For Sale at Auction: 1965 Bentley S3 in Monterey, California

Chassis No. BC178LXC
Engine No. 89CBC
Body No. F.79

Bentley motorcars started, like most premium automobiles before World War II, by producing only a chassis, which included the frame, wheels, engine and running gear, steering wheel and dashboard, and the Bentley radiator with its "Flying B" mascot. After purchasing a chassis, the customer would choose a coachbuilder to finish the body of the car. After the war, demand for specialized/luxury automotive coachbuilding was waning as even high-end automakers, including Bentley, started to move towards offering complete automobiles, like the Mark IV, followed by the R-Type, then the S1 through S3 models. However, the company also produced a "Continental" version of these chassis with an eye for performance characteristics for the Bentley marque. All Continental chassis received custom coachwork as there are no standard bodies on postwar Bentley Continentals.

On the performance side, the S3 Bentley Continental's V8 engine compression ratio was raised from 8.0:1 to 9.0:1 and, like its predecessor, it maintained a rear axle ratio of 3.08:1 with front drum brakes with four shoes. Enthusiasts generally agree that the S3 Continental drives and performs far more like a modern car compared to its two previous models in the series.

The S3 Continental was made from 1965 to 1965-in that time only a total of 311 cars were produced, but only 16 left-hand drive examples were produced to the Flying Spur body design 2011, including this car. It was purchased via J.S. Inskip, the famed Rolls-Royce and Bentley dealer in New York, and it was delivered in December 1964 to its first owner: Donald S. Tuttle of Connecticut. It remained in private hands as there appears to be no instance where the car was shown at a major concours, but it was once owned by actor Leslie Nielsen of "The Naked Gun" and "Airplane" movies fame as it was acquired from his estate after his passing in 2010. Thereafter the car was refurbished by renowned Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialists, Vantage Motorworks of North Miami, Florida, to include a return to its original Black Pearl exterior paint and two-tone grey leather, and it also received a new headliner and Sundyum glass. The car features factory power windows, air conditioning, and a coveted continental touring spares kit.

The Bentley S3 Continental was the ultimate postwar hand-built saloon, sporting custom coachwork, combining the best of prewar build quality with the apex of full-chassis evolution before the advent of monocoque construction. All these attributes then combined with its production rarity of only 16 examples made, this is a near unique opportunity to acquire one of the most desirable postwar examples of a Bentley saloon.