Repair Review Car

Contents [hide] 1 As a separate company (1919–1931) 1.1 The Bentley Boys 1.2 Car models 2 The Rolls-Royce era (1931–1998) 2.1 Car models 3 Volkswagen Group ownership (1998-present) 3.1 Modern Bentleys 3.2 Management 3.3 Recent Bentley racing 3.4 Product Placement 3.5 Future cars 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External link

 As a separate company (1919–1931)

Before World War I, W.O. Bentley had been in partnership with his brother H.M. Bentley selling French DFP cars, but he had always wanted to design and build his own range of cars bearing his name. In August 1919, Bentley Motors Ltd. was registered, and a chassis with dummy engine was exhibited at the London Motor Show in October of that year.^[1] An engine was built and running by December, and orders were taken for deliveries starting in June 1920; however, development took longer than estimated, and the first cars were not ready until September 1921.^[1]
It was on a visit to the DFP factory in 1913 that W.O. noticed an aluminium paperweight, and had the inspired idea of using the lightweight metal instead of cast iron to make engine pistons. The first Bentley aluminium pistons went into service in aero engines for the Sopwith Camel during the Great War.
The company was always underfunded, and Bentley turned to millionaire Woolf Barnato for help in 1925. As part of a refinancing deal, which resulted in his effectively owning the company, Barnato became chairman.

The Bentley Boys

A group of wealthy British motorists known as the "Bentley Boys" (Woolf Barnato, Sir Henry Birkin, steeplechaser George Duller, aviator Glen Kidston, automotive journalist S.C.H. "Sammy" Davis, and Dr. Dudley Benjafield among them) kept the marques reputation for high performance alive. Thanks to the dedication to serious racing of this group, the company, 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—whose lightweight, elegant, but fragile creations contrasted with the Bentleys rugged reliability and durability—referred to them as "the worlds fastest lorries".
In March 1930, during the Blue Train Races, Woolf Barnato raised the stakes on Rover and its Rover Light Six, having raced and beat Le Train Bleu for the first time, to better that record with his 6½-litre Bentley Speed Six on a bet of £100. He drove against the train from Cannes to Calais, then by ferry to Dover, and finally London, travelling on public highways, and won; the H.J. Mulliner-bodied formal saloon he drove during the race as well as a streamlined fastback "Sportsman Coupé" by Gurney Nutting - he took delivery of on 21 May 1930 became known as the "Blue Train Bentleys"; the latter is regularly mistaken for (or erroneously referred to) as being the car that raced the Blue Train, while in fact Barnato named it in memory of his race.^[2][3]

 Car models

The original model was the 3-litre, but as customers put heavier bodies on the chassis, a larger 4½-litre model followed. Perhaps the most iconic model of the period is the 4½-litre "Blower Bentley," with its distinctive supercharger projecting forward from the bottom of the grille. Uncharacteristically fragile for a Bentley, it was not the racing workhorse the 6½-litre was. It became famous in popular media as the vehicle of James Bond in the original novels, but not in film; John Steed, in the television series The Avengers, drove a Bentley.

• 1921–29 3-litre
• 1926–30 4½-litre & "Blower Bentley"
• 1926–30 6½-litre
• 1928–30 6½-litre Speed Six
• 1930–31 8-litre
• 1931 4-litre

[edit] The Rolls-Royce era (1931–1998)

