About Bentley

Born in 1888 and the youngest of nine siblings, W.O. Bentley dismantles and rebuilds a bicycle at just nine years of age. But his career doesn’t get underway until he starts his apprenticeship at Doncaster railway station, aged 16. Although his father has paid £75 for him to start as a Premium Apprentice, he still starts at the bottom, cleaning engines.

Within two years, W.O. leaves Doncaster for London’s Kings Cross. There, he achieves his childhood dream of working on a steam locomotive. He described his favourite journey as ‘Leeds and back in a day – a good day’s work’.

Two years into his apprenticeship, W.O. buys a Quadrant motorcycle and begins racing. After a further two years, his modifications to a Rex motorcycle impress the manufacturers so much they are taken up by the Rex team. He goes on to ride Indian bikes at Brooklands and in the Isle of Man TT.

During this period, he meets other young motorcycling enthusiasts including Frank Clement and Sammy Davis. Both will later become members of the Bentley Boys, with Clement joining the company as a test driver, before becoming a racing driver and ultimately salesman for the company.

While working as a general assistant at the National Motor Cab Company in 1910, W.O. Bentley buys his first car: a second-hand Riley V-Twin. An obsession is born.

W.O.’s growing engineering skill comes to the fore when he goes into business with one of his brothers. Having evaluated cars from three manufacturers, they decide to import cars made by the French company, Doriot, Flandrin & Parant. Together with his brother, W.O. travels to France, buys the cars as rolling chassis. Despite the cars’ lack of bodywork, the two young men drive them from Paris back to England, where the eventual owners commission coachbuilders to make the bodies.

At the DFP offices in France, W.O. sees an aluminium paperweight. Wondering whether the metal could help him make lighter pistons, he creates an alloy that will resist the heat of an engine. It enables him to drive to victory at Brooklands, setting a new 89.7 mph record for the flying mile.

When war breaks out, W.O. joins the new Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve as a Lieutenant, where he uses his aluminium pistons to improve the Clerget aero engine, which was prone to seizing up in flight.

Following W.O.’s work on the 9J Clerget engine, the AR1, BR1 and BR2 rotary aero engines are produced – with ‘BR’ standing for ‘Bentley Rotary’. Considered the best engines in their class during the war, many remained in civilian use until the late 1920s.

During the war, W.O. is reunited with an old motorcycling associate, Sammy Davis, and together they work on several aero engines. Davis will later become the editor of The Autocar and the first journalist to review Bentley’s first car – before joining the Bentley Boys and racing at Le Mans.

After the war, W.O. Bentley is awarded the MBE for his work on aero engines. He also receives a £1,000 gratuity plus £8,000 in recognition of his outstanding contribution – which he uses to start a new business, Bentley Motors.

On 18th June 1919, W.O. Bentley is joined at Bentley Motors by Reginald 'Nobby' Clarke, an engineer he met during the war. Nobby will go on to become an integral part of the company and its racing success, leading the works engineering teams throughout the next decade.

When Nobby was contacted by the R.A.F. Records office asking if he wanted his Distinguished Service Medal to be presented in person or sent in the mail, he asked to have it sent by post. The reason? He didn’t want to lose a day's work with W.O. Bentley.

Frank Clement is recruited by W.O. to be Bentley Motors’ first test driver, making him the first member of the Bentley Boys. He will go on to race for Bentley, winning at Le Mans in 1924 and becoming the only paid driver to compete for the company in every Le Mans race from 1923 to 1930.

The second driver to join Bentley Motors is Canadian John Duff. At Brooklands in 1922, he drives a Bentley 3 Litre solo for a Double-Twelve speed record, covering 2,083 miles at an average speed of 86.7 mph. He will go on to win at Le Mans in 1924, driving alongside Frank Clement, in the only non-French car to take part.

A medical doctor, Joseph Dudley ‘Benjy’ Benjafield, buys a Bentley 3-Litre. His success racing it leads W.O. Bentley to offer him a place on the Bentley team, making him the third member of the Bentley Boys. He will go on to drive a Bentley at every Le Mans from 1925 to 1930, winning in 1927 and coming third in 1929.

