Bentley Motors Limited is a British automotive company specializing in the production of luxury cars. This legendary aristocratic brand was founded by Walter Owen Bentley in 1919. Walter worked on the development of his first car with the help of G. Varley and F. Darges. In the autumn of 1919, a 3-liter "four" was born through their efforts.

Hurrying to show his car to the whole world, Walter Bentley goes with him to car showroom to London, but mass production is established only after a couple of years. By the way, Bentley initially planned to produce only prestigious cars. With an engine capacity of 3.0 liters, his "first-born" was out of reach for any ordinary motorist. In order to draw as much attention as possible to his enterprise and its products, Walter proposed an unprecedented for those times guarantee period 5 years!

Such a marketing ploy served Walter in good stead and he won many wealthy buyers from his competitors. For his first car, Walter chose the uncomplicated name - Bentley 3L, which was deciphered very simply: a 3-liter engine. In the future, all the novelties of the first years of production received their names according to the same scheme. Only from the mid-20s of the twentieth century, words began to be added to the name of Bentley cars, for example, Big Six.

Not paying much attention to design refinements, Bentley carefully worked out the technical component of all cars. The founder of the company saw in each of his cars only one purpose: victory in the race. Indeed, Bentley cars lost very rarely. The large volume of engines made it possible to “remove” quite a lot of power from them. One of these engines got under the hood of the Bentley 4.5L. Combined with a cooling radiator and a Roots rotary blower, the 4.5L engine was powerful. This car was specially developed by order of the industrial magnate G. Birkin, who was fond of racing competitions. In those years, the Bentley 4.5L was the most powerful and fastest car. Despite some dissatisfaction with the model from the founder of the company, she brought Bentley great fame.

Between 1928 and the 1930s, Bentley produced a few examples of the 6.5L and its sports version speed six. For 3 years, the model becomes a two-time winner of the 24-hour race at Le Mans and a three-time winner at Brookland.

Bentley launched its most expensive and prestigious model, the 8L, in 1930.

The history of Bentley under the wing of Rolls-Royce

The thirties of the XX century are associated with a number of not very pleasant events for Bentley, for example, with the loss of independence. So, the company is bought by another elite car company– Rolls Royce. This event is the beginning new history enterprises. More importantly, the previously earned prestige and position of Bentley did not suffer from this. Under the auspices of Rolls-Royce, the Bentley company for some time produces cars under the SS Cars brand (associated with quietness and sporty disposition). Under the same brand, Bentley is gaining leadership in the high-end British sports car market.

The first model produced by the joint efforts of Bentley and Rolls-Royce was called 3.5L (comes out in 1933). Three years later, the 4.5L model enters the market, having received the base from Rolls-Royce 20 / 25HP. Some modifications of the 4.5L model were also produced based on the Rolls-Royce 25/30 HP. Since 1933, allied enterprises have been producing 7 variations of cars with such a technical filling.

Gradually, the production facilities of Bentley finally move from the Debris to Crewe (there was originally Rolls-Royce plant). The first fully built Bentley at the Crewe plant is the Mark-VI. Serial production of this car begins a few months after the end of the Second World War. The Mark-VI is based on the R&R Silver Wraith. Already by the 55th year, the entire Bentley lineup becomes a complete copy of Rolls-Royce models.

Despite the similarity in the design of the cars of these two brands, they had many differences, some of which remain relevant to this day. So, Rolls-Royce has always been positioned as executive cars, whose owners prefer to drive from behind. At Bentley, things are different - their cars are still designed for wealthy drivers who prefer to drive their own car.

Since 1952, the Bentley range has been supplemented by the legendary Continental, a sporty two-door car, which at one time was called the fastest serial sedan.

In 1955, the S series was born, marking the final convergence of the two brands in technical terms. So, the Bentley S1 completely copies the R&R Silver Wraith. Since 1963, Bentley begins to produce the S3 model, and two years later - the T series.

The 80s of the XX century are associated for the Bentley brand with the release of the most luxurious sedan in the world - the Mulsanne in the Turbo and Turbo R version. The car turned out to be so luxurious that it even bypassed its direct line. rival Mercedes-Benz 600sel. With the Mulsanne, the British brand finally formed its image on the world market. The rest of the cars are already being created according to the “90 project”, inheriting the base from the R&R Turbo R and Brooklands with different bodies and some external differences.

The only car without analogues in the R&R lineup was the Bentley Continental. These expensive sports coupes were created for the needs of young millionaires, for whom sports Ferrari seemed too simple.

In the modern Continental family, several main modifications are produced: R, T and SC. The cheapest model has always been the Continental R. It has a distinctive finish, the highest comfort and excellent suspension tuning for fast driving. The T model uses a shorter base, sportier suspension and more powerful engines. But the most interesting modification is the SC, equipped with a hard retractable roof.

In 1991, the British replenish their lineup with the Continental Azure convertible and the Arnage model, created on the basis of the R&R Silver Seraph. The Azure convertible itself has been in production since 1996. A year later, Bentley shows the Turbo RT for the first time.

Global mood changes in the world automotive market led to the fact that Rolls-Royce lost control of Bentley Motors and since 1998 the English brand has been under the control of the VW Group.

