• Overview

  Previous family owner for 45 years

  26,773 miles indicated and believed genuine

  Impeccable maintenance

  Desirable factory power steering

• The Bentley S1 Standard Steel Saloon replaced the R-Type standard steel saloon which had been in production, with modifications, since 1946.

  Improved from its predecessor by not just offering seating for five adults, but also a more comfortable arrangement thanks to three extra inches in the wheelbase, enlarged headroom and even bigger boot space. The ride was improved by softer suspension and improved braking which helped to counter the increase in power and engine capacity, which now, with 4887cc was propelled through a four-speed automatic gearbox which itself introduced the ability to select individual ratios if desired.

As well as the refinement as detailed above, importantly this car was ordered with power steering from new enhancing the driving experience considerably.

Supporting the past of this striking Bentley is a wonderful history file featuring a host of invoices and bills for regular maintenance from as early as 1976 by James Young of Bromley and Jack Compton of Woldingham to Sargeants of Goudhurst in 2008, all works being commissioned for the same owner across this entire period. It was renowned Rolls and Bentley specialist Jack Compton who had sold this Saloon to the previous family in 1968.

In June 1992 Sargeants of Goudhurst were enlisted to commence coachwork restoration including the complete strip of the vehicle, reshape, prepare, prime and paint whole car in top-half Rolls-Royce Shell Grey and lower-half Rolls-Royce Deep Ocean Blue. Seemingly, whilst the original invoice suggested only exterior coachwork restoration was to be undertaken, it appears the decision was rightly made to attend to a few other jobs whilst in a state of disassembly. The total cost from June 92' to reassembly and completion in January 93' was some £18,000 - significant in the early 1990's.

From here, a pleasing series of invoices beginning in 1994 to 2008 shows this Bentley being annually collected, serviced, fettled and returned by Sargeants of Goudhurst. Clearly leading a pampered life, this car had seemingly travelled just 7,500miles from August 1976 to June 2008. Although the third and last generation of the family to own this car does recall a memorable trips such as to Laura Ashley’s French Baroque Chateau De Remaisnil in the Bentley.

The original and excellent finish on the dash woodwork and the lack of wear on the gear lever shroud, which is apparent in higher-mileage vehicles, suggests an extremely strong possibility that the 26,773 miles now recorded are the actual mileage since new - something that Sargeants of Goudhurst believed to be the case, based on their three generations of experience. When the time came for the family to part with their Bentley, it was Sargeants who jumped at the chance to see it go to good home and it was through them that we acquired the car for our collection in 2013.

Cherished by the previous family for 45 years and with a recent thorough service by marque specialists, this car is in exemplary order and in one of the most handsome colour combinations available to these cars.