Bentley 5052 225623335 2008-07-14T16:38:18Z Badgernet 6388591 Reverted 2 edits by [[Special:Contributions/196.217.189.180|196.217.189.180]] identified as [[WP:VAND|vandalism]] to last revision by [[User:77.103.113.0|77.103.113.0]]. ([[WP:TW|TW]]) {{otheruses}} {{missing fields}}<!-- financial data required --> {{Infobox Company |company_name = Bentley Motors Limited |company_logo = [[Image:Bentley logo.svg|225px]] |company_type = [[Subsidiary]] and [[marque]] of [[Volkswagen Group]] |foundation = [[18 January]] [[1919]] |founder = [[Walter Owen Bentley]] |location = {{flagicon|UK}} [[Crewe]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom|UK]] |area_served = Worldwide |key_people = Dr. [[Franz-Josef Paefgen]], <small>[[CEO]]</small> |industry = [[Manufacturing]] |products = [[Automobile|Cars]] |market cap = |revenue = |operating_income = |net_income = |assets = |equity = |num_employees = 4000 (2006) |parent = [[Volkswagen Group]] |divisions = |subsid = |homepage = [http://www.bentleymotors.com/ BentleyMotors.com] |footnotes = |intl = yes }} [[Image:Bentley badge and hood ornament-BW.jpg|thumb|Bentley's winged "B" badge and hood ornament.]] [[Image:1929 Bentley front 34 right.jpg|thumb|1929 [[Bentley Blower|"Blower" Bentley]] from the [[Ralph Lauren]] collection.]] '''Bentley Motors Limited''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] manufacturer of [[luxury car|luxury]] [[automobile]]s and [[Grand Tourer]]s. Bentley Motors was founded in [[England]] on [[18 January]] [[1919]] by [[Walter Owen Bentley]], known as W.O. Bentley or just "W.O." (1888–1971). He was previously known for his successful range of [[Rotary engine|rotary aero-engines]] in [[World War I]], the most famous being the [[Bentley BR1]] as used in later versions of the [[Sopwith Camel]]. Since 1998 the company has been owned by the [[Volkswagen Group|Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen AG)]] (VWAG). ==Bentley 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 D.F.P. cars but he had always wanted to design and build his own range of cars bearing his own name. In August 1919 Bentley Motors Ltd was registered and a chassis, with dummy engine, was exhibited at the London Motor Show in October that year. <ref name=Beaulieu>{{cite book |last=Georgano |first=N. |title=Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile |year=2000 |publisher=HMSO |location=London |id=ISBN 1-57958-293-1}}</ref>. An engine was built and running by December and orders taken for deliveries starting in June 1920. However, development took longer than estimated and the first cars were not ready until September 1921.<ref name=Beaulieu/> The company was always underfunded and Bentley turned to millionaire [[Woolf Barnato]] for help in 1925. As part of a re-financing deal, leaving him effectively owning the company, Barnato became chairman. A great deal of Barnato's fortune was devoted to keeping Bentley afloat but the [[Great Depression]] destroyed demand for the company's expensive products, and it was finally sold to [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce]] in 1931. ===The Bentley Boys=== A group of wealthy British automobile aficionados known as the "[[Bentley Boys]]" (Woolf Barnato, Sir [[Henry Birkin]], [[steeplechase (horse racing)|steeplechaser]] [[George Duller]], [[aviator]] [[Glen Kidston]], automotive journalist [[S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis]], and Dr. [[Dudley Benjafield]] among them) kept the car's reputation for high performance alive. At one point, on a bet, Barnato raced ''Le Train Bleu'' from [[Cannes]] to [[Calais]], then by ferry to [[Dover]] and finally [[London]], travelling on public highways with normal traffic, and won ; the special-bodied 6½ Litre car became known as the ''[[Blue Train Bentley]]''. Thanks to the dedication of this group to serious racing, 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 Bentley's rugged reliability and durability, referred to them as "the world's fastest lorries". ===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; however [[John Steed]] in the television series ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' did drive a Bentley. * 1921-1929 [[Bentley 3 Litre|3 