But the prosperity of the brand does not end there and new Bentleys appear. In April 1998, the Arnage debuted at the Turin Motor Show with a 4.4-litre bmw engine V8 with two Garrett turbochargers. Depending on the modification, this engine developed from 354 to 400 hp. Already at that time, the Arnage ultra-luxury sedan offered the driver and passenger an airbag and an ABS system. In case of an accident, a system was provided for shutting off the fuel supply, unlocking the doors and separating the steering column.

Work also continued on the legendary Continental series with their inherent excellent quality of interior trim and thoughtful chassis design. So, performed in 1998 model year The Continental T had a shortened base, a 6.8-liter turbocharged engine with 426 hp. At that time, this "Continental" was the fastest coupe in the world - it developed top speed 273 km / h with a total curb weight of 2,850 kg. The model was equipped with alloy wheels and a matrix-shaped radiator grille.

As before, the design of the soft leather upper for Azure convertibles is developed and produced by specialists from the Italian company Pininfarina. At the end of 2000, the updated Azure convertible appeared before the public at the Birmingham Motor Show.

At the Detroit Auto Show in 2001, the British show the new Bentley - EX Speed ​​8.

All of the above would be supported by the very fact of owning the Bentley S-2 model by the greatest musician of the 20th century - John Lennon. He specifically bought this car for the presentation of the Yellow Submarine album in America. To enhance the perception of the album and draw more attention to the new creation of The Beatles fans, Lennon ordered to paint the car in a unique psychedelic style. Rumor has it that this trick of Lennon so shocked the previous owner of the car that when he first saw him again, he lost his speech for several minutes. Despite this egregious act of Lennon, the car has become a unique historical exhibit, which left the imprint of an entire era.

The history of Bentley as part of the VW Group

In 2002, Bentley begins the development of a super sedan with an 8-liter W12 engine that develops 1000 hp. The model aimed to displace competitors from Maybach and Rolls-Royce from the palm.

In March 2002, the British introduced the Arnage R sedan, which is equipped with the same 6.75-liter engine as the Arnage T. However, in the R version, the sedan develops 50 hp. less (400 hp). But as the representatives of the company said, this did not make the car worse and accelerates to the same 250 km / h maximum speed with acceleration dynamics of 6.3 seconds to “hundreds”. The list of standard equipment was replenished with cruise control, a navigation system, 18-inch wheels with Pirelli tires and more. Even then, the car was equipped ABS system, ESP, distribution system braking force EBD and Brake Assist emergency braking system. Passive safety rested on a pair of front airbags and four side airbags.

In September 2002, Bentley finally returns to the name given to it by its founder in 1919 - Bentley Motors Limited, which it lost when it merged with Rolls-Royce in 1931. At the end of the month, the official show of the latest sports coupe, the Continental GT, takes place. The novelty goes on sale only by the second half of next year.

Despite positioning the model as a sports car, it combines the power and handling of a sports coupe, with the comfort and luxury of executive sedan. There are 4 seats in the car, which was made possible thanks to the sloping stern and a large overhang. Under the hood of their novelty, the British installed a new 6-liter W12 engine with a capacity of 500 hp, with which its maximum speed reaches 290 km/h. All the power of the engine is transmitted to four wheels through a six-speed gearbox. In due time, this Bentley GT becomes the fastest representative of the brand. At the October Birmingham Show, the Bentley Continental GT is named "Best Car of the Show".

In December 2002, the assembly of the final limited batch of Continental R and Azure begins. All representatives of the "Final Series" stood out because they were assembled by hand. From this moment they leave the conveyor. IN total there are 11 exclusive Continental R and 52 exclusive Azure. Under the hood of the latest classic Bentley installed 420-horsepower engines. The models featured rich finishes to Mulliner specification. Also, the cars were equipped with 18-inch five-spoke wheels and painted brake calipers.

Sunset for the Continental R and Azure was dawn for the Continental GT, which was already being developed under the auspices of the VW Group. The Continental GT was a new milestone for the Bentley factory and for the modern history of the legendary English automaker.

In April 2003, the Bentley Mulliner division releases the Arnage B6 armored limousine, capable of protecting passengers from AK-47 machine gun fire and even grenade detonation. The armored executive car was based on an elongated platform from the Arnage sedan. Three body lengths and custom trims were offered.

The mass of the car has increased significantly, which forced the engineers to rework the brake system, suspension and stability control system. The standard version had a fully armored body and bulletproof glass, an internal air recirculation system without its intake from the external environment, as well as pyrotechnic cartridges that tear off the doors for emergency evacuation from the car. Armored limousine Bentley Arnage B6 was sold at a price of 500 to 550 thousand dollars.

In the fall of 2003, the first Russian Bentley showroom opens in Moscow. The area of ​​the new exhibition hall was 600 square meters. m.

In May 2004, Bentley begins mass production of the updated Arnage. The car is positioned as a 2005 model. The updated Arnage has a new hood and grille. The headlights are also updated and the overall range of body colors includes 40 shades (27 colors for the interior).