An associate of W.O. Bentley from his motorcycling days, and later the editor of The Autocar, Sammy Davis joins the Bentley Boys pursuits in 1924. He will go on drive for Bentley in three Le Mans races, securing a dramatic victory with Dudley Benjafield in 1927.

The son of a wealthy South African mining family and an accomplished all-round sportsman, Woolf Barnato has already won the Duke of York Trophy in his Bentley-powered motorboat when he begins racing for Bentley in 1926.

While he had been practicing with the boat on a lake near Bentley’s Cricklewood Factory the day before the race, the boat sunk. W.O.’s team rebuilt the engine overnight, enabling Barnato to win the race the next day.

Barnato will go on to become the company’s most successful pre-war racing driver, racing in three Le Mans races and winning all three – making him the only driver for any manufacturer to win every Le Mans he enters.

With Bentley Motors facing financial trouble triggered by the Great Depression, Woolf Barnato invests in Bentley Motors. The change of ownership effectively saves the company.

Barnato is elected chairman and W.O. is made Chief Engineer. As a consequence, tensions build between the two men. Nevertheless, success on the racetrack continues unabated. The company will remain afloat until 1931, when it will be sold to arch-rival Rolls Royce.

May Millington sets a new record of 18.48 seconds in the unlimited racing class at the Stalybridge hill climb, driving a TT Replica 3 Litre Bentley. She goes on to win two classes that same year and take second place in the 3 Litre General class at Southport.

After crashing her 3 Litre at the Blackpool Speed Trials in October, the car is completely rebuilt, with a 9’ chassis, a new body and a Rootes supercharger, making it the very first supercharged Bentley.

Former fighter pilot Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin – who had bought a DFP car from W.O. prior to the launch of Bentley Motors – joins the Bentley stable. He will soon become famous both for his exploits on the racetrack and the creation of the Bentley ‘Blower’. Notorious for being hard on his cars, he will drive at Le Mans in 1928, 1929 and 1930.

A former submariner and Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy, Glen Kidston is the archetypal action hero – on one occasion kicking his way free from the burning wreckage of a plane that had just crashed. In 1929, he becomes a Bentley Boy and within a year, he is celebrating victory at Le Mans, alongside Barnato.

A daredevil driver, pilot and speedboat racer, Mildred Mary Petrie (or the Hon. Mrs. Victor Bruce as she preferred to be known) drives 2,164 miles over 24 hours in a Bentley 4½ Litre, at the Montlhéry circuit near Paris.

During one stop she drinks from a bottle of ‘water’ – only to realise it is petrol. She brings it up and drives for six hours straight to make up the lost time. With an average speed of over 89 mph (143 km/h), she sets a new world record for solo driving. The car is sent to race at Le Mans a week later.

After Tim Birkin fails to convince W.O. Bentley that he should supercharge his cars, he finds an ally in heiress Dorothy Paget. Seeing value in the idea, she provides vital support to Birkin, making the development of a supercharged Bentley 4½ Litre possible. The Bentley Blower is born.

Margaret Allan drives to victory at the second Whitsun Long Handicap at Booklands, in a Bentley 6½ Litre nicknamed ‘Old Mother Gun’. Her best lap, recorded at 122.37 mph, qualifies her for the Brooklands 120 mph Badge, making her one of just four women to achieve the honour.

Keston Pelmore, proud owner of a Bentley 4½ Litre MP388, starts the Bentley Drivers Club. To drum up membership, he places cards on cars in the Brooklands car park – and soon the first club meeting sees more than 25 Bentley cars in attendance.

Harry Grylls leads the team responsible for the L-series V8 engine. Delivering a step change in performance over the preceding straight six, the new engine makes its debut the 1959 Bentley S2. By the time it is withdrawn in 2020, it will be Bentley’s longest-serving engine series, with over 36,000 units produced.

