In the autumn of 1959, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and Bentley S2 made their debut, exhibiting an external appearance that remained unchanged from their predecessors, the Silver Cloud and S-Type. However, their performance received a significant boost thanks to the new 6,230cc all-aluminum engine, generating approximately 25% more power than the previous six-cylinder unit. The V8 engine, with its impressive acceleration, undoubtedly represents a significant advancement in Rolls-Royce engineering.
Starting in the autumn of 1959, the Bentley Continental S2 remained an exclusive coachbuilt automobile. Coachbuilders H J Mulliner, Park Ward, James Young, and, in a solitary instance, Hooper all crafted bodies for the Continental S2 chassis.
These Continental S2 models stood apart from their standard counterparts through features such as four-leading-shoe front brakes, a shorter radiator, and, up to chassis number ‘BC99BY’, higher gearing. Among these four coachbuilders, James Young and Hooper would soon cease their coachbuilding operations, leaving only Mulliner and Park Ward to continue the esteemed tradition.
Source: Bonhams
