DNA of Bentley

History of racing and of prestigous road cars

Bentley has a fabulous history of racing and of prestigous road cars. Bentley Motors Limited is a British based manufacturer of luxury automobiles and Grand Tourersin England. Bentley Motors was founded in 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley (1888–1971). W.O. Bentley was previously known for his successful range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later versions of the Sopwith Camel. But the new owner of the company is the Volkswagen Group, which has a history-as the name translates-of building basic transport for the people. In 1998, Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors was purchased from Vickers (owner since 1980) by Volkswagen, after bidding against BMW.

Great motor brand of the 1920s

Bentley has already been back to Le Mans for its new owner-and won. But will the cars win on the boulevards of Monte Carlo and San Francisco? Will they preserve, enhance, or destroy the great motor brand of the 1920s?
Bentley, located at Cricklewood, north London, was noted for its four consecutive victories at the 24 hours of Le Mans from 1927 to 1930. Their greatest competitor at the time, Bugatti, referred to them as "the world's fastest lorries". Bentley was a very serious competitor to Rolls-Royce and that the 8 L Bentley was probably a better machine than anything Rolls-Royce at that time had to offer. Rolls-Royce merged the Bentley line into its own, so that the Bentley marque became just a Rolls-Royce without the distinctive grill.

Continental GT

The most notable car in the Rolls-Royce period was probably the Bentley Continental, which appeared in various forms from 1952 to 1965. In 2003, Bentley's 2-door convertible, the Bentley Azure, ceased production, and the company introduced the Bentley Continental GT. So far the signs are good, with the launch of the Continental GT-a 212-mph coupe. The Bentley Continental GT is a grand tourer coupé with two doors and a 2+2 seating arrangement, replacing the previous Rolls-Royce-based Continental R and T.

Richard Feast

This book looks at how you keep faith with an old image while bringing it up to date. The designers have to worry about legislation, fashion, and competitor pressure while creating the best car of the day. Author Richard Feast has talked to early Bentley designers and stylists to set the scene for the Bentley heritage under VW.

Bentley: Rich Heritage, Uncertain Future

DNA of Bentley: Rich Heritage, Uncertain Future by Richard Feast
Publisher: Motorbooks
ISBN: 0760319464

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