The engine remained the same - 6.75 displacement and 400 hp. power. With such an engine, the updated Arnage accelerates to 318 km / h of maximum speed and begins to comply with environmental standards according to the Euro-4 standard. To improve the handling of the car, she received another rear suspension. In the cabin, the instrument panel has changed and a regular satellite has been added. navigation system adapted for DVD media.

Bentley State Limousine 2002

In December 2004, Bentley announces the release of 20 exclusive limousines based on Arnage (the concept was previously presented in Geneva). Each exclusive limousine gets its own number. Wheelbase machine has grown to 3566 mm. The body of each limousine had a two-tone color. The limousine received a multimedia system with 12-inch LCD screens in the headrests. The option available for the limousine was a computer with internet connection, a refrigerator and even a cigar humidor.

The luxurious limousine is powered by a G8 with two turbochargers, with a displacement of 6.7 liters and a power of 400 hp.

In 2005, the Bentley Continental GT moves to Volkswagen plant in Dresden, on the conveyor together with the Volkswagen Phaeton. The transfer of production of the Continental GT to the Dresden plant made it possible to use its production capacity more efficiently: until then, the Volkswagen plant was less than a quarter loaded.

At the March 2005 Geneva Motor Show, the English company shows latest sedan Continental Flying Spur. The novelty is based on the platform from the spectacular Continental GT coupe and technically the cars are very similar.

The sedan is equipped with the same six-liter W12 bi-turbo engine with a capacity of 552 hp. With it, Flying Spur accelerates to "hundreds" in 5 seconds and develops a maximum speed of 305 km/h. The motor is paired with a ZF semi-automatic.

Following the Continental GT coupe, the production of the Continental Flying Spur sedan also moves to the Volkswagen plant in Dresden.

In September 2005, the British company shows a new convertible based on the Continental GT, called the GTC. The new car uses a soft folding roof, a very rich interior trim, all-wheel drive transmission, and a 6.0-liter W12 engine with 560 hp. Continental GTC becomes 15-20% more expensive than a coupe with an average price tag of about 310 thousand dollars. The assembly of new items begins in September 2006 at the same plant in Dresden as the assembly of the regular GT.

February 2006 The British release the most expensive Continental GT in the Diamond Series modification. The circulation of the novelty is only 400 copies. The series gets reinforced ceramic brakes in size 420 mm, original 20-inch wheel disks, stylish leather seats, aluminum pedals, etc. The engine remains the same.

August 2007 The British are completing work on the fastest representative of the lineup - Bentley Continental GT Speed. The new coupe differs from the regular GT version with a 600-horsepower engine. In addition, the Speed ​​version is equipped with a body lighter by 35 kg and a stiffer suspension. Thanks to these changes, the dynamics of acceleration to “hundreds” was reduced to 4.3 seconds, and the maximum speed increased to 326 km / h.

In the summer of 2008, Bentleey introduces updated sedan Continental Flying Spur. In addition, the most powerful version of this sedan appears with the prefix Speed ​​​​in the title.

Most of all in a restyled car, the design of the front and rear changes. It is equipped with 19-inch wheels, a more sophisticated music system with 15 speakers. In addition, the suspension and steering settings are changed in the upgraded car.

Flying Spur Speed ​​is equipped with a 6.0-liter W12 engine with 600 hp. The Speed ​​version uses stiffer suspension, reduced ground clearance and enhanced braking system. All these changes made it possible to bring the maximum speed to 322 km / h and acceleration dynamics to 100 km / h in 4.8 seconds.

In September, the British company is forced to transfer most of its employees to a three-day work week due to falling sales in the global market. Bentley was hit particularly hard by a 16% decline in US sales.

At the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Bentley announces its plans to say goodbye to the Arnage. The release of 150 cars of the final series is announced. These cars are equipped with a dark grille, stylish 20-inch wheels and a special Final Series badge on the fenders.

Under the hood of the latest Arnage they put an 8-cylinder engine with a displacement of 6.75 liters and a power of 507 hp. with an amazing torque of 1000 N m. For the engine, the same automatic transmission ZF as before. With such a technical filling, the sedan accelerates to a maximum of 288 km / h and has the dynamics of acceleration to 100 km / h in 5.5 seconds. Ceramic brakes are another interesting addition to the Final Series. The interior of the Arnage Final Series is as luxurious as any other Bentley.

In November 2008, Bentley publishes the first photos of the world's most luxurious convertible, the Azure T, powered by a 6.72-liter V8 engine producing 500 hp. (previously 457 hp). The convertible gets an improved braking system, different wheel designs and enhanced interior trim options.

2009 begins for all Bentley employees with a seven-week vacation. The reason for this is insufficient demand in the world market.

March 2009 The Geneva Motor Show welcomes a high-speed version of the popular Continental coupe with the Supersports prefix in the title. The novelty is based on the GT Speed ​​modification, and main feature debutant becomes dual-fuel - gasoline and bioethanol mixture.

Supersports is equipped with a 630 hp V12 engine. and 830 N m. With this engine Supersports accelerates to 329 km / h and has the dynamics of acceleration to 100 km / h in 4 seconds. Engineers reduced the weight of the car, reconfigured the suspension and steering. Metal-ceramic brakes were also installed. The fastest version of the Continental GT lost back row seats, which made it possible to install front sports “buckets” with a carbon frame.