Litre]] * 1926-1930 [[Bentley 4½ Litre|4½ Litre & "Blower Bentley"]] * 1926-1930 [[Bentley Speed Six|6½ Litre]] * 1928-1930 [[Bentley Speed Six|6½ Litre Speed Six]] * 1930-1931 [[Bentley 8 Litre|8 Litre]] * 1931 [[Bentley 4 Litre|4 Litre]] ==Bentleys of the Rolls-Royce era (1931-1998)== [[Image:1935-bentley-archives.jpg|right|thumb|1935 Bentley 3½ Litre Cabriolet]] [[Image:Bentley SI Continental Fastback Coupe Mulliner.jpg|right|thumb|[[Bentley S1|S1 Continental Fastback Coupé]] with Mulliner Bodywork]] [[Image:Bentley Mark VI Autotron NL 1990.jpg|right|thumb|[[Bentley R Type]] 1952: an evolution of the Mark VI which was the first Bentley available from the manufacturer with a standard body.]] [[Image:BentleyS3.jpg|thumb|Rare left-hand drive 1963 Bentley S3 Continental]] [[Image:Bentley Mulsanne Blue NEC.JPG|thumb|right|Bentley Mulsanne 1980]] Rolls-Royce had bought Bentley secretly using a company named the British Central Equitable Trust and not even Bentley himself knew the true identity of the purchaser until the deal was completed.<ref name=Beaulieu/> A new company, wholly owned by Rolls-Royce, was formed called Bentley Motors (1931) Ltd with W.O. Bentley himself little more than an employee and he 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 a new Bentley car appeared in 1933, the 3½&nbsp;Litre, it was a sporting variant of the [[Rolls-Royce 20/25]] and although disappointing some traditional customers, it was well received by many others and 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."<ref name=Beaulieu/> After World War II, production of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars was moved to an ex-wartime engine factory in [[Crewe]], Cheshire. Bentleys became increasingly a Rolls-Royce without the distinctive grille and with a lower price tag and by the 1970s and early 1980s sales had fallen badly with at one time less than 5% of production carrying the Bentley badge.<ref name=Beaulieu/> The parent company failed in 1970 following problems with aero engine development and the car division was floated off to become Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd and remained independent until bought by Vickers in August 1980. In the 1980s Bentley became a separate, high performance car line once again typified by the 1980 [[Bentley Mulsanne|Mulsanne]]. The new sporting image created a new interest in the name and sales as a proportion of output started to rise. In 1986 the Rolls-Royce:Bentley ratio was 60:40 and in 1991 50:50 <ref name=Beaulieu/>. The Bentley factory in Crewe, Cheshire, is still known in the town by the name "Royce's". For more on Bentley Motors from 1931 to 1998, see [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce]] and [[Rolls-Royce Motors]]. ===Car models=== * 1933–1937 [[Bentley 3.5 Litre|3½&nbsp;Litre]] **1936–1939 [[Bentley 3.5 Litre#4¼ Litre|4¼&nbsp;Litre]] * 1939–1941 [[Bentley Mark V|Mark V]] ** 1939 [[Bentley Mark V|Mark V]] * 1946–1952 [[Bentley Mark VI|Mark VI]] * 1952–1955 [[Bentley R Type|R Type]] and Continental * 1955–1959 [[Bentley S1|S1]] and Continental * 1959–1962 [[Bentley S2|S2]] and Continental * 1962–1965 [[Bentley S3|S3]] and Continental * 1965–1980 [[Bentley T-series|T-series]] ** 1965–1977 [[Bentley T-series|T1]] ** 1977–1980 [[Bentley T-series|T2]] * 1971–1984 [[Rolls-Royce Corniche|Corniche]] ** 1984–1995 [[Rolls-Royce Corniche|Continental]] — convertible *** 1992–1995 [[Rolls-Royce Corniche|Continental Turbo]] * 1975–1986 [[Rolls-Royce Camargue|Camargue]] * 1980–1987 [[Bentley Mulsanne|Mulsanne]] ** 1984–1988 [[Bentley Mulsanne|Mulsanne L]] limousine ** 1982–1985 [[Bentley Mulsanne|Mulsanne Turbo]] ** 1987–1992 [[Bentley Mulsanne|Mulsanne S]] ** 1984–1992 [[Bentley Eight|Eight]] — lower-priced model ** 1985–1995 [[Bentley Turbo R|Turbo R]] — [[Turbocharger|turbocharged]] performance version ** 1991–2002 [[Bentley Continental R|Continental R]] — turbocharged 2-door model *** 1999–2003 [[Bentley Continental R|Continental R Mulliner]] — performance model *** 1994–1995 [[Bentley Continental S|Continental S]] — [[intercooled]] ** 1992–1998 [[Bentley Brooklands|Brooklands]] — improved Eight *** 1996–1998 [[Bentley Brooklands|Brooklands R]] — performance Brooklands ** 1994–1995 [[Bentley Turbo R|Turbo S]] — limited-edition sports model ** 1995–1997 [[Bentley Turbo R|Turbo R]] — updated Turbo R *** 1996 [[Bentley Turbo R|Turbo R Sport]] — limited-edition sports model ** 1995–2003 [[Bentley Azure|Azure]] — convertible Continental R *** 1999–2002 [[Bentley Azure|Azure Mulliner]] — performance model ** 1996–2002 [[Bentley Continental T|Continental T]] — short wheelbase performance model *** 1999 [[Bentley Continental T|Continental T Mulliner]] — firmer suspension ** 1997–1998 [[Bentley Turbo RT]] — replacement for the Turbo R ==Volkswagen Group ownership== [[Image:bentleyazure.JPG|thumb|right|250px|2003 Bentley Azure Mulliner Final Series]] In 1998, Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors were purchased from [[Vickers]] (its owner since 1980) by [[Volkswagen Group]] for £430 million, after bidding against [[BMW]]. BMW had recently started supplying components for the new range of cars, notably [[V8 engine|V8]] engines for the [[Bentley Arnage]] and [[V12 engine|V12]] engines for the [[Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph]]. The Rolls-Royce name was not included in VW's purchase; it was instead licensed to BMW (for £40 million) by the Rolls-Royce aero engine company. BMW and Volkswagen came to an agreement whereby Volkswagen would manufacture both Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars until the end of 2002, whereupon the right to build Rolls-Royce cars would be BMW's alone. During this period, Volkswagen reduced its reliance on BMW as a supplier: as of 2003, BMW engines are no longer used in Bentley cars. ===Modern Bentleys=== [[Image:SC06 Three Modern Bentleys.jpg|thumb|250px|The current Bentley lineup (L–R): [[Bentley Continental Flying Spur (2005)|Flying Spur]], [[Bentley Continental GT|Continental GT]], and [[Bentley Arnage|Arnage]]]] [[Image:2002 Bentley State Limousine.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]]'s [[Bentley State Limousine]]]] In 2002, Bentley presented [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]] with an official [[Bentley State Limousine|State Limousine]] to celebrate the [[Golden Jubilee]]. In 2003, Bentley's 2-door convertible, the [[Bentley Azure]], ceased production, and the company introduced the [[Bentley Continental GT]], a large luxury coupe. The car is powered by a version of VW's [[W-12 engine]]. Demand had been so great that the factory at Crewe, Cheshire, was unable to meet orders despite an installed capacity of approximately 9500 vehicles per year. There was a waiting list of over a year for new cars to be delivered. Consequently, production of the new [[Bentley Continental Flying Spur (2005)|Flying Spur]], a four-door version of the Continental GT, was assigned to the [[Transparent Factory]], where the [[VW Phaeton]] luxury car is also assembled. This arrangement ceased at the end of 2006, and all car production reverted to the Crewe plant. In April 2005, Bentley confirmed plans to produce a 4-seat convertible model, the [[Bentley Azure|Azure]], derived from the [[Bentley Arnage|Arnage Drophead Coupe]] prototype, at Crewe beginning in 2006. By the autumn of 2005, the convertible version of the successful Continental GT, the [[Bentley Continental|Continental GTC]] was also presented. These two models were successfully launched in late 2006. Bentley sales continued to increase and in 2005 were 8,627 sold worldwide, 3,654 of which were sold in the United States. In 2007, with sales of 10,014, the 10,000 cars per year threshold was broken for the first time in the company's history. For 2007 a record profit of €155 million was also announced. <ref>{{cite web | last = Garlick | title = BENTLEY REPORTS RECORD PROFIT | url=http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=17750 | accessdate = 2008-03-18 }}</ref> * 1998– [[Bentley Arnage|Arnage]] [[sedan|saloon]] * 1999– [[Bentley Hunaudieres|Hunaudieres Concept]] * 2002– [[Bentley State Limousine|State Limousine]] * 2003– [[Bentley Continental GT|Continental GT]] [[coupé]] * 2005– [[Bentley Continental Flying Spur (2005)|Continental Flying Spur]] [[sedan|saloon]] * 2006– [[Bentley Azure (2006)|Azure]] [[convertible]] * 2006– [[Bentley Continental GT#Continental