Background: Bentley announced their standard steel saloon - originally the S, retrospectively known as the S1 - at the end of April 1955 adding the model to the Continental range.

The S series replaced the R Type, Bentley’s first post-war model and was built in Crewe as a five- or six-seater saloon.

The new car’s handsome lines were totally different to the older model, retaining only the traditional Bentley radiator grille and the S featured a raft of improvements over its predecessor.

It was longer and lower, without compromising interior room, featured softer suspension with electrically-controlled rear dampers, had lighter steering and improved braking, and the twin-SU fed straight-six engine’s capacity was increased to 4.9-litres - matching the Continental - mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox.

This was the last Bentley to be built on a separate chassis before unitary construction entered the marque’s story with the Silver Shadow-derived T series.

The S series bodies were...