Bentley S2
Encyclopedia
The Bentley S2 was a luxury car produced by Bentley from 1959 until 1962. The changed designation S2 was to mark the new V8 engine and the improved air conditioning which could now be run from it. There were no other significant alterations.
Announced at the beginning of October 1959 as with the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, the S2 replaced the straight-6
engine of the Bentley S1
with a new aluminium V8 engine displacing 6.2 L (6230 cc/380 in³). With this new engine, the S2 offered significantly better performance than the previous cars.
1,920 standard and long-wheelbase car chassis were built between 1959 and 1962. Almost all were fitted with standard factory bodywork. A number had coachbuilt bodies by Park Ward
, Hooper
, H. J. Mulliner & Co.
, and James Young
.
388 more Continental chassis were built with higher performance engines and higher gearing for lighter bodywork built by the same group of coachbuilders.
Announced at the beginning of October 1959 as with the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II, the S2 replaced the straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
engine of the Bentley S1
Bentley S1
The Bentley S was a luxury car produced by Bentley Motors Limited from 1955 until 1959.Bentley 's first true complete redesign of their standard production car after World War II and their last standard production car with an independent chassis.These cars were given a new V8 engine in late 1959,...
with a new aluminium V8 engine displacing 6.2 L (6230 cc/380 in³). With this new engine, the S2 offered significantly better performance than the previous cars.
1,920 standard and long-wheelbase car chassis were built between 1959 and 1962. Almost all were fitted with standard factory bodywork. A number had coachbuilt bodies by Park Ward
Park Ward
Park Ward was a British coachbuilder founded by William M. Park and Charles W. Ward in 1919. They had worked together at F.W. Berwick Ltd., the makers of Sizaire-Berwick cars.Their business operated from Willesden, North London.-History:...
, Hooper
Hooper (coachbuilder)
Hooper was a British coachbuilding company based in London.-Founding:The company was founded as Adams and Hooper in 1805 and held a royal warrant from 1830, building elegant horse drawn carriages, supplying them to King William IV, Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. The first royal car, a Hooper...
, H. J. Mulliner & Co.
H. J. Mulliner & Co.
H. J. Mulliner & Co. was a well-known British coachbuilder operating at Chiswick in West London.The Mulliner family can trace their coachbuilding history back to 1760, building coaches for the Royal Mail in Northampton....
, and James Young
James Young (coachbuilder)
James Young Ltd was a British coachbuilding company. The business was started in 1863 in LondonRoad, Bromley. originally producing horsedrawn carriages....
.
388 more Continental chassis were built with higher performance engines and higher gearing for lighter bodywork built by the same group of coachbuilders.
Production
- S2: 1863 (15 with H. J. Mulliner & Co.H. J. Mulliner & Co.H. J. Mulliner & Co. was a well-known British coachbuilder operating at Chiswick in West London.The Mulliner family can trace their coachbuilding history back to 1760, building coaches for the Royal Mail in Northampton....
drophead coupe bodies) - S2 long wheelbase: 57 (5 with James Young bodiesJames Young (coachbuilder)James Young Ltd was a British coachbuilding company. The business was started in 1863 in LondonRoad, Bromley. originally producing horsedrawn carriages....
and 1 by Wendler) - S2 Continental: 388