1957 Bentley

• The first of just five Bentley S1 Continental coupes by Park Ward built fitted with manual transmission
• Fitted with a sunroof 
• Known to us for several years 
• It has benefitted from significant improvements in recent years in our workshops
• A very attractive design finished in an equally attractive colour scheme

Chassis No BC59BG is the thirty fifth of forty-five cars built to Design No 701 by Park Ward on the S1 Continental chassis. This unquestionably makes it a rare motor car, however when you then factor in that this was the first of just five cars built to this design which was fitted with manual transmission, it becomes a different prospect altogether when considering the driving experience the car provides with the manual gearbox and also the collectability factor of the car. Chassis No BC59BG was originally completed in June of 1957, finished in shell grey over black with a grey interior. It was shipped to the US and supplied by J.S. Inskip of New York to their customer, Mr Francis V Du Pont. Records in the cars history file document three further owners up to the late 1970’s. The car then returned to the UK in 2016 and was purchased by a British collector who sent the car to us to be prepared for his regular use. Over the past few years around £150,000 has been spent on the car to improve it to its present condition both mechanically and cosmetically. It drives beautifully and looks superb. It is fitted with a sliding sunshine roof and comes complete with an original handbook, copy chassis cards, tools and history file. A beautiful Bentley S1 Continental in a very rare configuration that has been prepared for its next owners enjoyment.

The tremendous success Bentley enjoyed with the R Type Continental continued onto the S Series chassis in late 1955 with a range of new bodies available to collectors. The Park Ward fixed head coupe was originally the brainchild of legendary coachwork designer John Blatchley who had been largely responsible for the styling of the R Type Continental by H.J. Mulliner. Six R Type Continental chassis were delivered to the Park Ward works who were then owned by Rolls-Royce. Blatchley was given the task of styling the four drophead coupes and the two further fixed head coupes on the R Type Continental chassis, a design which was later slightly adapted for the marginally longer S1 Continental chassis.