1963 BENTLEY S3 STANDARD SALOON

Details
1963 BENTLEY S3 STANDARD SALOON

Registration No. 500 YAE
Chassis No. B 400 CN
Engine No. BCN 200
Blue over silver with grey leather upholstery


Engine: V8, overhead valves, 6,230cc; Gearbox: four speed automatic; Suspension: front, independent with wishbones, rear, semi-elliptic leaf springs; Brakes: four-wheel drums. Right hand drive

The S1 model of 1955, and its Silver Cloud counterpart in the Rolls-Royce range, was the first in a series of three stages of development of one of the outstanding cars of the era. The S1 was the last to use a six-cylinder engine and for the S2 in 1959 came an all-new V8 that in Rolls-Royce parlance produced 'adequate power'.

The last and rarest of the series was the S3 which accounted for 1,630 sales and is immediately identifiable by its quad headlamp treatment and a more sloping bonnet line. More importantly, the vee-eight engine, which had been under development since 1947, was fully sorted out after a few early gremlins in the S2, and it was the last Bentley to feature a separate chassis.

This example has been in the same ownership since the early 1990s when it was acquired by the managing director of a transport and shipping company. Apart from a major brake overhaul by Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialists Mead of Burnham costing some ¨3,800 the car has been regularly serviced in the Company's own workshop. It has seen limited use during this period, is described as being in good condition, and has a current MoT until May 1996. These luxurious and well appointed motor vehicles represent very good value in comparison to ordinary modern cars of today.

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