1965 Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur by H. J. Mulliner

Building on the legendary status of the ground-breaking R-Type Continental, Bentley soon announced a two-door S-Type to be available as a stunning drophead coupé by Park Ward and a desirable and sporting fastback by H.J. Mulliner. These cars were fast - thanks to aluminium coachwork, a raised compression ratio and longer final drive - and once again found favour with the super-rich of the day. It took two-years before the company relented to customer demand for the pace and exclusivity of the Continental, combined with the practicality of four doors. H.J. Mulliner of Willesden, London created a superb Continental saloon, subsequently entitled the Flying Spur.

Facing competition from across the Atlantic, in August 1959 Rolls-Royce announced a new 6,230cc V8. The new S2 Continentals - only ever fitted with automatic gearboxes - were faster and even more refined than ever. At the same time, making use of the more compact profile of the new engine, the distinctive radiator shell was lowered and slightly raked forward. The Bentley S3 Continental, introduced in October 1962, was the last of the coach-built cars, and apart from being beautiful, provided a fitting closing entry in the history of aluminium sporting saloons for monied enthusiasts that preferred to put their own foot down rather than ask the chauffer. With the Silver Shadow and Bentley T1 saloon cars in the pipeline, the era of the coachbuilt Rolls and Bentley was coming to an end. By 1966, a total of 310 S3 Continentals had been sold, 87 of them four-door Flying Spurs and of these, 69 were in right-hand drive.

This car, number BC24XD, was delivered as a rolling chassis to H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd. of Willesden, London on 17th December 1965, as per the original sill plaques still in place and the copy build sheets confirm the dates. Delivered to HR Owen Ltd., London, it was duly presented to Mr Leslie Porter of J.E. Cohen and Sons Ltd. of Tesco House, at a cost of over £6,500. Later knighted in 1983, Sir Leslie had been the chairman of Tesco since 1974, but interestingly for us, his first job at the age of 14 was in the Rolls-Royce and Bentley showrooms of H.R. Owen. How fabulous it must have been to return to the showroom to order such a car! Knowing his stuff, the extras included white-wall tyres, an electric aerial, electric windows, special front seats and Marchal headlights. The history file is a carefully collated record of the car’s early build history and the maintenance carried out in recent decades.

Our vendor’s family have been main dealer motor traders for over 60-years, and with a grandfather who started a Collection that once featured a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, they have been inspired to seek out important motorcars ever since. Subsequent decades of curation focussed on the rarer examples by Bentley, but with younger members of the family wishing to add some modernity to the collection, this fabulous motorcar is therefore presented to auction. Subject to a restoration ten-years ago when it was re-sprayed in the current shade of Regal Red, the re-trimmed magnolia leather is complemented by matching carpets whilst the woodwork has been finished to a high standard. The current odometer reading of 43,200 miles is believed accurate. Often on display at one of the family’s many showrooms, the car has benefitted over the previous decade of £28,000 in mechanical works plus a £6,500 engine rebuild. The Bentley was fitted with air conditioning with discreet vents to the rear parcel shelf.

In conclusion, the Flying Spur has long been regarded as the connoisseur’s choice of this era Bentley, rarer and more elegant than the Standard Steel Saloon whilst significantly cheaper than the similarly aluminium-bodied coupé. Yes, there is indeed something a bit special about the Flying Spur, and back in the day, once the sun had set, they were as likely to have been found parked outside a nightclub as a manor house. Confirmed, in part, by the previous owner of the sister car to #BC24XD, Rolling Stone Keith Richards, who said about his own 1965 Flying Spur: 'A car that was made to be driven fast at night'.

Credit to Connor Clark Photography.