Bentley Motors Limited is a British based manufacturer of luxury automobiles and large sportscars. Bentley Motors was founded in England on January 18, 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley, known as W.O. Bentley or just "W.O." (1888-1971) who was previously known for his successful range of rotary aero-engines in the First World War, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later versions of the Sopwith Camel.
The company, located at Cricklewood, north London, was noted for its four consecutive victories at the 24 hours of Le Mans from 1927-1930. The Great Depression destroyed demand for the company's expensive products, and it was sold off to Rolls-Royce in 1931. It should be noted that Bentley was a very serious competitor to Rolls-Royce and that the 8 litre Bentley was probably a better machine than anything Rolls-Royce at that time had to offer.
The most notable car in the Rolls-Royce period was probably the Bentley Continental, which appeared in various forms from 1952 to 1965, and again in 1992 with production ending in 2003. For more on the period 1931 to 1998, see Rolls-Royce. |
