Bentley S3 Continental by James Young
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Car producer : |
Bentley |
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Model: |
S3 Continental by James Young |
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Year: |
1962-1965 |
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Type: |
Sedan |
In 1959, Rolls-Royce acquired H. J. Mulliner & Co., coachbuilders (HJM). In 1961, HJM was merged with Park Ward, which had been in the possession of Rolls-Royce since 1939, to form Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd. (MPW). When production of the S3 Continentals commenced there were more differences than the adaption of the previous HJM design by Mulliner Park Ward: The cars were built at the former Park Ward premises in Willesden, North London. The HJM facilities were abandoned.
The S3 Continental was strictly coachbuilt. Most bodies were of the altered HJM style, available in fixed head or drop head coupe form. Of the 328 coachbuilt S3 (Continentals included here), nearly 100 were by MPW. Again, fixed head or a drop head coupe configurations were available. The most prominent visual difference from the s2 configuration was the four canted headlights.
For the first time, this body was offered on the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, as well as the S3 chassis. The final S3 was delivered in 1966, when the new Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and Bentley T-series were readily available. Like earlier Continentals, the sportier S3 bodywork was manufactured entirely from aluminum, unlike the heavier, steel bodied standard saloon. This, combined with higher gearing and the better compression ratios made for a markedly faster car. Four-doored Continentals bodied by H. J. Mulliner were known as the "Flying Spur", although four-door Continentals by other coachbuilders are sometimes erroneously referred to as "Flying Spurs" as well; the term only correctly refers to Mulliner's versions. Another elegant four-door saloon for the S3 Continental came from James Young. Only 20 produced by the highly respected James Young firm, which stopped business shortly after this car was made. The Bromley based firm would produce some of its finest work for the four door continentals, and Martin Bennet in Rolls Royce and Bentley states: ‘In the twilight of their coach building years, James Young had with these cars reached the pinnacle of excellence’.
Despite being highly desirable, the considerably more expensive Continentals (a premium of 40-50%) were produced in much smaller quantities than the standard S3 saloon, which outsold it by a factor of four.