While a great deal of Woolf Barnatos fortune had been devoted to keeping Bentley afloat, the Great Depression destroyed demand for the companys expensive products and it was finally sold to Rolls-Royce in 1931.
Rolls-Royce acquired Bentley secretly using an entity named the British Central Equitable Trust; not even Bentley himself knew the true identity of the purchaser until the deal was completed.^[1] A new company, wholly owned by Rolls-Royce, was formed as Bentley Motors (1931) Ltd. Unhappy with his new subordinate role, W.O. Bentley left to join Lagonda in 1935 when his contract was up for renewal. The Cricklewood factory was closed and sold, and production moved to the Rolls-Royce works in Derby.
When the new Bentley 3.5 Litre appeared in 1933, it was a sporting variant of the Rolls-Royce 20/25, which disappointed some traditional customers yet was well-received by many others. Even Bentley himself was reported as saying, "Taking all things into consideration, I would rather own this Bentley than any other car produced under that name".^[1]
After World War II, production of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars was moved to an ex-wartime engine factory in Crewe, Cheshire. Bentleys increasingly became slightly lower priced Rolls-Royces sans the Rolls distinctive square-shouldered grille. By the 1970s and early 1980s sales had fallen badly; at one point less than 5% of combined production carried the Bentley badge.^[1]
During this period Rolls-Royces parent company faltered, failing completely in 1970 following problems with aero engine development. The motorcar division was floated off and became Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd., which remained independent until bought by Vickers plc in August 1980.
Under Vickers, Bentley began to regain its high-performance heritage, typified by the 1980 Mulsanne. Bentleys restored sporting image created a renewed interest in the name and sales as a proportion of combined company output began to rise. By 1986 the Rolls-Royce:Bentley ratio had reached 60:40; by 1991 it achieved parity.^[1]
For more on Bentley Motors from 1931 to 1998, see Rolls-Royce and Rolls-Royce Motors.

[edit] Car models

• 1933–37 3½-litre
  • 1936–39 4¼-litre
• 1939–41 Mark V
  • 1939 Mark V
• 1946–52 Mark VI
• 1952–55 R Type and Continental
• 1955–59 S1 and Continental
• 1959–62 S2 and Continental
• 1962–65 S3 and Continental
• 1965–80 T-series
  • 1965–77 T1
  • 1977–80 T2
• 1971–84 Corniche
  • 1984–95 Continental — convertible
    • 1992–95 Continental Turbo
• 1975–86 Camargue
• 1980–87 Bentley Mulsanne
  • 1984–88 Mulsanne L — limousine
  • 1982–85 Mulsanne Turbo
  • 1987–92 Mulsanne S
  • 1984–92 Eight — basic model
  • 1985–95 Turbo R — turbocharged performance version
  • 1991–2002 Continental R — turbocharged 2-door model
    • 1999–2003 Continental R Mulliner — performance model
    • 1994–95 Continental S — intercooled
  • 1992–98 Brooklands — improved Eight
    • 1996–98 Brooklands R — performance Brooklands
  • 1994–95 Turbo S — limited-edition sports model
  • 1995–97 Turbo R — updated Turbo R
  • 1995–2003 Azure — convertible Continental R
  • 1996–2002 Continental T — short-wheelbase performance model
  • 1997–98 Turbo RL — new Turbo R LWB (Long Wheel Base)
  • 1997–98 Bentley Turbo RT — replacement for the Turbo RL
    • 1997–98 RT Mulliner — Ultra exclusive performance model
    • 1999–2002 Azure Mulliner — performance model
    • 1999 Continental T Mulliner — firmer suspension

Volkswagen Group ownership (1998-present)

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2010)

Modern Bentleys

• 1998 – Arnage saloon
• 1999 – Hunaudieres Concept
• 2002 – State Limousine
• 2003 – Continental GT coupé
• 2005 – Continental Flying Spur saloon
• 2006 – Azure convertible
• 2006 – Continental GT convertible
• 2007 – Continental GT Speed coupé
• 2008 – Bentley Brooklands coupé
• 2008 – Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed saloon
• 2009 – Continental GTC Speed
• 2009 – Azure T
• 2009 – Arnage saloon, Final Series
• 2009 – Continental Supersports
• 2009 - Bentley Zagato GTZ^[11]
• 2010 - Bentley Mulsanne

Bentley automobiles, 1998–present

edit

Type

1990s

2000s

8

9

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Saloon

Arnage

Continental Flying Spur

Red Label

Arnage R/T

Arnage RL

Coupé

Continental R

Continental GT

Continental T

Brooklands Coupé

Convertible

Continental GTC

Azure

Azure

Mulsanne-based

Arnage-based

Continental GT-based

[edit] Management

The current board of management consists of Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, Chairman and Chief Executive; Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, Engineering; Alasdair Stewart, Sales & Marketing; Douglas G. Dickson, Manufacturing; Christine A. Gaskell, Personnel; and Jan-Henrik Lafrentz, Finance. Dirk van Braeckel is current Head of Design.

[edit] Recent Bentley racing

In 2001–03, the Bentley Speed 8 enjoyed a successful racing streak in the Le Mans series.

[edit] Product Placement

[edit] Future cars