Diana Barnato (daughter of Bentley Chairman Woolf) already has more than 20 years of flying under her belt when she becomes the first woman to break the sound barrier, earning the unofficial title of the Fastest Woman on Earth. Flying an English Electric Lightning T4, she sets a new women’s Air Speed Record, reaching MACH 1.6 (1,262 mph).

For the first time in more than 70 years, Bentley returns to the famous 24 Heures du Mans, better known as simply ‘Le Mans’. A new team of Bentley Boys – Andy Wallace, Butch Leitzinger and Eric van de Poele – secure third place in a new car, the Bentley Speed 8.

On 15 June 2003, two new Bentley Speed 8s line up at Le Mans. With driving duties shared between Guy Smith, Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen, Johnny Herbert, David Brabham and Mark Blundell, they take first and second place, 79 years to the day after Bentley’s first victory at Le Mans.

A new Continental GT3 makes its competitive debut, which sees the Bentley Boys take on GT3 racing. The drivers, including Maxi Buhk, Vincent Abril, Andy Soucek, Maxime Soulet and Vincent Abril will see success at Paul Ricard and Silverstone within a year and, with an updated car, win the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup outright in 2017.

Bentley’s first car is named EXP 1, denoting its experimental nature. As prototypes for the Bentley 3 Litre, both EXP 1 and its successor, EXP 2, are formidable race cars. At Brooklands, EXP 2 will become the first Bentley to win a race, with Frank Clement at the wheel. The oldest surviving Bentley, it can be seen today in the company’s Heritage Collection.

The Bentley 3 Litre goes into production, making W. O. Bentley’s dream of ‘a fast car, a good car, the best in its class’ a reality. It introduces a number of technological advances, including new piston technology and the omission of separate cylinder heads. It also eliminated the head gasket, which could otherwise expand and fail.

By 1924, it has become common for customers to buy a 3 Litre chassis and fit it with a limousine-style body, which is larger and heavier than the sports bodywork for which the car was designed. In 1926, Bentley releases the 6½ Litre, with six cylinders instead of the four in the 3 Litre.

As well as featuring camshaft drive and more cylinders, the 6½ Litre is made available in different wheelbase lengths, to accommodate bigger cabins for comfortable cruising, as well as sportier bodies for faster driving.

Reflecting W. O. Bentley’s belief that the only sensible way to boost a car’s performance is to increase its engine capacity, the Bentley 4½ Litre is introduced as a replacement for the 3 Litre – though the popular 3 Litre will remain in production until 1929. A Bentley 4½ Litre will win at Le Mans in 1928.

With an increase in the power of the 6½ Litre’s engine to 180 bhp, the 6½ Litre Speed Six pushes Bentley performance to new heights. The racing version offers even more power, with its 200 bhp going on to deliver victories at Le Mans in 1929 and 1930. This was W.O. Bentley’s favourite car.

With W.O. Bentley opposed to supercharging on principle, Tim Birkin enlists Dorothy Paget’s help to add an Amherst Villiers supercharger to the Bentley 4½ Litre – and a legend is born.

Despite an increase in power from 110 bhp to 175 bhp, the Blower fails to achieve commercial success. Reliability problems, meanwhile, compromise its record on the racetrack. Yet successes including second place at the French Grand Prix in 1930 help the ‘Blower’ become the most famous Bentley of its era.

In launching the 8 Litre – essentially a Bentley 6½ Litre with an enlarged engine – W.O. Bentley says: “I have always wanted to produce a dead silent 100mph car, and now I think we have done it.” This was the largest and most luxurious Bentley of its era.

With the Great Depression affecting worldwide demand for motor cars, Bentley Motors hits hard times. Moving away from design elements taken from the 3 Litre, such as overhead camshafts, Bentley launches the 4 Litre, in an attempt to lift the company’s performance.

The 4 Litre is based on a shortened 8 Litre chassis, resulting in a compromised platform. Saddled with the heavy base of the 8 Litre, it delivers less power than the 4 ½ Litre. Only 50 will ever be made.

