Rolls-Royce Craftsmanship: A Road Test Odyssey with Bentley's S-series 4.9-Litre Model

Bentley is not a name to be taken lightly. Indeed, the development of the Rolls-Royce-built cars has been steady, sensible and continuous, culminating in today’s S-series 4.9-litre model, of which Motor Sport was recently able to conduct a road test extending over more than 1360 miles.

The modern Bentley has a specification in which traditional engineering is blended with the requirements of the present. The six-cylinder engine has a bore and stroke of 4887cc, but the power output remains locked in the bosoms of the Rolls-Royce technicians. The chassis is of closed-box-section construction with cruciform centre bracing, a steel front pan carrying the suspension and steering units.

The body lines of the S-series Bentley are beautifully proportioned, rendering this big car handsome as well as imposing. In a car of this price and reputation one expects every conceivable luxury, and the Bentley does not disappoint. The car we tried was the standard four-door 5/6-seater saloon of pressed-steel construction.

It is endowed with seats upholstered in deep high-grade leather, with every possible kind of armrest. The front squabs are adjustable for inclination, and their backs carry ashtrays and folding tables for rear-compartment travellers. They can be adjusted separately or set as a three-passenger bench seat. Dash and garnish rails are finished with French walnut veneer. Under the dash is a pull-out table, with the HMV radio above it. The air of high quality and refinement conveyed by the beautiful upholstery and veneered instrument panel is enhanced by the sense, from contemplation of small details, that this is a car in the true Rolls-Royce-built Bentley tradition.

The instrument panel contains a Smith’s 110-mph speedometer, matched by a dial incorporating fuel gauge, water thermometer, oil gauge and ammeter. On the left of this panel is a cigar-lighter. Two further panels carry switches for controlling demisting and ventilation, wipers and washer, panel and map lights and ventilation and heating. A button enables sump oil level to be read on the petrol gauge. Visibility through the big curved windscreen is excellent, thanks to slim screen pillars, and both front wings are just visible to a driver of average height.

One of the first impressions is of the wonderfully quiet functioning. The 4.9-litre engine is inaudible, so that it is possible to converse in low voices while cruising at a speed of 100 mph. A central scuttle-mounted mirror provides the driver with a good rear view. The hand-brake is a pull-out toggle on the right under the scuttle. The doors are amply wide for dignified entry and egress, although as the seats are high, one steps down quite a long way.

We set out to drive to Scotland and back, and, being gluttons for punishment we decided to return without an overnight stop, thus gaining experience of the modern Bentley in strenuous round-the-clock motoring. We had not thought of road conditions in Britain. From London that Sunday until over the border we had to contend with an almost continual stream of week-end traffic, nosing along at 20-30mph, as well as with congested towns (Doncaster !) and long hold-ups.

A very big car at the kerbside, it has that desirable quality of seeming quite small when gaps in tight-packed traffic have to be negotiated. Because of these characteristics we made comparative light of the appalling traffic conditions, arriving at Scotch Corner in 5hr 2min, and Gretna in 6hr 33min. Abington, where we branched off A74 for A73, was accomplished in 7 hr 28 min, after which in rain and mist we crossed to Edinburgh and, after about an hour’s sleep at daybreak, were in Cambridge, looking at the new Formula 2 Lister, soon after 9am on Monday.

This journey had not been devoid of interest. Our best hour’s average while hop-scotching the mimsers was 53mph. Just before Boroughbridge a Type 44 Bugatti tourer was encountered, and towards the end of Bowes Moor a Cooper was spotted on its trailer outside a garage. The object of the run, however. was to check the behaviour and habits of the Bentley. Its automatic gearbox provides a brisk step off; the gear-lever enables second and third gears to be held up to the normal maxima when desired, and by dropping into the third position excellent acceleration can be obtained.

This acceleration, accomplished in complete silence without any suggestion that the big six-cylinder engine is even running, carries one past the worst of the hold-ups, and along the double-track piece of road before Scotch Corner the speedometer went to the stop at 110mph, as it was to do again on several occasions.

Roadholding and cornering are very good for a large and heavy luxury car of this sort, and rapid cornering calls forth only mild protest from the Dunlop Fort tubeless tyres. There is neither appreciable over or understeer and roll is subdued, especially with the ride-control set to ‘hard’, although the ride is fairly hard on both settings.

The steering asks four turns from one to other of a generous lock and is exceptionally smooth and light at all times save for very low-speed manoeuvring, although it is essentially spongy steering. The driver is called upon to do considerable wheel twirling when making pronounced changes of direction. In future power steering will be fitted. The automatic transmission does not jerk excessively, although on slippery roads automatic upward gear changes tend to promote momentary wheelspin and loss of adhesion. Incidentally, it seems a pity that this transmission is of American origin, especially as once upon a time Rolls-Royce made most of their own equipment, even the electrical components.

There is no gainsaying the ease of control provided by the Bentley in its present form. As one eases up to a traffic obstruction, the car ready to glide away in bottom gear, engine inaudible, one’s appreciation of first-class engineering is unrivalled, especially in view of the very high performance and road-ability combined in this comfortable and elegant motor car.

We made a careful check on our fast run to Scotland and back – petrol consumption was 13.6mpg. Unfortunately, this represents a fuel range of only 245 miles, which on Continental roads could be covered in some four hours. A larger tank seems called for. On long runs the front seats, for all their depth of cushion, feel hard and a headrest would be a welcome addition. In the back compartment however, sheer luxury prevails.

Other cars can equal the Bentley’s top speed and its vivid acceleration, but it is the astonishing mechanical silence allied to the manner in which it can be driven in and out of traffic that render it the supreme high-performance luxury car. At its price of £5243 not many can afford it, but for those who can the genuine quality of its interior appointments, no less than the air of security imparted by the deep veneered dash and broad bonnet, will be a source of constant pleasure and inspiration.

The British lion may spend much of its time lying down these days but it is still capable of getting up and facing the world in a bold and dignified manner, and such productions as the Bentley S-series remind us that this is so. This is the company director’s motor car par excellence, and it is fitting that men who control British destiny should drive these fine cars from Crewe rather than chromium-draped floating drawing rooms of other than British origin.

Taken from Motor Sport, November 1956