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1959 Bentley S2 Shooting Brake
- Story Cars
- Nov 14, 2024
- 1 min read
This exceptional 1959 Bentley S2 features shooting brake coachwork by Harold Radford Ltd., a prestigious London-based firm known for its exclusive, bespoke automotive creations. Founded in the late 1940s, Radford first gained attention with their design of a wooden-framed estate body on the Bentley MkVI chassis. This early creation, known as the "Countryman," quickly became a success, winning the prestigious Concours d’Elegance at Cannes in 1948.
The Countryman was further refined and ultimately became an early iteration of the hatchback concept, applied to standard saloon bodies not only on Bentley and Rolls-Royce chassis but also on vehicles from other esteemed manufacturers. Radford’s expertise in blending elegance with practicality helped define an era of luxury coachbuilding.
From 1951 to 1963, Radford showcased its creations in the coachbuilding section of the London Motor Show, where it received numerous awards for its innovative designs. By the 1960s, the firm expanded its reach, gaining popularity with its luxurious conversions of the Mini, a contrast to their earlier, larger bespoke creations.
In the early 1960s, H R Owen, a renowned automotive dealer, acquired Radford, further cementing the firm’s place in automotive history. The 1959 Bentley S2 Shooting Brake remains a rare example of the craftsmanship that made Radford synonymous with luxury and exclusivity in the automotive world.