The first Bentley to be built at Rolls Royce’s Derby factory, the 3½ Litre bears no relationship to the Bentleys built before Rolls Royce acquired the company. In fact, ‘pre-Derby’ and Derby Bentleys have no parts whatsoever in common.

The 3½ Litre is sold, like its predecessors, as a rolling chassis on which coachbuilt bodywork can be created. Many dealers order their own bodies, however, in response to the growing demand for finished cars.

The Bentley 4¼ Litre is advertised as ‘the silent sports car’ at launch. Much loved by owners including Land Speed Record holder Sir Malcolm Campbell, it will come to be seen as the foundation on which the Corniche and R Type Continental will be built. Sadly, production will be curtailed prior to the outbreak of World War Two.

The only Bentley Corniche ever built is a high-performance variant of the Bentley Mark V. What makes it strikingly different, however, is a new focus on aerodynamic exterior design, helping to boost its performance even further.

In 1939, the Corniche is tested at Brooklands. The prototype records a best lap at 111 mph, completing a quarter-mile in just 19.8 seconds. It then goes to France for endurance testing, where it is damaged in an accident. Its streamlined bodywork is lost, presumed destroyed, following a bombing raid on Dieppe.

The Mark VI is Bentley’s first post-war luxury car – and the first Bentley with a Rolls Royce equivalent. Supplied with a standardised saloon body made by Pressed Steel Ltd, it is assembled entirely in the factory, however some cars feature coachbuilt bodywork. Despite a premium price, its popularity will see it remain in production until 1952.

A successor to the Mark VI with a larger boot, the Bentley R Type enters production in 1952. The first car in what is considered the second series of post-war Bentleys, it provides the basis for a Bentley icon that will be unveiled the same year: the R Type Continental.

Initially built on the Mark VI chassis and later the R Type chassis, the R Type Continental is created for cruising at speeds of over 100 mph on the fast roads of Continental Europe.

A lightweight, streamlined aluminium body is combined with an engine tuned to deliver 153 bhp, for a ride described by The Autocar as feeling like ‘a modern magic carpet’. Only 208 will ever be made.

Labelled the Bentley S at its launch, the S1 replaces the R Type standard steel saloon. Featuring a pressed steel body with stressed skin construction – Bentley’s first monocoque chassis – and aluminium doors, it offers enough space inside to seat five or six occupants.

With a longer period of development than earlier cars, the Bentley S can be seen as the car that leads Bentley out of its pre-war origins and into the modern era. It will be retrospectively named the S1, to distinguish it from later S models.

H.J. Mulliner launches its interpretation of the S1. Inspired by the R Type Continental, the S1 Continental Flying Spur is the first of several coachbuilt four-door Continentals. Mulliner will build more than 200 of them in all.

The successor to the Bentley S1 is fitted with Bentley’s first V8 engine and christened the S2. As well as improving performance, the larger engine makes it possible to improve the air conditioning, further boosting its status as a luxury car. The engine is the first in a Bentley V8 lineage that will continue for many years, until the Mulsanne is discontinued.

The successor to the Bentley S2 is revealed at the 1962 Paris Motor Show. Among its more visible upgrades are a facelift to the front of the car, introducing a new four-lamp headlight cluster and a lower radiator grille. Inside, individual front seats replace the bench front seat of the S2.

In 1965, the S2 is replaced with the first T Series car – which unlike its predecessors, features aluminium and Pressed Steel-Fisher monocoque construction. Considered the first Bentley of the modern Crewe era, it is the most advanced car in the world at launch, featuring a range of cutting-edge technology, including hydraulic suspension.

The T-Series will become the best-selling Bentley to date. A variety of T Series cars will be made over the next 15 years, including a two-door version, a convertible drop-head coupé and a long-wheelbase version that was four inches longer, as well as individually coachbuilt cars.

The first Bentley Mulsanne is launched in 1980. Named after the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans, it is the first car in the SZ series. Designed to deliver high performance alongside exquisite craftsmanship, it is the result of a new strategy to build on the racing heritage of Bentley’s early years.

