A Century of Excellence: The Bentley Story
As Bentley approaches its centennial celebration, let us journey through the storied epochs that have defined this marque of distinction. This is a legacy written by extraordinary souls, from the visionary founder to the dedicated team of over 4,000 employees today; from the fervent Bentley Boys and Bentley Girls of the roaring twenties to the discerning Bentley owners of the modern era. Traversing through a century, Bentley’s legend continues to shine with undiminished luster.
Inspiration Ignited
The tale begins with Mr. W.O. Bentley, who imported cars from the French brands Doriot, Flandrin, and Parant for racing. It was during a visit to DFP’s French office that he pondered upon an aluminum paperweight, contemplating the potential of this lightweight material for enhancing engine pistons. Despite common beliefs of aluminum being too soft and meltable, W.O. Bentley’s ingenuity led to the creation of a new aluminum alloy with a hint of copper, solving all issues. His brilliance was proven when he fitted the pistons to his race car, leading to effortless victories. During World War I, his service with the Royal Naval Air Service saw the implementation of aluminum pistons in fighter engines, dramatically improving their power and reliability. By the war’s end, W.O. Bentley’s invention had revolutionized the automotive world. On July 10, 1919, Bentley Motors was gloriously founded.
Victorious Speed Machines
The Bentley vehicles crafted by Mr. W.O. Bentley quickly captivated a cohort of young, wealthy enthusiasts, later known as the Bentley Boys and Bentley Girls. Their conquests at the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race fueled W.O. Bentley’s drive to push the limits of automotive engineering, amassing an impressive record of five wins over seven years.
One particularly dramatic victory in 1927 involved Sammy Davis and Dr. Dudley ‘Benjy’ Benjafield at the White House turn, where despite a severe crash that shattered the headlights of “Old Number 7,” they persevered to win by ingeniously strapping a torch to the windscreen. Upon their return to London, they drove the battered but triumphant car into the Savoy Hotel to rapturous applause, becoming the undisputed stars of the victory banquet.
In 1930, Bentley Boy Woolf Barnato bet he could beat the Blue Train from Cannes to Calais and reach his London club before the train arrived at Calais station. He won the wager but was fined by the French government for racing on public roads. The Blue Train race remains a celebrated chapter in Bentley’s history.
Today, the spirit of the Bentley Boys and Girls lives on, as demonstrated in 2003 when Guy Smith, Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen, Johnny Herbert, David Brabham, and Mark Blundell clinched the top two spots at Le Mans, echoing the track legends set by Barnato, Glen Kidston, Frank Clement, and Dick Watney 73 years prior. This daring pursuit of speed and passion is perpetuated by the Bentley GT3 racing team.
Heroines of the Bentley Saga
Bentley has always held a magnetic allure for adventurous women. In the 1920s, Mary Petre Bruce, one of the notable Bentley Girls, set a solo 24-hour record at the Montlhéry circuit in a 4.25-litre Bentley, resting only three minutes every three hours. Once, she mistakenly drank petrol instead of water during a break but returned to the race 15 minutes later, driving continuously for six hours to make up for lost time.
The Hon. Dorothy Paget played a pivotal role in Bentley’s narrative, her interest in racing sparked by a visit to Brooklands. She famously claimed she could handle any race car from Britain or abroad and continued to sponsor Sir Tim Birkin’s team in developing the historic supercharged 4.5-litre model, known as the Bentley Blower.
More recently, Katarina Kyvalova founded the all-female Bentley Belles racing team, claiming the Peter Korner Trophy at the 2015 Spa Six Hours. Kyvalova’s fleet includes a 4.25-litre Bentley, a Bentley Mark VI, an R-Type Continental Fastback, and Woolf Barnato’s Speed Six.
Ascent to the Clouds
Bentley’s passion has not been confined to the racetrack and roads; it has ventured into new territories with the Bentayga in 2015. As a luxury SUV, the Bentayga has conquered the most desolate and harsh landscapes, including the red dunes of the Arabian desert, the ice sheets of the Arctic Circle, and the scorching mud tracks around Cape Town, not to mention the Cheshire mud near the Crewe factory.
In June 2018, the Bentayga faced a formidable challenge at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The 12.52-mile Colorado course, with its 156 turns and a climb to 14,115 feet, is known as the “Race to the Clouds.” The record for production SUVs was shattered by two-time champion Rhys Millen, who completed the course in 10 minutes, 49.9 seconds, declaring the Bentayga an “incredible race car.”
Envisioning the Next Century
Today, each Bentley is meticulously crafted at the Crewe factory in Northwest England by a team of 4,000 highly skilled professionals, some of whom represent the fourth generation of their families to serve the brand. Bentley owners continue to shape the world around them, from fashion and music to architecture and business, often being the ones who dare to defy convention.
The combination of passionate employees and visionary clients will continue to write Bentley’s radiant future. Together, they march onward, bound by a shared commitment to excellence and an unwavering pursuit of the extraordinary.
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