As soon as the Arnage veteran retired, everyone knew that Bentley would soon replace him with something. The British showed this replacement at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009. The name of the novelty is Mulsanne (Bentley Mulsan). As the British themselves say, their new flagship has nothing to do with the VW Group. This car did not even receive a single component and unit from Continental, which would be a natural continuation of the popular coupe. The flagship Bentley turned out to be completely original, both in terms of design and in terms of the technical part.

For the flagship, they developed a 550-horsepower motor with 1000 Nm of torque. The engine uses a variable valve timing system, as well as a cylinder deactivation system. All this increased the efficiency and environmental friendliness of the engine.

The chassis of the new flagship Bentley is pneumatically adjustable. Everything works under electronic control. The driver can arbitrarily change the characteristics of the suspension or trust the computer to adjust them to the current speed and surface quality.

Inside, as expected, the realm of luxury awaits the buyer. Many inserts made of natural wood, polished steel and expensive leather. Electronic stuffing is also great: modern multimedia system, satellite navigation, 2200-watt Naim for Bentle audio system, telephone, Bluetooth interface, keyless entry system, seat settings memory and much more.

After the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, Bentley immediately set to work on the creation of a convertible based on the new flagship Mulsanne. This convertible replaces the old Azure convertible. In technical terms, the Mulsanne convertible is not much different from the sedan. Same engine, same chassis setup.

At the end of 2009, it becomes known about the plans of Bentley to release an open Continental Superesports. Under the hood of the car gets a 621-horsepower W12 tubomotor, working in alliance with the Quickshift gearbox. The acceleration dynamics of the convertible turned out to be no worse than that of the coupe.

March exhibition in Geneva 2010. Italian tuner Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera is converting a Bentley Continental GTC Speed ​​convertible into a three-door station wagon. The definition of a shooting brake is more suitable for this body (at the beginning of the 20th century, many automakers liked to experiment with it).

At the autumn exhibition in Paris, Bentley shows the new Continental GT. Although the coupe is positioned as “new”, it received a platform from its predecessor. Bentley is not a manufacturer that constantly releases brand new cars.

Externally, the old and new Continental GT are very similar. But, as the British say, new Continental GT they prepared completely different body parts. They also thoroughly worked out the suspension. As a result, they made the novelty 24 mm wider and 14 mm higher, without changing the length and wheelbase.

The motors, although they seem to be the same, the update gave an additional 15 hp. power (up to 575 hp) and 50 Nm of torque (up to 700 Nm). Such an update did not affect the maximum speed (still the same 318 km / h), but significantly affected the acceleration dynamics - 4.6 seconds to 100 km / h (0.2 seconds less).

As before, the Continental GT has an all-wheel drive transmission. But if earlier the drive was symmetrical, now rear axle get 60% of the torque. This made it possible to increase the predictability of controllability. Convertible based on the new Continental GT - Continental GTC show only a year later.

The March 2012 Geneva Motor Show made it clear to everyone that Bentley is still preparing to release its own crossover. Unfortunately, the debuting challenger EXP 9 F was nothing more than a concept.

The concept turned out to be truly royal: an abundance of chrome, 23-inch wheels, the most delicate leather and even your own minibar in the trunk.

The technical component is also interesting: the concept is equipped with the Volkswagen "giant" W12 with two turbochargers, developing 600 hp. and 800 N m. All the power of this engine is transferred to the wheels by an 8-speed torque converter box.

In August 2012, Bentley introduced the latest generation of the fastest Continental GT Speed. Under the hood of the car, the British installed a 6-liter W12 engine with two turbochargers (exactly the same as that of the EXP 9 F), developing 625 hp. and 800 N m. With this engine and robotic box The ZF convertible received a 0-100 km/h acceleration of just 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 325 km/h.

At the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the British confirmed their plans to return to motorsport and unveiled the concept Continental GT3. The car fully complies with the requirements of the FIA ​​and is based on the Continental GT Speed.

The whopper received the already sensational engine from Volkswagen, with which she was able to develop a maximum speed of 330 km / h and acceleration dynamics to “hundreds” of 4.2 seconds. The British promised to devote the whole next year to testing and fine-tuning the car to participate in 24-hour races. car passed official approval and certification to race only in July 2013.

To the delight of the oligarchs in 2013, Bentley introduced another novelty. This time, the British came to the Geneva Motor Show with a new generation of the most popular and luxurious sedan - Flying Spur.

Although the sedan got an old VW Phaeton bogie, it still turned out to be spectacular. All components and assemblies have undergone major changes. British engineers completely redesigned the suspension and increased body rigidity by 4%. As speed increases, the air suspension automatically reduces ground clearance.

In July 2013, the British finally confirm their plans to launch a crossover, based on which they promise to take the sensational concept EXP 9 F.

