1966 Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur

New estimate £70,000-£90,000

• Initially registered to the first of three owners on the 25/03/1966
• One of the final S-Series-derived Bentleys before the introduction of the T1
• Believed to be one of just 100 S3 Continental coachbuilt by H.J. Mulliner
• Showing an odometer reading of 46,667 miles (atoc) and last MOT'd in 2009
• This car has formed part of a large collection with little or no use. An element of recommissioning is to be expected to return it to the road once again

Introduced in 1955, the Bentley S-Type and equivalent Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud saloons were thoroughly modern, spacious, comfortable, quiet and powerful. In production for 10 years, they were the final series-production coach-built cars from Crewe.

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 coupe 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 NW London created a superb Continental saloon, subsequently titled 'Flying Spur' after the Clan Johnstone crest of Mulliner's then managing director, Harry Talbot Johnstone. The first car was on the road in May 1957 and deliveries commenced with a pair exported to the USA just two months later.

Facing competition from across the Atlantic, in August 1959 Rolls-Royce announced a new, 6,230cc V8. The light alloy unit weighed the same as the outgoing 'six but produced significantly more power, perhaps as much as 25%. 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, introduced in October 1962, took this process of modernisation one step further. More than simply a twin-headlamp face-lift, S3s featured a raft of other changes including another 1.5in taken off the height of the radiator, which was raked further to aid visibility. All S3 engines had bigger, 2in SU carburettors and this modification, together with raised compression, gave the cars an edge in performance, particularly above 60mph. For the first time as standard, the front seats were individual, rather than a single bench.

One of the last cars built, this S3 Flying Spur was initially registered on the 25th March 1966 to the first of just three UK owners and has been significantly restored in the intervening years. Showing an odometer reading of 47,050 miles, at the time of cataloguing, and last MOT'd in 2009 this car was purchased in 2014 and has formed a part of a large collection which included some historically significant Bentley R-Type Continentals and S-series drophead-coupes. Although stored correctly and presenting well, the car hasn't had much in the way of maintenance or servicing and as such is sold as a