The History of Bentley

The Flying B: How Bentley Evolved from British Racing Green to Volkswagen’s Pinnacle of Luxury

In the pantheon of automotive prestige, few names evoke the same blend of performance, heritage, and handcrafted opulence as Bentley. For nearly a century, the company has stood as a testament to the vision of its founder, W.O. Bentley, who famously declared, “To build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class.” While the marque has survived world wars, economic depressions, bankruptcy, and radical corporate ownership changes, it remains a global symbol of the “Grand Tourer.” This is the history of Bentley, a story of British engineering brilliance that ultimately found a home in the automotive empires of Germany and, most recently, China.

The Founder and the Vision (1919–1931)

The story begins with a man obsessed with two things: mechanics and speed. W.O. Bentley (born Crispian Bentley in 1888) was not born into wealth; he was the ninth child of a retired railway manager. He left school at 16 to serve an engineering apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway. His early life was defined by a fascination with internal combustion engines and a competitive spirit that saw him begin racing motorcycles in his teens.

Before Bentley Motors was formally established, W.O. honed his skills in the aluminum industry. During World War I, he adapted a pre-war aluminum piston design for use in aircraft engines. The Bentley BR2 rotary engine became a critical component for the Royal Air Force, and the revenue from this patent provided the seed capital for his own automotive company.

Bentley Motors Limited was founded in Cricklewood, North London, in 1919. The first engine, a 3.0-liter inline-four with four valves per cylinder and dual overhead camshafts, was a masterpiece of engineering for the time. It was mated to a chassis capable of handling high speeds, a rarity in an era when engines were often powerful but chassis were flimsy.

The first vehicle model produced by the company was the 3 Litre, which debuted at the London Motor Show in 1919 and went into production in 1921. It was an immediate success among wealthy driving enthusiasts. The car was heavy, rugged, and exceptionally fast, capable of sustaining 80 mph—a blistering pace for the day.

The “Bentley Boys” and the Golden Era

The 1920s marked the golden age of Bentley. The company became associated with a group of wealthy British amateur drivers known as the “Bentley Boys.” This group, led by the charismatic “Bentley Barnato” (a diamond mining magnate), dominated endurance racing.

The pinnacle of this era was the 1924 and 1927 Le Mans 24 Hours victories. The Bentley 4½ Litre (produced from 1927 to 1930) became legendary. In 1928, the supercharged Blower Bentley (a 4½ Litre with a Roots-type supercharger) was developed for racing, creating one of the most iconic shapes in automotive history. However, despite its glamour, the “Blower” was not as reliable as the unsupercharged version. The true racing champion was the Speed Six (produced 1928–1930), which secured back-to-back Le Mans wins in 1929 and 1930.

Hardships, Struggle, and the Crash (1931)

Despite the racing glory, Bentley Motors was on a financial knife-edge. The engineering philosophy of W.O. Bentley was uncompromising. He prioritized quality and durability over cost-effectiveness. Each car was hand-built to order, with the chassis alone costing over £1,600 (approximately $200,000 in today’s money). This placed the company in a precarious position when the Great Depression hit in 1929.

As the global economy collapsed, the market for ultra-luxury grand tourers evaporated. Bentley’s sales plummeted. W.O. had also taken on debt to fund the development of a new 8-liter engine intended to power a new luxury sedan. When the bank called in its loans, Bentley could not pay.

In a historic moment of automotive tragedy, W.O. Bentley was forced to sell his company. On November 15, 1931, Bentley Motors was liquidated.

The Rolls-Royce Era: Silent Sports Cars (1931–1998)

The buyer was not a rival luxury automaker, but Rolls-Royce. In a secret auction conducted by the banks, Rolls-Royce acquired the assets of Bentley Motors for £125,000. This marked the beginning of a 67-year era where Bentley operated as a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce.

W.O. Bentley left the company immediately after the sale (he would later join Lagonda and then Aston Martin). Under Rolls-Royce management, the Cricklewood factory was closed, and production of the 8-liter Bentley was cancelled. Bentley production moved to the Rolls-Royce factory in Derby, and later to Crewe, Cheshire, in 1946 (following the post-war relocation of manufacturing).

For decades, a “Bentley” was essentially a Rolls-Royce with a different grille and slightly different tuning. The cars were marketed as “the silent sports car“—Rolls-Royce for the owner who preferred to drive themselves rather than be chauffeured.

Milestone: The Bentley R Type Continental (1952)
 Post-war austerity delayed significant developments, but in 1952, Bentley introduced the R Type Continental. It was the fastest four-seat car in the world, capable of 120 mph. It established the GT (Grand Tourer) blueprint that defines the brand today: a car built for high-speed continent crossing in comfort.

