Bentley S1 Sports Saloon

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Conceived as replacements for the ageing Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn and Bentley R-Type, the all-new Silver Cloud and Bentley S-Type were introduced early in 1955.

Eschewing unitary construction for the time being, the duo sported sleeker bodywork on a new box-section separate chassis which had 50 per cent more torsional rigidity than the outgoing model. Brakes and suspension were also much improved, the latter featuring electrically controlled damping.

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 with an improved six-port cylinder head 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. Relatively economical and cheaper to maintain than the successor V8-engined versions, the classically elegant S1 is arguably the most user-friendly of all post-war Bentleys.

First registered in November 1956, this Bentley SI came into the hands of the Saunders family (owners of the Stondon Collection) in 1989. An MOT from that year shows an indicated mileage of 77,600 miles at that time although there is no further paperwork other than a current V5C which confirms that the appealing London registration number, TGO 158, remains transferable.