Bentley S1 James Young Coupe

When Bentley introduced its new S-Type in 1955, the imperious saloon drew gasps of admiration from the motoring press. “The latest Bentley model offers a degree of safety, comfort and performance that is beyond the experience – and perhaps even the imagination – of the majority of the world’s motorists,” gushed Autocar. "It's a modern magic carpet which annihilates great distances and delivers the occupants well-nigh as fresh as when they started."

Retrospectively known as the S1, it was a much larger and more imposing car than the R-Type that it replaced. A greatly strengthened chassis provided 50 per cent more torsional rigidity than the outgoing model and the suspension and braking were also improved. Power came from an enlarged version of the silky smooth six-cylinder engine pioneered in the Bentley R-Type Continental, now in 4.9-litre form and driving through a four-speed automatic gearbox which could propel the car to three-figure speeds with ease. The beautiful shape of the S1 used the car's length to its full advantage with the interior featuring all of the usual appointments expected from Crewe's finest.

The vast majority of the 3,107 S1 Saloons produced until it was replaced by the S2 in 1959 were given standard bodywork mass-produced by the Pressed Steel Company. However, owners who desired something more distinctive could still opt to buy the car in chassis form and have it bodied to their own requirements by traditional coachbuilders such as Mulliner, Hooper and Park Ward.

The car you see here is one of those rare coachbuilt models which features an elegant all-aluminium two-door coupe body designed by James Young (design number B20SR). One of only three such bodies ever made, all with subtly different front end detailing, it was ordered through James Barclay by first owner Percy Henderson of London who originally specified a four-door but changed his mind at the last minute when he saw how graceful the two-door looked.

The build commenced in September 1956 and the finished car was delivered in July 1957 with the options of a sunshine roof, power steering, Reutter reclining front seats and extra-large pipe ashtrays front and rear. Finished in Glasso Green Grey with a matching hide interior, it cost £6,476 which was nearly £2,000 more than the standard steel saloon.

Henderson kept the car for two years when it was sold to a Colonel AB McGhee of Wimbledon who in turn sold it to JF Howes of Howes & Jackman Architects of Grays Inn in 1961. The car then went to America and returned to the UK in December 1979 since when it has had five further keepers. The current vendor has owned the car since July 2004 and has used it regularly but sparingly, covering only around 3,000 miles in the last six years. A retired tool-maker and concours-winning restorer, he has maintained the car himself including overhauling the braking system and re-engineering the sliding sunroof with brass runners and rubber drainage pipes to ensure watertightness and forestall any future corrosion problems.

With 78,900 miles on the clock, the car is said to drive beautifully with a notably sweet engine and will comfortably cruise at 70mph on the motorway. The aluminium bodywork is all in good shape as is the chrome and the paintwork. The interior is generally very nice apart from the backs of both front seats which would benefit from some renovation. A modern CD/radio has been fitted but the original Radiomobile unit is included.

The car comes with a large amount of documentation including much fascinating correspondence between the first owner and the coachbuilders plus copies of the original build sheets detailing virtually every single nut and bolt used in the construction. It is also featured on page 116 of Graham Robson’s ‘Collector’s Guide to Coachbuilt Rolls-Royce and Bentley Models 1945-1985’ where the styling is described as "neat and understated". Currently taxed and with 12 months’ MOT, this extremely rare and handsome coachbuilt motorcar is ready to drive away today.