Hardships: The Nationalization and the Corniche 
During the 1970s, the British automotive industry suffered from labor strikes and poor management. Rolls-Royce Motors (which had become a publicly traded company in 1973, separating from the aero-engine division) faced financial ruin. In 1971, the company was nationalized by the UK government due to the bankruptcy of the Rolls-Royce 2D turbine engine project. The government funded the completion of the Rolls-Royce Corniche (a luxury coupe) and the Camargue (a four-door saloon), ensuring the brand survived until it was re-privatized in 1987.

The Vickers Era and the Birth of the “Crewe” Bentley (1980–1998)

In 1980, Rolls-Royce Motors (including Bentley) was acquired by Vickers plc, a British engineering conglomerate. Under Vickers, Bentley began to distance itself from Rolls-Royce.

A major milestone occurred in 1982 with the introduction of the Bentley Mulsanne. While it shared a chassis with the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, the Mulsanne was tuned for more dynamic performance, appealing to younger buyers.

The most significant turning point came in 1984 with the introduction of the Bentley Turbo R. This car revolutionized the brand. It featured a stiffer suspension and a more responsive turbocharged V8 engine. The “R” stood for “roadholding.” It was the first Bentley to truly prioritize driving dynamics over pure insulation from the road. It was a massive sales success, particularly in the United States, and saved the brand from irrelevance.

In 1992, Bentley launched the Continental R, a standalone coupe that shared no sheet metal with Rolls-Royce. It was the first “new” Bentley in decades. However, the crown jewel of the Vickers era arrived in 1998: the Bentley Arnage. This was the first entirely new Bentley sedan since 1980, built on a standalone chassis. It was also the first Bentley to be powered by a non-Rolls-Royce engine, featuring a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8.

The Volkswagen AG Era (1998–Present)

In 1998, the automotive world was shaken by a corporate bidding war. Volkswagen AG sought to acquire the Rolls-Royce and Bentley brands. However, the situation was complex. The “Rolls-Royce” brand name and grille design were actually owned by BMW, while the factory, workforce, and “Bentley” brand were owned by Vickers.

Volkswagen won the initial battle, acquiring Rolls-Royce Motors (Vickers plc) for $780 million on January 26, 1998. However, Volkswagen did not own the rights to the Rolls-Royce name. In a humiliating twist, Volkswagen was forced to license the Rolls-Royce brand name from BMW for a limited time.

The Split In 2003, the license expired. Volkswagen could keep the factories and the Bentley brand, but they had to give the Rolls-Royce name and badge to BMW. This resulted in a unique corporate division:

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars: Owned by BMW (operating out of Goodwood).
• Bentley Motors: Owned by Volkswagen AG (operating out of Crewe).

Volkswagen poured billions of dollars into Crewe, modernizing the factory while adhering to W.O. Bentley’s philosophy of handcrafting. In 2003, Volkswagen also purchased Bugatti, slotting it above Bentley in the luxury hierarchy, but Bentley remained the group’s flagship grand tourer brand.

Factory Operations and “Crewe”

The Bentley factory in Crewe, Cheshire, is the heart of the brand. Unlike many modern car plants that are fully automated, Crewe relies heavily on human craftsmanship. Approximately 4,000 employees work there, and the factory is carbon-neutral (certified since 2019).

The process is unique:

1. Woodworking: The veneer center employs craftsmen to select, match, and polish wood for dashboards, requiring up to 100 hours of labor per set.
2. Leather: Hides are sourced from bulls raised in cold climates to minimize scars. Highly skilled trimmers hand-cut and stitch the leather.
3. Paint: Up to 16 coats of paint are applied, with a robotic and hand-polishing process that takes 35 hours.
4. Metalwork: While stamping is automated, the welding and final assembly are largely hand-finished.

This “low-volume, high-touch” approach allows for massive customization (the “Bentley Mulliner” division offers over 40 billion different configurations), differentiating Bentley from mass-market luxury competitors like Mercedes-Benz or BMW.

Racing Revival and the Speed 8

While Bentley left factory racing after the 1930s, the brand’s association with Le Mans was reignited under Volkswagen ownership. In the early 2000s, a joint venture with Rolls-Royce (before the split) and later solely with Volkswagen, Bentley launched the Speed 8 prototype.

At the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Bentley Speed 8 dominated the race, securing the brand’s first overall victory since 1930. This was a massive marketing coup, proving that the modern, VW-owned Bentley still possessed the racing DNA of the “Bentley Boys.”

Marketing Strategies and Major Events

Bentley’s marketing has always focused on exclusivity and heritage. In the modern era, they have pivoted toward “lifestyle marketing.”

