To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Monterey event, 15 - 17
August 2019.
Estimate:
$280,000 - $340,000
- Showcased at the 1959 New York Auto Show
- One of just three "four-light" left-hand-drive Flying
Spurs
- Original engine, gearbox, and coachwork, as documented by
factory build sheets
- One of the most important Bentley designs of its era
With their stylish designs and smart custom coachwork, the Bentley
S1 Continental contrasted strongly with the company's standard
steel saloons of the late 1950s. While the chassis and engine were
virtually identical between the two models, the Continental boasted
a 2.923:1 rear axle, allowing the big six-cylinder engine, with its
8.0:1 compression ratio, to propel the car to sustained high speeds
over long distances with incredible ease.
Among the most elegant and noteworthy coachbuilt bodies available
on this chassis was H.J. Mulliner's sports saloon, nicknamed
"Flying Spur" after the heraldic device of one of Mulliner's
managing directors. With its smooth, flowing lines and sporty
close-coupled styling, it was a predecessor of the popular
four-door coupes built by modern luxury car manufacturers. For
obvious reasons it is considered among the most desirable S1
Continentals to be found today.
The S1 Continental Flying Spur was available in two models, with
either four or six side windows; the four-window or "four-light"
variant, style number 7443/B, was the rarest. Offered here, chassis
number BC41LFM is one of ten such examples, with only three built
in left-hand drive.
According to documentation obtained from the Rolls-Royce
Foundation, this sports saloon was used by the factory as their
1959 New York Auto Show car. It was then delivered through famous
New York dealer J.S. Inskip to Vincent Shea, a prominent
Manhattanite who, along with his wife Madeline, was a frequent
Rolls-Royce and Bentley customer for many years. Copies of the
original build information record the car's fascinating original
specifications, which include an amusing handwritten request for
"anti-hobo door locks."
Invoices on file dated from 2011 show extensive mechanical and
cosmetic freshening by British Bentley specialists Padgett Motor
Engineers. The car's paintwork and brightwork were well detailed,
and its mechanical restoration included the installation of new
suspension, braking, steering, and cooling systems, as well as a
new exhaust silencer. Service work was performed on the gearbox,
fuel, ignition, and electrical systems, new belts and tires were
installed, and a tune-up and final adjustments were performed.
Post-completion, the Flying Spur was sold to the current owner, who
has carefully maintained the Bentley with invoices on file.
This highly desirable and rare alloy-bodied Bentley Flying Spur,
which is well prepared and backed up by factory documentation, will
certainly provide a winning bidder with the enormous pride of
ownership that only comes with owning one of the first post-war
British grand tourers.To view this car and others currently
consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo19.