Lot 113: Bentley S2 Continental Coup�

�In the twilight of their coachbuilding years, James Young had with these cars reached the pinnacle of excellence.� - Martin Bennett, Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

Despite the popularity of the �standard steel� bodywork, introduced when production of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars resumed after WW2, a steadily declining number of independent coachbuilders continued to offer alternatives. Arguably the most stylish were those produced to clothe the Bentley Continental which, of course, was only ever available with bespoke coachwork. One of the most prominent of these surviving firms was James Young, a company that had established itself among the foremost coachbuilders for upmarket chassis by the end of the 1930s. The Bromley-based carriage-maker had bodied its first automobile in 1908, affiliating itself with a succession of quality marques throughout the 1920s and 1930s before being acquired by the Jack Barclay Group in 1937. Its factory devastated by wartime bombing, the company did not resume exhibiting at the London Motor Shows until 1948, continuing to offer coachbuilt designs of distinction on (mainly) Rolls-Royce and Bentley chassis until the arrival of the unitary construction Silver Shadow/T-Series range in the 1960s. A lack of suitable chassis would force the firm�s closure before the �Sixties decade ended, but in its declining years James Young produced what are widely recognised as its finest creations, this beautiful two-door Continental among them.

In total, James Young bodied 41 S2 Continental chassis, completing five in this particular style, of which this car is believed to be the sole survivor. A right-hand drive example, the car benefits from a gearbox overhaul carried out in 2006 and is presented in generally good condition, with only a few relatively minor points needing attention. It is offered with instruction manuals, sundry invoices and French Carte Grise de Collection.




James Young a construit au total 41 Continental S2 dont cinq du type de cette voiture qui serait la seule survivante. Exemplaire � conduite � droite, elle a b�n�fici� d�une r�fection de la bo�te de vitesses en 2006 et elle se pr�sente en bon �tat g�n�ral avec quelques points mineurs � revoir. Elle est accompagn�e de ses manuels d�utilisation, de diverses factures et de sa carte grise de collection fran�aise.