GTC|Continental GT]] [[convertible]] * 2008– [[Bentley Brooklands]] [[coupé]] * 2008– [[Bentley Continental GT#Continental GT Speed|Continental GT Speed]] [[coupé]] * 2008– [[Bentley Continental Flying Spur]] Speed [[sedan|saloon]] The current Board of Management consists of Dr. [[Franz-Josef Paefgen]], Chairman and Chief-Executive, Dr. [[Ulrich Eichhorn]], Engineering, [[Stuart J. McCullough]], Sales & Marketing, [[Douglas G. Dickson]], Manufacturing, [[Christine A. Gaskell]], Personnel and [[Juergen Hoffmann]] Finance. {{-}} ===Current Bentley Racing=== In 2001-2003, the [[Bentley Speed 8]] enjoyed a successful racing streak in the [[Le Mans]] series.<sup></sup> ===Future Cars=== Since the successful launch of the Continental GT, GTC and Flying Spur, producing a new halo model to replace the [[Arnage]] has become a priority, as against the [[Rolls-Royce Motor Cars]] and [[Maybach]] rivals the car is dated. A new Arnage would most probably be based on a chassis designed for the next generation [[Audi A8]], due to its versatility. The new car is expected for the 2010 model year, and is said to take styling cues from the [[Bentley State Limousine]]{{Fact|date=June 2008}}. In 2008 and 2009 the Continental GTC and Flying Spur are widely expected to receive the changes already made to the [[Continental GT]], with a new front splitter and chrome headlight surrounds among other changes. Since Bentley's induction into the VW Group, rumours of an [[Sport utility vehicle|SUV]] style vehicle have repeatedly surfaced. These have been shot down by Bentley employees on the basis that the idea would not fit into their future plans and also the fact that the manufacturing facilities are already running at full capacity. Borrowing hybrid technology developed by Bentley owners [[VW Group]] is another focal point as the trend towards hybrid cars is expanding year on year. ==References== {{reflist}} ==Further reading== * Richard Feast - ''Kidnap of the Flying Lady: How Germany Captured Both Rolls-Royce and Bentley'' (Motorbooks, 2003) ISBN 0-7603-1686-4 * Andrew Frankel - ''Bentley - the Story'' (Redwood Publishing, 2005) ISBN 0-9517751-9-7 ==External links== {{commonscat|Bentley vehicles}} *[http://www.bentleymotors.com/ Bentley Motors official site] **[http://www.bentleymotors.com/minisites/arnaget/en/arnaget.html Bentley Arnage T microsite] **[http://www.bentleymotors.com/minisites/arnager/en/arnager.html Bentley Arnage R microsite] **[http://www.bentleymotors.com/minisites/arnagerl/en/arnagerl.html Bentley Arnage RL microsite] **[http://www.bentleymotors.com/minisites/bentley825/container.jsp?lang=en Bentley Azure microsite] **[http://www.bentleymotors.com/minisites/continentalgt2door/container.jsp?lang=en Bentley Continental GT microsite] **[http://www.bentleymotors.com/minisites/bentley615/container.jsp?lang=en Bentley Continental GTC microsite] **[http://www.bentleymotors.com/minisites/bentley611/container.jsp?lang=en Bentley Continental Flying Spur microsite] *[http://www.rrab.com/indexe.htm#top Rolls-Royce and Bentley enthusiasts' website] *[http://www.vintagebentleys.org/ Vintage Bentleys Website] *[http://www.bdcl.org/ Bentley Drivers Club Website] *[http://www.brroc.de/ Bentley & Rolls-Royce Online Club] *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2570109.stm Inside the Bentley factory - Jorn Madslien, BBC News] {{Volkswagen Group brands}} {{Bentley}} {{Bentley Mulsanne timeline}} {{Modern Bentleys}} {{British Royal Warrant holders}} [[Category:Bentley| ]] [[Category:British brands]] [[Category:Motor vehicle manufacturers of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers]] [[Category:Volkswagen]] [[Category:Audi]] [[Category:Companies established in 1919]] [[Category:Car manufacturers]] [[Category:Vehicle manufacture in London]] [[Category:Companies based in Cheshire]] [[bs:Bentley]] [[cs:Bentley]] [[de:Bentley]] [[es:Bentley (automóviles)]] [[fr:Bentley Motors]] [[hr:Bentley]] [[id:Bentley]] [[it:Bentley]] [[he:בנטלי]] [[hu:Bentley]] [[nah:Bentley]] [[nl:Bentley (auto)]] [[ja:ベントレー]] [[no:Bentley]] [[pl:Bentley]] [[pt:Bentley]] [[ru:Bentley]] [[sk:Bentley]] [[sl:Bentley]] [[fi:Bentley]] [[sv:Bentley]] [[vi:Bentley]] [[tr:Bentley]] [[zh:賓利汽車]]