1956 Bentley S1 Continental Coachbuilt

VIN: BC54LAF

$1,155,000

Sold

1956 Bentley S1 Continental Coachbuilt
1956 Bentley S1 Continental Coachbuilt
1956 Bentley S1 Continental Coachbuilt
1956 Bentley S1 Continental Coachbuilt

Seller details

  • Auction

    RM Sotheby's

  • Location

    Monterey, CA; US

  • Event date

    Aug 13 - Aug 15, 2015

  • Lot

    327

Vehicle specs

  • Chassis/VIN

    BC54LAF

  • Body style

    Drophead Coupe

  • Odometer

    52978 M

  • Transmission type

    Automatic

  • Engine Type

    I6

  • Horsepower

    178

  • Induction

    2x1 bbl

  • Interior Color

    Beige

  • Exterior Color

    Red

  • Generation

    1955-1959 Bentley S

Vehicle details

Notes and observations recorded by Hagerty staff.

Equipment

Wheel covers, Silvertown whitewalls, Lucas driving lights, Flying B hood ornament, beige leather boot cover, bucket seats, column shift, Panasonic AM/FM radio, Smiths dash clock, power windows, burled wood dash, window trim and A-pillar trim.

Condition

#2 Excellent

Could win a regional car show. Drives like new.

About Hagerty’s condition ratingsClose

Excellent paint and chrome that really pops. Immaculate interior wood. Very lightly worn high quality leather. Very clean detailed engine bay and underbody. Door and trunk fits are slightly off, most noticeably on the trunk. This is a magnificent automobile, and you'd have to be actively searching for flaws to pick up on its shortcomings because otherwise it's a breathtaking automobile to look at with a casual eye. It was restored over 20 years ago and displayed in a private museum since, and though it needs mechanical sorting, it is much better cosmetically than the typical museum car.

Market commentary

Offered by Christie's at Pebble Beach in 2003 where it attracted a high bid of $320,000, its odometer shows only 42 more miles now that it did then and the car is, if anything, in better cosmetic condition although 42 miles in 12 years in not conducive to good mechanical condition. It brought an exceptional price, even for a coachbuilt S1 Continental, that has been stationary for so long.

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