2013 Bentley Flying Spur

Full title:	Bentley Motors Limited
Other names:
Existence:	1919 - present day
Location:	United Kingdom: Crewe (Cheshire)
Key Figures:	Franz-Josef Paefgen (German: Franz-Josef Paefgen) - Chairman of the Board
Products:	trucks
The lineup:	Bentley Arnage

Today it is not just a well-known trademark, it is a lifestyle and an indicator of the quality of life, since the value of this brand is one of the highest in the British market. A bit of history: the world heard about Bentley back in 1919, when Walter Owen Bentley, the creator of one of the most famous and expensive car brands in the world, together with a companion created the first car under the 3L brand, which in just a year very successfully launched at the London Motor Show. The design and internal filling of the novelty were so different from the cars of that time that the model immediately gained increased interest from very wealthy people of that world. This success was so financially beneficial that the car was put into mass production in 1921.

Although the plans of Walter Owen himself were far from creating extra-class cars (he was an ardent fan of racing and planned to produce cars specifically for this segment), the success of the first model corrected the plans of the creator. Indeed, he could see the first prototypes of cars not only on race tracks, but also in private collections of wealthy aristocrats, and Bentley's goals began to change, due to his understanding of the financial possibilities in attracting wealthy clients.

After several intermediate models, the world saw and surprised the 4.5L, which opened an even more enchanting start in the early twenties. This car was very unusual in the understanding of the British, as it speed characteristics, as well as comfort and power were amazing, and the designer received a storm of applause! The recognition of the Bentley family allowed not only to open up new horizons in the creation of ever newer, more powerful and faster models, but also made it possible to safely consider Bentley an already established brand and a sign of high quality. Thanks to the recognition in the market of the English car industry, Walter Owen was able to realize his dream and create cars for racing tracks, which, one after another, without effort, won the prestigious race at Le Mons. While all of England was madly celebrating these victories, the design engineer is creating a new model 8L already for high society, which, in terms of price and, of course, quality characteristics, has overtaken brands of all brands in Europe.

Such a lively and quick success, of course, attracted the attention of the older representatives of the British car industry. In particular, Rolls-Royce, who reasonably suggested that if you can not topple a competitor, then it is better to win him over to your side. And the beginning of the thirties was marked by the purchase by the Rolls-Royce concern of the rights to the Bentley trade nonsense, which in turn did not affect the prestige of Bentley in any way. More to say, Bentley's entry into the huge Rolls-Royce concern only helped in the improvement and pace of development of the young brand. The first few years of consolidative work of the designers of both companies brought positive results and the first models 3.5L and 4.5L were modernized and improved, respectively, the sales volume and, of course, profit increased. By the beginning of the Second World War, which crippled not only the economy, but also the science of all countries and participating states, the development of both Bentley and Rolls-Royce had practically ceased. Everyone was forced to work for defense and attack. And Bentley was able to resume production only in the mid-fifties, although these years did not bring additional fame or any other innovative developments, since all the models released during this period of time were, although successful, but still copies of Rolls-Royce, but Bentley continued to be associated with the world community as the creators of powerful, high-quality, expensive, sports cars.

Although we talked about the low commercial success of Bentley in the 50s, but the Bentley Continental model with 2 doors won its circle of fans and was recognized as the best car of the year in Britain. But such replication could not last forever, and in the early sixties, Bentley finally released its own prototypes, which once again not only broke sales records, but also created a new bar in the Quality-Power-Comfort line. The most successful models of these years were Bentley Mulsanne Turbo and Bentley Mulsanne Turbo R, which deservedly received the rank and title best sedans peace. Bentleys do not stop there and by the beginning of the eighties they were releasing a more modernized version of these models with an engine of three hundred Horse power and turbocharging.

It cannot be said that the cooperation between two large car manufacturers ended here, because the notorious Bentley Continental did not have duplicates from Rolls and was the basis for creating an increasing number of Bentley cars. Now there are only 3 modifications of this successful model on the market, R, T and SC, of ​​which the first is the leader of the line in terms of power, but the last is a rather exotic mixture of sedan and coupe.

The nineties began with the modernization of the already existing Continental and Bentley brings the Continental Azure to the market, in which the designers have already introduced an eight-cylinder engine with a capacity of 350 and 400 horsepower from the BMW concern.

The crisis of 1998, which manifested itself negatively in all areas of the world economy, forced Rolls-Royce to abandon its partnership with Bentley and sell the rights to use the brand to another world leader in the automotive industry - Volkswagen AG, in which Bentley successfully acts and to this day.

At the beginning of the new millennium, Bentley gushed with a large number of new products and replenishment of the lineup. So, for example, Bentley Azure was developed from the point of view of design already by the Italian well-known company - Pininfarina, or absolutely new model Bentley EX Speed ​​8, which was officially presented at the Detroit Auto Show at the beginning of the 2000s, and, of course, like all new Bentleys, was able to win the hearts of fans of fast and comfortable cars. It is worth noting that the new prototype models of the company, as usual and at all times, are distinguished by quality, reliability and powerful equipment, which makes this brand not only a leader in the automotive industry, but also a confirmed quality mark.

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The history of the Bentley Motors brand is quite original and interesting, like the cars of this manufacturer. It began in 1919, when renowned racing driver and mechanical engineer Walter Bentley decided to build his own sport car. The Bentley of the early years was precisely sports car, not distinguished by special comfort, reliable and as simple as possible. The creator paid special attention to these parameters and always followed them.

