After World War II, Rolls-Royce initiated post-war production with the introduction of the Silver Wraith and Bentley MkVI models. While maintaining the traditional separate chassis for these two new additions, there was a significant departure as standard coachwork became available for the first time. This new “standard steel” body, manufactured by the Pressed Steel Company in Oxford, was initially offered exclusively on the Bentley, with the equivalent Rolls-Royce model, the Silver Dawn, not making its debut until 1949.
This revamped range featured several notable enhancements, including a new independent front suspension design, hydraulic front brakes, and a newly developed 4,257cc six-cylinder “F-head” (inlet-over-exhaust) engine. This engine would later be enlarged to 4,566cc in 1951. In mid-1952, a much-needed improvement was introduced to the standard bodywork, which included an enlarged boot and associated modifications to the rear wings and suspension. Subsequent models were referred to as the R-Type Bentley and the E-Series Silver Dawn.
These two newcomers marked a significant milestone as they were the first Rolls-Royce products to offer automatic transmission. The company opted for General Motors’ Hydra-Matic, a cutting-edge four-speed unit that allowed for manual selection. The standard R-Type demonstrated impressive performance, reaching a top speed of 106 mph with remarkable silence and accelerating from 0 to 50 mph in just 10 seconds, despite its substantial curb weight of nearly two tons. Production of the R-Type ceased in 1955 after a total of 2,320 units had been manufactured.
Source: Bonhams
