When the Bentley S1 was introduced in 1955, the company was owned by Rolls Royce. Rolls Royce simultaneously released the Silver Cloud, a nearly identical luxury limousine.

Rolls Royce Silver Cloud: a nearly perfect match

The Rolls Royce Silver Cloud - often considered the Bentley S1's sister ship - differs only from the Bentley in terms of exterior aesthetics, and then only slightly. The radiator grill is a slightly different shape, and the Rolls Royce "Spirit of Ecstasy" takes the place of the Bentley emblem. Other than that, the pair are identical. Bentley was owned by Rolls Royce at the time, and the Goodwood manufacturer wanted to reduce the differences between the two brands.

The technical side of luxury limousines

Like the Silver Cloud, the Bentley S1 is powered by a 4.9 liter, six-cylinder motor with 135 hp. By default it was sold with an automatic four-speed transmission, but customers could also choose a manual version instead. In tests, the S1 was capable of reaching a top speed of 166/km/h.

Bentley S1 continental version

The export version was outfitted with a slightly more performance-oriented motor, and had no standard body design. Customers could choose their favorite design from a variety of British body shops.