The first model was called Bentley 3L, where the number indicated the engine size of the car. It was he who drew public attention to this interesting brand. The car turned out to be so well assembled that in 1921, having gone on sale, it was perfectly distributed throughout England. However, Bentley from the very beginning was not a cheap car. In the early years of its existence, the reason for this was the outstanding sporting characteristics of the car. Outstanding indicators of speed, handling and reliability made the car the lot of real professionals. The high price did not allow entering a wider market. Bentley Motors is one of the few companies that in the 1920s offered a full 5 summer warranty for all your vehicles.

By the 1930s, the company produced several more expensive car models that boast enviable technical specifications. The situation in the market changes in 1930, when the whole world is covered by the Great Depression. By this point, the demand for expensive sports cars is noticeably declining, the races themselves are practically not held, and the brand's last major turnaround is the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in the 1930th year. Unable to compromise, Walter Bentley releases a new car - even more expensive and faster. As a result, the company almost goes bankrupt and is acquired by Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd.

The purpose and appearance of cars under the Bentley brand has changed since that time. The spartan, ascetic design is replaced by a more expensive one, borrowed from most of the Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd models of that time. The founder of Bentley himself remains with the company for another 4 years, after which he leaves it. Unfortunately, the period from 1931 to 1980 is associated with the undeserved oblivion of the Bentley brand.

At this time, cars are positioned as luxurious means of transportation for wealthy people who are used to driving cars. Bentley becomes a kind of analogue of Rolls-Royce itself, only with better technical characteristics. There is a certain pomposity and arrogance of status that absorbs the truly sporty character of the cars.

The Bentley line is divided into 3 series: Red Label, Black Label and Green Label.

In the first, comfort is at the forefront, in the second - sports performance, and the third is an average option.

In this form, Bentley cars lasted until 1980, when major changes took place in the automotive market.

At this time, the Volkswagen Group acquired the Bentley brand and mastered its production at new plants. The car began to change, both internally and externally. German experts have returned to him the old sporting spirit and updated the visual design. A whole division was created, which to this day is working on the individualization of each Bentley model. Redesigned in 2003 regular car won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time since 1930.

In 2002, Bentley presented Queen Elizabeth II with a service limousine in honor of her golden jubilee.

In 2003, sales of the Bentley Azure two-door convertible grew, and the company introduced the most expensive convertible coupe, the Bentley Continental GT. The car was so popular that the Cheshire plant was unable to keep up with demand. As a result, the release of a 4-door version of the Continental GT car and new series Flying Spur moved to Transparent Factory.

In early 2006, Bentley showed a model of a 4-seat convertible Azure, which was obtained by modifying the Arnage Drophead Coupe prototype. In November of the same year, the Continental GT and Continental GTC convertibles were born.

In 2007, the milestone of 10,000 vehicles per year was reached with a record profit of €155 million.

In 2009, Bentley announced a new version of the Continental at the Geneva Motor Show called the Continental Supersport. It was the culmination of incredible power with environmental protection technology FlexFuel, a hybrid that consumes gasoline and ethanol.

Unfortunately, in 2009 Bentley sales fell 50% to just over 4,500 vehicles.

In 2010, Bentley Motors signed an agreement with famous manufacturer frames and sunglasses by the Austrian family business Estede, whose experts worked on the creation of Estede for Bentley sunglasses together with a group of designers responsible for the image of these famous british cars.. At the request of the customer, sunglasses, which are strictly numbered, can be engraved with the name of the owner and / or the name of the Bentley car model.

In particular, thanks to this PR move, brand sales are gradually increasing, but for the first time since 2008, Bentley brought profit to its owners only in 2011.

In 2012, in Geneva, Bentley introduced its first SUV in the history of the company - EXP 9 F. Prototype production model, whose main competitor is Porsche Cayenne, got the mass negative reviews both from journalists and clients.

In 2013, the Continental GT Speed ​​Convertible joined the ranks of Bentley - the fastest in the world four-seater convertible with dizzying supercar performance, advanced W12 engine with 616 hp.

For 2014, the Mulsanne lineup has been enriched with new specifications such as Comfort and Entertainment, including leather options and a branded luggage package. In March, the world's sleekest and most powerful Bentley Flying Spur sedan is shown at the Geneva Motor Show.

Often compared to a Rolls-Royce, the Flying Spur is a large four-door Grand Tourer that offers most of the same luxury features as the Mulsanne but is somewhat less expensive.

The Flying Spur is available in two basic versions, W12 and V8. In 2014 a new version The Flying Spur was introduced to the market featuring a new design and improved fuel economy, although the 12-cylinder engine is unlikely to ever be economical.

And finally latest model, which is still in development and has not yet entered the market, is Bentley SUV.

Most recently, Bentley took the cover off their new SUV. So far, little is known about this amazingly luxurious car, but its sales will start in Russia in the coming months (however, the price tag has not yet been named). The British promise to start deliveries at the beginning of 2016. Immodestly claiming to have built “the fastest, most powerful, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in the world.”

