Bentley’s are a car that has become well known as a status symbol among the elite. In 1919, W.O. Bentley, Frank Burgess, and Harry Varley founded Bentley Motors Limited with the goal of creating high-quality sports cars.
The first vehicle Bentley produced was the 3L with the name referring to the car’s engine volume at 3 liters.
Helping to distinguish the brand via motorsport success, Bentley won the sought after Tourist Trophy in 1922 in addition to a win at Le Mans.
Beginning as a company that built expensive cars for people with expensive taste, Bentley hit a wall with finances during the Great Depression, which led to a sale to the Rolls-Royce company. Bentley Motors designed the Bentley 8 liter as its last vehicle before declaring bankruptcy.
Bentley After Sale: A New Image
Rolls-Royce purchasing Bentley led to Bentley changing many of its business practices. Forced to leave behind its rich history of sports racing, new Bentleys took on a style that mirrored Rolls-Royce with slightly lower prices and a more sporty look.
Three labels of Bentley classification were additionally administered for different types of Bentleys:
- Red Label: Sophisticated and comfy
- Green Label: Race
- Black Label: Especially powerful
Since 1970, all Bentleys have a capacity of 6.75 liters.
1998 led to more change for Bentley as the company became a division of Volkswagen. The move led to Bentley being able to return to the racetrack and honor its early history.
Bentley Craftsmanship
- It takes 16 cowhides to complete the interior of Bentleys
- Stitching a Bentley steering wheel takes 15 hours
- Painting a Bentley transpires via the application of sixteen layers of extremely high-quality paint over 120 stages
Bentley Logo
Bentley’s logo has remained almost unchanged during the company’s history. The wings around the “B” letter of the logo represent speed.