Lot 349: 1928 Fiat 527 Spyder

The name of 'Continental' was first applied by Henry Royce to the sporting version of the great Phantom II of 1929, and was revived in the post-war era for the radically revised fast touring editions of the R-Type and S-Type chassis. The name always denoted speed and refinement, grace and lightness of handling, but the intangible quality possessed in abundance by all the Continentals was that of glamour. These cars carried some of the most handsome coachwork of their era from the finest coachbuilders, and the last of the line was the S3 Continental of 1962-66. The S3 Bentley represents the final and ultimate expression of the S-Type, probably the most successful and illustrious of post-war models. There are a number of major changes to denote the S3 models. The 6 litre V8 engine new in the Bentley S2 of 1959 was uprated and refined with larger S.U. carburettors and a higher compression ratio, yielding an extra 15 bhp.The Drophead coup version offered today is one of this final series of cars, dating from 1965, and is the fashionably finned style which H J Mulliner Park Ward had introduced four years earlier.The coachwork of this fine left hand drive example is finished in Red with contrasting beige leather interior complemented with sumptuous burr walnut. Continentals remain among the most usable of all the great classics, with a brisk turn of speed, still impressive levels of comfort and refinement, and, given reasonable maintenance, quite phenomenal levels of reliability and durability. This car, with a great deal of its operational life ahead of it, will continue to render to its next owner the kind of satisfaction only a true thoroughbred can. Le modle prsente de couleur rouge, intrieur en cuir brune date de 1965. Conduite a gauche. Une voiture de luxe et style, mais encore tout a fait utilisable. Documents de circulation Allemandes.