Today, Bentley cars are considered the standard of expensive style. This is not surprising, because their interiors are sheathed in leather by hand, and the quality of all details is kept at the highest level.

Intuition and diligence of the founder of Bentley in the history of the brand

company Bentley Motors can be safely called one of the most expensive, luxury and sophisticated English car brands, and this is fully the merit of its creator.

How it all began

Walter Owen Bentley, who became the founder of the legendary Bentley company, was born into a large family. Since childhood, he has been passionate about technology. Subsequently, contemporaries noted that Walter always intuitively felt how this or that engineering solution would behave in practice. But you won’t become a mechanic on intuitive instinct alone, and therefore sixteen-year-old Bentley enters Doncaster as an assistant at the locomotive factory, and then at King’s College London, where he studies engineering theory.

Fanatical passion for locomotives and railways Walter kept it for life, but thanks to another hobby of a talented young man - motorcycles, Walter, together with his brother Horace, begins to take part in races and rallies. Realizing that the auto business is an ideal combination of technical component, career and profit, the Bentley brothers acquire a license to sell French DPF cars and open Bentley & Bentley in London. Walter came up with a great marketing ploy for his cars - if the car wins the rally, it sells well in the future.

In 2012, in a ten lap competition, a Bentley 2-litre DPF set a speed record of 66.8 mph for a car with the same engine size. A year later, thanks to the use of light metals to create pistons for aircraft engines of his own design, Walter broke his last year's record, accelerating to 82 miles per hour. After that, the name Bentley was talked about in all circles of English industrialists. The light-alloy pistons invented by Bentley revolutionized not only the automotive industry, but mostly the aircraft industry. Aviation brought Walter not only a reputation, but also money to develop new projects.

Beginnings of Bentley Motors

In 1918, Bentley decides to start producing his own cars, which will be not just fast, but perfect. To do this, he creates the company Bentley Motors, which already in 1919 releases its legendary first-born - Bentley 3L. A 4-cylinder unit was installed under the hood of the car, developing a power of 65 “horses”. Each cylinder was equipped with four valves and two candles. Camshaft was at the top, and the cylinders were located on opposite sides. The company did not independently produce the bodies of its cars, preferring to order them in a body shop.

In the autumn of 1919, the novelty debuted at an auto show in London, and the car went on sale only two years later. It is noteworthy that the Bentley 3L offered an unprecedented five-year warranty period for those times. It cannot be said that the novelty was very popular, because between the Bentley 3L and the ordinary motorist there was an extremely high, albeit justified, price. Bentley Motors produced this model with almost no modifications until 1929. Also, to the 3-liter Bentley, several other models were added with a hovering over grille the letter "B". The novelties were even more expensive and still with ascetic interiors.

In 1925, the Bentley Big Six came out, which was very similar in appearance to the "firstborn" of the company. The car was equipped with a six-cylinder 147-horsepower engine with a volume of 6.597 liters. In 1927, the developers equipped the Bentley 3L with a 4.5-liter unit, which made the models one of the fastest and most powerful cars at that time.

Difficulties and successes in the history of Bentley Motors

It should be noted that Walter Bentley did not care at all about the design of his models. His task was to create strong cars that will be the winners of the race, and therefore the emphasis was on the technical component. Motor racing victories provided good publicity and attracted customers, but, nevertheless, the company did not have big sales. By 1931, Bentley Motors produced a little more than 3 thousand cars, of which the Benltey 3L model occupied a large share. The company teetered on the brink between profit and loss, and in the early 30s, "dark times" came for the company.

The crisis overtook Bentley after the failed production of the expensive Bentley 8L model. In the face of fierce competition and a decrease in demand for expensive cars, Bentley cars have become uninteresting even to regular customers.

The weakened company was taken over by the powerful Rolls Royce concern in 1931. After that, the brand began to slowly increase its production capacity. With Walter Bentley signed a contract for 4 years, after which he still left the company. Since that time, the history of the brand has taken a different path. Rolls-Royce executives have made the decision to no longer participate in auto racing, but at the same time retain the sports component of the Bentley brand. For these purposes, Bentley models began to be positioned as cars for wealthy motorists who do not need a personal driver.

Under the control of Rolls Royce, the first Bentley 3.5L model was released, which gave rise to model range SS Cars, which means "quiet, sports car". The novelty was equipped with a 3.699-liter 6-cylinder engine, which allowed the car to accelerate to 150 km / h. A similar model called the Bentley 4.5L began to be produced in 1936.

But in the future, Bentley Motors went into the shadow of its owner, and although the auto companies found admirers around the world, they, in fact, were “cloned” Rolls-Royce models, albeit with sports performance, as well as for more affordable price. Bentleys have become cars for those who want to drive fast but comfortably.

1965 was marked by the emergence of the Bentley T brand, which launched the creation of cars with turbocharged engines. For the next decade and a half, the company under the new trademark produces sedans from the Turbo R and Mulsanne series.

In 1980, Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd was acquired by Vikers, after which Bentley was slowly reborn. Since that time, the modern model range of the company begins to form.

