1963 Bentley S3 Continental Coupé

The Series 3 is perhaps the ultimate post-war Bentley in terms of appearance, performance and practicality, as well as the last medium sized Bentley to be offered with custom coachwork and H J Mulliner of Chiswick were responsible for some of the most iconic and beautiful coachwork designs on post-war Bentley chassis, especially the Continental variants. Their styling of the R-Type and S1 Continental fastback coupés evolved into the S2 Continental Coupé, with the final development being Design No. 2012: the S3 Continental Coupé. The car’s flowing lines were very similar to those of its predecessor, but Mulliner's third-generation Continental was produced in far fewer numbers, with just eight cars in right-hand drive and a further three in left-hand drive.

Quad headlamps were the S3's major styling innovation and the indicators on the new models were incorporated into redesigned sidelights, positioned on the front of the wings. Headlamps aside, the most significant change was to the S3's engine, which boasted an increased compression ratio, larger carburettors and a Lucas vacuum-advance distributor, modifications that raised peak power by some 7%. The car’s power steering was further developed offering more feel in the straight ahead position but remaining light and user friendly when trying to ease this substantial automobile into a parking bay. A further minor change was the adoption of smaller bumper over-riders and a slightly reduced radiator height of about 1.5'', giving a sloping bonnet line and improving forward vision. Individual front seats and arm rests became a standard feature, and more powerful lighting and additional indication lights and switches on the instrument panel were introduced, presenting a far more modern feel to the last of the S-series Bentleys.

Chassis number BC 88 XA is one of those original eight right-hand drive cars and is recorded as having been completed on 22nd February 1963 and supplied new by H.R. Owen of Mayfair to its first proud owner after being registered and taxed on 1st of March, 1963. It’s finished in a glorious shade of Pine Green with a single gold coach line over a magnificent tan leather interior.

There is a fair amount of history with the car and a decent number of invoices for work completed between 1987 and 2005. A Minor Road Test and Workshop Mechanical Report was carried out for the car’s then owner, K.J.Riding Felce, by P&A Wood and their recommendations were carried out as confirmed by a 12-page invoice dated 7th July 1987 and totalling £11,374.27. This work was purely mechanical and system and accessory-related and didn’t involve any bodywork or trim. Further invoices detail servicing and maintenance and the work was always entrusted to well known Bentley specialists including P.J.Fischer, Jack Barclay, M.B.Jarvie, and Broughtons. We note that on 5th December 1988 the car was fitted with seatbelts and a car telephone at a cost of £1,064.33. Within the file there are a substantial number of previous MOT Certificates dating from December 1988 at 80,993 miles (registered 698 JGK and subsequently 1551 DM) up until late April 2010 at 91,313 miles (registered XMW 81A).

There are a couple of Bills of Sale with the car indicating that it was purchased by Geoffrey Greenwood on 17th October 1988 for £85,000 and became the property of Dr James Hull on 26th October 2010 for £156,000. In common with the rest of Dr Hull’s extensive Collection, the Continental joined our vendor in 2014. The current indicated mileage is 91,335, meaning that this fabulous motor car has covered a mere 24 miles in the last 23 years so inevitably will need some commissioning before retuning to the road.

One of only eight S3 Continentals by HJM, this is a rare car, in decent order, with a gorgeous interior and clothed in a coat of Pine Green so deep that you feel you could dive in. It’s a time capsule on wheels, a wonderful example of how brilliant British coachbuilding could be when talented young designers at James Young, Hooper, Park Ward, and Mulliners were given a box of sharp pencils and a free hand.

We welcome and encourage you to come along to Sywell, sit in this elegant Bentley and be smitten.