Bentley Vehicles

Overview

    Founded in the wake of World War I by W.O. Bentley, the company rose to prominence due to its racing pedigree during the 1920s, when their main rival was Bugatti. This is the era that spawned the famous Blower Bentley, Speed Six, and Blue Train (named for the race in which it beat the Cannes-Calais locomotive). Nearly crippled by the Great Depression, Bentley was sold off to Rolls-Royce. For years thereafter, Bentley models used Rolls-Royce chassis and were essentially badge-engineered clones without the R-R "Parthenon" grille. Like other marques of the era, many Bentleys had coachbuilt bodies, usually by Mulliner or Hooper. Corporate ownership followed that of Rolls-Royce: independent until financial difficulty led to its nationalization by the British goverment in 1971, then spun off from the aero-engine business in 1974 and bought by Vickers in 1980. In the 1980s, Bentley began to acquire a separate identity, with Rolls-Royce tending toward to traditional buyers, and Bentley wooing younger buyers interested in sportier vehicles, thanks partially to the addition of turbocharging. Bentley sales grew steadily, and began developing models (like the Continental R) that had no Rolls-Royce counterpart. Vickers PLC agreed to sell Rolls-Royce and Bentley to Volkswagen in 1998. However, BMW had managed to buy the rights to the Rolls-Royce name, so only Bentley (with its factory) was acquired by Volkswagen, who immediately expanded its lineup and generated record sales volume (over 8000 in 2005). The company's rejuventated lineup far outsold its main competitors, Maybach and former parent Rolls-Royce. The company's tuning and personalization arm is H.J. Mulliner. Bentley Motors is wholly owned by Volkswagen AG. Its headquarters are in Crewe, Cheshire, United Kingdom. Bentley models are produced at its Crewe factory, although some Continental GT production was undertaken at Volkswagen's Dresden factory during peak demand.

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