The S2 and its Rolls-Royce twin the Silver Cloud II were transition cars in many ways. They were initially designed as the S1 and Silver Cloud I, in effect moderately modernized and larger versions of the company’s first all-steel saloon, the Bentley Mark VI / Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn. For a new car in 1955, the S1 / Silver Cloud I was rather old-fashioned.

When Rolls-Royce bought Bentley in 1931, the junior marque initially kept its sporting pedigree. This was gradually whittled down, especially after the war; Rolls and Bentley became quasi twins, with fewer and fewer differences between the two.

The factory-made “Standard Steel Saloon,” a post-war innovation, was pretty much identical no matter the grille, but the twin marques still had shades of personality: Bentley kept a modicum of sporting spirit thanks to the lowered Continental R, which was a genuinely fast variant of the Mark VI, while the longer Rolls-Royce Wraith was the chassis of choice for coachbuilt limos.

But as the ‘50s wore on, the differences between the two marques became purely a matter of a radiator shell and badges. By the time the S2 / Silver Cloud II was launched in 1959, the only tangible difference between a factory-bodied Bentley and a Rolls was exactly that. The small ₤50 premium commanded by the R-R variant was alleged to be justified by the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot, which was more expensive to make than the winged “B”.

The Bentley S2 mirrored the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud in every way, even though the Bentley catalogue displayed what they termed a “Continental” chassis. The same chassis and the same coachbuilt bodies were also available with a Rolls grille. Unlike the S1 Continental, whose 6-cyl. engine had a modified head and higher compression to improve performance, the new V8 was to be identical no matter what badge it wore.

The famous V8 can now be seen as a triumph of British automotive engineering, but it had an uphill start. Work on this engine started in 1953, even as Cadillac started really dominating the luxury car scene worldwide, imitated by Lincoln and Chrysler. Just like Packard, BMW and Daimler, R-R figured that the V8 solution was inevitable – if for no other reason than to keep a slice of the US market. Packard and BMW launched two very different (by equally ill-fated) modern V8s in the mid’50s; Daimler and Rolls unveiled theirs in 1959, but the hitherto rival British companies diverged in every way, including their V8s.

The “L” engine was constrained by the S / Silver Cloud chassis and body, both of which had to be kept as were to keep costs under control. This meant a rather narrow V8, as well as using the same radiator as used by the 6-cyl. it replaced. It also needed to be at least 50% more powerful, at least as quiet and not ridiculously expensive to build.

Some choices were almost obvious, such as opting for a higher displacement. Others, such as an all-alloy construction, was more daring, but still paid off. The old F-head 6-cyl. weighed in at 150hp (gross) for 4.9 litre, whereas the V8 produced about 200hp for 6.2 litre, and was 30lbs. lighter than the six.

The Rolls-made GM Hydramatic 4-speed was perfectly suited to send all that to the cart-sprung live axle in the back. Again, the S2 / Silver Cloud was not supposed to break new ground as such, just provide an adequate vessel for the new V8.

There was a 127-inch wheelbase version on offer providing an extra 4 inches of legroom, usually ordered with a separation window. Surprisingly few people were tempted: of the 2300-odd Bentley S2 chassis produced between 1959 and 1962, only 57 were LWB. Bentley owners usually preferred driving their cars, not playing with the picnic tables in the back. Chauffeur-employing clients preferred to ask for a Silver Cloud II instead.