Engineering:Bentley S2

Bentley S2
Standard saloon
Overview
Manufacturer	Bentley Motors (1931) Limited
Production	1959–1962 2308 produced
Assembly	Crewe, Cheshire
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door saloon 4-door saloon 2-door drophead coupe
Related	Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II
Powertrain
Engine	6.2 L Bentley L410 V8
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3124 mm (123 in) 3226 mm (127 in)
Chronology
Predecessor	Bentley S1
Successor	Bentley S3

The Bentley S2 is a luxury car produced by Bentley from 1959 until 1962. The successor to the S1, it featured the new Rolls-Royce–Bentley L-series V8 engine and improved air conditioning made possible by that engine's increased output. Power steering was also standard, and a new dashboard and steering wheel were introduced. Some early S2s were built with the earlier S1 dashboard.

A high-performance S2-derived Continental edition was also produced.

1,863 standard and 57 long-wheelbase S2 car chassis were built between 1959 and 1962. Almost all were fitted with standard factory bodywork. A number had coachbuilt bodies by Park Ward, Hooper, H. J. Mulliner & Co., and James Young.

S2

Announced at the beginning of October 1959 the S2 replaced the S1's straight-six engine with the new aluminium Rolls-Royce - Bentley L Series V8 shared with the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II. It displaced 6.2 L (6230 cc, or 380 cu in), and offered significantly improved performance.

As advertised in The Times, Friday, 2 October 1959:

The cylinder block and heads are cast in aluminum alloy and hydraulic tappets operate the overhead valves. The engine has a compression ratio of 8 to 1 and is fitted with twin carburetors with automatic choke.

Other features available include fully automatic transmission, power-assisted steering, electrically operated ride control, redesigned and more flexible air conditioning, electric rear window demisters and press button window lifts.

Of the 1,863 standard S2 models produced, 15 had H. J. Mulliner & Co. drophead coupe bodies. Of the 57 long-wheelbase cars, five had James Young bodies and one a Mercedes-Bentley yachting station-wagon body by Wendler.

S2 Continental

An "S2 Continental" chassis was built with higher performance engines and higher gearing for lighter bodywork. 388 were built, bodied by the same group of coachbuilders as the standard S2.

Gallery

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  Bentley S2
  standard saloon
  rear view

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  Bentley S2
  drophead coupé
  by H J Mulliner 1962

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  Bentley Continental S2 2-door saloon by H J Mulliner

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  Bentley Continental S2 cabriolet
  by Park Ward 1962

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  Bentley Continental S2
  4-door saloon
  Flying Spur 1961
  by H J Mulliner

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  Bentley Continental S2
  4-door saloon
  Flying Spur 1959
  by H J Mulliner