The subsequent history of the brand is rich in significant events and significant models. In 1998, Volkswagen and BMW signed an agreement on the “sharing of the legacy” of Rolls-Royce, as a result, since the end of 2012, the German automobile concern Volkswagen, which still owns the brainchild of Walter Bentley, has become the owner of the Bentley brand. At that time, many doubted the result of this agreement, which was successful for the Bentley brand, but today all doubts have been dispelled. Bentley has taken a strong position in the elite segment of premium cars and despite the far from the most favorable trends in this niche, the company's sales continue to grow steadily. Sometimes it seems that Walter Owen Bentley invisibly protects the Bentley brand from various market troubles and attracts new fans to it.

In the 17th and 18th centuries in Britain, among the young scions of aristocratic families, there was a tradition to go on a big tour of Europe in search of useful knowledge and to gain life experience. After 200 years, this tradition has found its continuation in the name of the class Gran Turismo. Gran Turismo models combine breathtaking performance and comfort, able to cover even the longest distances with ease and make every journey unforgettable.

Combining performance and luxury is Bentley's motto, so it's no surprise that our cars have led the Gran Turismo class for almost a century. From the original Bentley
to the new Continental GT - these cars have been faithful companions of several generations of fans to make modern "grand tours" and continue to be so.

The first Gran Turismo Bentley

Developed by W.O. Bentley in 1919, the year Bentley Motors was founded, the 3 Liter entered
for sale in 1921. The use of metric units in its name hinted at the fact that this car was created for traveling around the world. express roads continental Europe. Innovative design for that time - cylinder head
with diametrically opposed valves, two spark plugs per cylinder and two carburetors - provided the 3 Liter with excellent dynamics, which brought victories in. In 1924, John Duff with Frank Clement took first place, and in 1927 their success was repeated by Dr. Benjafeld "Benji" (Dr 'Benjy' Benjafield) with Sammy Davis (Sammy Davis). Their running characteristics
praised by The Autocar magazine, noting the exceptional "obedience in the traffic flow
and extraordinary speed potential on public roads.” The tradition of Gran Turismo has become the style of Bentley.

Power without effort

1926 Bentley 6 ½ Liter
with a six-cylinder engine was intended
to accommodate the heavier sedan bodies favored by some customers. But this car, called Speed ​​Six, equipped with a 200-horsepower engine, showed an easy and smooth acceleration, which became a new benchmark for car dynamics, thanks to which Sir Tim Birkin () won the Le Mans race in 1929. In 1930, Barnato and Glen Kidston took first place, and Frank Clement with Dick Watney came second. installed a mesh grille on the front of his first cars to protect against stones. Its features can still be traced in the design of the car radiator grille to this day.

Bentley 8 Liter

In 1930, Bentley created the 8 Liter, so powerful that the company claimed that this car could reach speeds in excess of 160 km/h, regardless of the type of body chosen by the customer. W.O. considered this car his best creation, and many agreed with him. Capt. W. Gordon Aston
in his review of the Bentley 8 Liter for The Tatler magazine noted: “Never in my life have I seen a car that
which combines such incredible dynamics with such a smooth and quiet ride. This combination of speed and silence made traveling even more enjoyable.
Unfortunately, the release of the model was stopped due to
with the crash on Wall Street and the Great Depression that followed. They managed to release only 100 copies of this unique car. .

In honor of W.O.'s 8 Liter model, a limited edition of the Mulsanne was released. For getting additional information follow this link.

Bentley Derby

Due to financial difficulties, Bentley was sold in 1931 to a former competitor, Rolls-Royce, and production moved to the city of Derby. The Bentley Derby was the first car produced here, first in 3 ½ Liter and later in 4 ¼ Liter. The six-cylinder engine ran smoothly and quietly, developing about 120 horsepower. from. - a very impressive power characteristic for that time. Under the new owner, the quality of the cars remained the highest: they were stylish, refined, with elegant proportions, fast and easy to drive.

Bentley Embiricos

In 1938, wealthy Greek racing driver André Embiricos, living in Paris, ordered a Bentley 4 ½ Liter with a streamlined, aerodynamic body made of duralumin, a lightweight aluminum alloy. This car had the ideal qualities for a Gran Turismo model: it developed an unusually high top speed (it kept the speed of 183.4 km / h for more than an hour on the Brooklands track) and at the same time it was quite suitable for traveling on public roads. Bentley was so inspired by this piece that he decided to use these advantages in the coming years to create cars for the general public.

R-Type Continental

Bentley Embiricos inspired Bentley to experiment
with a streamlined silhouette, which he was able to implement after the Second World War. So in 1952, the famous R-Type Continental line was born. Thanks to a squat, elongated and graceful body, a smoothly descending roofline and "fins"
on the hind wings, which increased stability, he could develop a cruising speed never seen before
160 km / h, when there were four people in the cabin. At that time, there were no motorways in Britain, and the real sensations of long-distance travel could only be obtained in continental Europe, which is why the model was called the Continental. The Autocar magazine described the R-Type as "a modern flying carpet that travels long distances without causing fatigue during the ride." It was the best accolade for a Gran Turismo car. Its revolutionary design, including its expressive power line, is still reflected in Bentley's Gran Turismo models to this day.