1. Breitling Partnership: In the mid-2000s, Bentley formed a long-term partnership with Swiss watchmaker Breitling. Breitling designed the dashboard clocks for all Bentley models and released a line of expensive watches, linking luxury horology with luxury automobiles.
2. The Flying Spur Launch (2005): When the first sedan of the Volkswagen era (the Bentley Flying Spur) was launched, Bentley targeted the US market with an aggressive campaign emphasizing “accessible” luxury. Prices started around $165,000, undercutting the Rolls-Royce Phantom (which cost over $300,000).
3. Sustainability Pivot: Recently, Bentley launched the “Beyond100” strategy, rebranding as a leader in sustainable luxury. They announced plans to go fully electric by 2030, a risky marketing move for a brand associated with massive V8 and W12 gasoline engines.

The U.S. Consumer Reception

The United States is the single largest market for Bentley, accounting for roughly 30% of global sales. Historically, the reception has been enthusiastic but cyclical.

• The 1980s/90s: The Turbo R and later the Continental R gained a cult following among American “old money” East Coast families and West Coast entertainment industry figures who found Rolls-Royce too staid.
• The 2000s Boom: The launch of the Continental GT in 2003 was a watershed moment. Priced at roughly $150,000, it appealed to the “new money” dot-com millionaires and celebrities. It was the first Bentley that felt accessible to a wider (albeit still wealthy) demographic.
• The Modern Era: Today, U.S. buyers tend to favor the Bentayga SUV and the Flying Spur sedan. Reception to the brand’s shift toward electrification is mixed; traditionalists are wary of losing the rumble of the W12 engine, but younger buyers are receptive to the sustainability angle.

Product History: First and Latest Models

• First Production Model (1921): The Bentley 3 Litre.
  • Specs: 3.0L Inline-4, 4 valves/cylinder.
  • Performance: Top speed ~80 mph.
  • Production run: Approximately 2,000 units over a decade.
• Latest Production Model (Current): The Bentley Bentayga EWB (Extended Wheelbase) Azure (2024 model year).
  • Specs: 4.0L twin-turbo V8 or Hybrid powertrain (W12 production ceased in 2023).
  • Focus: Wellness, supreme comfort, and rear-seat luxury.
  • Price: Starts around $270,000, easily exceeding $400,000 with options.

The Most Popular Vehicle: The Continental GT

The single most popular vehicle in Bentley’s history—and the car that saved the company from financial obscurity—is the Continental GT.

Launched in 2003, the Continental GT was a departure from the hand-built, ultra-exclusive cars of the past. It was designed to be driven every day, yet possessed the opulence of a Bentley. It utilized the Volkswagen Phaeton’s platform but was heavily reengineered.

Why it was popular:

1. Price: At launch, it cost roughly half a Rolls-Royce Phantom ($150,000 vs. $350,000).
2. Performance: It featured a massive 6.0L twin-turbo W12 engine (the first W12 in modern production), capable of 0–60 mph in 4.7 seconds.
3. Design: Its muscular, round shape was instantly recognizable and looked far more expensive than it was.

Sales Figures:

• First Generation (2003–2011): Over 50,000 units sold globally. This was a staggering number for a car costing six figures.
• U.S. Sales (Peak): In 2005, Bentley sold 4,321 units in the US, the vast majority being Continental GTs. In comparison, Rolls-Royce sold fewer than 1,000 cars that same year.

The Continental GT effectively democratized the Bentley brand, transitioning it from a niche British oddity to a global luxury powerhouse.

Current Status and Outlook

Bentley Motors exists today as a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG (specifically under the Audi brand group, though ownership structures within VW are complex). It is currently one of the most profitable car companies in the world on a per-vehicle basis.

Financials & Sales (2023 Data):

• Global Sales: 13,560 vehicles.
• U.S. Sales: Approximately 4,000–4,500 vehicles (the largest single market).
• Profitability: In 2023, operating profits reached roughly €3.8 billion ($4.1 billion USD), a record for the brand.

Outlook: Bentley is in a position of strength. They have successfully navigated the transition to SUVs with the Bentayga (launched in 2016), which now accounts for over 50% of sales. Their next challenge is the transition to electrification. The W12 engine, a symbol of the modern Bentley era, was retired in 2023 to pave the way for hybrid and fully electric platforms.

While the brand faces stiff competition from Porsche Cayenne, Lamborghini Urus, and Rolls-Royce Spectre EV, Bentley’s unique selling proposition remains its blend of “British” hand-crafting and “German” engineering reliability. They are not defunct; rather, they are the luxury profit engine of the Volkswagen Group, proving that there is still a thriving market for vehicles that cost as much as a house but are built with the patience of a master watchmaker.