1961 Bentley S2 Standard Saloon

A radical change was on the cards in 1959 as Bentley, with US sales beginning to falter, realised that their faithful straight-six engine was getting a bit 'long in the tooth' and in the search for a more modern power unit, they turned to the General Motors-inspired 6,320cc all-aluminium V8. The new engine was a bit of a departure for Bentley and caused some consternation amongst traditional Bentley customers, however, in execution, their worries were short lived as the new power unit delivered more performance with unparalleled smoothness setting the standard for the rest of the century and ultimately, the S2 set the benchmark for others to follow.This particular 1961 Bentley S2 four-door Standard Saloon was supplied new to Jersey, we believe, where it spent a short time before finding its way to Los Angeles. Whilst in California, it is thought to have appeared in some Hollywood productions, notably the detective series Columbo!The car was repatriated to the UK in 2015 by our vendor, who then set about returning the car to its former glory. Initially, it was sent to Silver Lady Vehicles of Brentwood, Essex where a considerable amount was spent overhauling the braking system. This included new upper and lower master cylinders, new flex hoses front and rear, new wheel cylinder kits, and full bleeding and adjustment of the system. Following this, the S2 was sent to marque specialist Thompson Garages Ltd where it was fully undersealed, the cooling system pressure tested and found to be ok, and a host of other mechanical work undertaken.In 2016, it was decided that the 'old girl' was overdue some fresh paint, so she was treated to a full bare metal respray in Smoke over Sage Green, with hand painted coach lines, new Wilton carpets, new front and rear bumpers complete with over-riders, and new tyres. The sage green leather interior looks very good and all the veneers, including the door cappings and picnic tables, appear excellent. Supplied with its driver's handbook, a set of tools, and a UK V5c, this S2 is MOT tested until 6th October 2017 and will provide its next owner with years of stylish Bentley motoring.