley at Rolls-Royce (who drew up the ‘standard steel’ Rolls and Bentley saloons of the late 1940s and early Fifties) and Stanley Watts at HJ Mulliner, who designed the fastback Continental coupés.
The straight-six F-head engine could trace its lineage all the way back to the 3.2-litre Rolls-Royce 20hp of 1922 and in the S-type it was bored out to 4.9 litres and given a new six-port cylinder head and revised intake manifold.
The new chassis was 50 per cent stiffer than before but followed the same basic pattern that Bentley had used since the Mark V in 1939. The suspension was improved with changes to the front wishbone geometry and better location for the live rear axle. Brakes were all-hydraulic, but an extra mechanical linkage to the rear brakes, together with a gearbox-driven servo, was said to provide greater feel at low speeds.
Swing open the heavy door and the quality immediately impresses. Twist the key and there’s hardly any indication that the engine is running – only the quiver of the rev counter needle gives the game away.
All but a handful of S-types were automatics (there was a short-lived manual option for the Continental) with the lever mounted on the column behind the enormous three-spoke steering wheel. Slot into drive, squeeze the accelerator and the big Bentley oozes into motion, with still only the barest whisper from the engine room.
The steering has more than four turns between locks so plenty of arm-twirling is needed when parking, but it’s light and easy to handle even at walking pace. Prod the throttle harder and the transmission slurs into a lower gear, and finally you can hear the genteel hum of the engine at work.
Despite the engine’s capacity, and the higher compression ratio that was part of the Continental specification, acceleration is never more than brisk – but these were genuine 120mph cars that could cruise in three figures all day.
The engines and gearboxes in the S-type have proved to be robust, though a detailed service history is important and it’s wise to check for good oil pressure. Power steering, standard on later cars, is desirable. Key corrosion points are the body to chassis mounts, particularly at the rear near the battery carrier, and the sills and lower body panels.