The Mulsanne is followed by the Mulsanne Turbo in 1982 – a car that re-established Bentley as the luxury marque for those who demand thrilling performance. With its turbocharged V8 engine delivering a full 50% more power than its predecessor, it represents a deliberate move back towards Bentley’s high-performance roots.

With retuned suspension and wider tyres on its aluminium wheels, the Turbo R replaces the Mulsanne Turbo, with the ‘R’ standing for ‘roadholding’. Several variants will be produced over the years that follow, including long-wheelbase versions, with fuel injection added to boost the car’s torque in 1987.

The Continental R is launched. The fastest and most powerful Bentley ever, it is also the world’s most expensive production car. As an aerodynamically designed two-door coupé, it differs visibly from its four-door predecessors, achieving a low drag coefficient of just 0.37. Such is the success of the Continental R that it will be produced in a variety of body types.

Named after the famous banked racetrack at which Bentleys set so many records in the 1920s and 1930s, the Brooklands is launched in 1993 to replace the Mulsanne series of cars. Powered by the same 6.75 litre V8 engine, it will be made available with a turbocharger in 1996.

With a top speed of 171 mph (274 km/h) and acceleration from 0-60 mph in just 5.6 seconds (0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds), the Azure continues the Bentley tradition of luxury performance. Technology comes to the forefront too, notably a powered convertible roof that takes just 25 seconds to retract completely.

The Bentley Continental T is launched as a more sporty version of the Continental R, with a shorter wheelbase, extended wheel arches and ABS brakes. While rear-seat legroom is slightly reduced, the new car makes up for it with an extra 15 bhp and 54 Nm of additional torque, for faster acceleration.

Launched with a 4.4 litre turbocharged V8 engine and named after a corner at the Le Mans circuit, the Arnage takes its place as the luxurious new flagship of the Bentley range. Several versions will be made over the years that follow, including models with the 6.75 litre V8 engine and the long-wheelbase Arnage RL.

Two coachbuilt State Limousines, made for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, enter service for her Golden Jubilee celebrations. The cars are based on the Arnage, but are longer, wider and taller, with broad coach-style rear doors, so that the Queen can enter and enter the car easily.

Bentley astounds the automotive world with the launch of the Continental GT. Aesthetically beautiful and boasting a 6.0 litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine, it is Bentley’s first all-wheel drive car. It marks the beginning of a renaissance of the Bentley brand, reinstating it as the leader in super-powerful, super-luxurious grand tourers.

Following the success of the Continental GT, Bentley launches the Continental Flying Spur – a significantly longer four door version with a traditional boot and more space in the rear cabin. Pairing the exhilarating drive of the Continental GT with the refinement of a luxury sedan, it changes the game.

Bentley builds out its 21st Century product range even further, with the announcement of a convertible Continental GT. Revealed to the public at the 2006 New York International Auto Show, it features the same 6.0 litre W12 engine as its hard-top sibling, for exhilarating open-air performance.

Revealed by Jay Leno at the Geneva Motor Show, the Continental Supersports takes performance to new heights, with acceleration from zero to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds (0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds) and a top speed of 204 mph (330 km/h). It is the fastest and most powerful Bentley ever made.

The Bentley Mulsanne returns as the flagship of the Bentley range. Crafted entirely by hand, it retains Bentley’s phenomenal 6.75 litre V8 engine, combining smooth, surging performance with the highest standards of automotive luxury. It will soon be joined by the more performance-focused Mulsanne Speed.

The second-generation Continental GT hits the streets. In addition to the 6.0 litre W12 engine, the car is also made available with a 4.0 litre V8 engine. With a top speed of 192 mph, the V8 version features cylinder deactivation, enabling half of the cylinders to switch off automatically when not needed, reducing emissions.

The second generation of the Flying Spur is unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Like the Continental GT, it is made available with a V8 engine as well as the original W12. For the first time, the ‘Continental’ prefix is dropped, emphasising the Flying Spur’s status as a Bentley model in its own right.

The Mulsanne Speed is launched, its performance-tuned 6.75 Litre V8 engine making it the most powerful four-door production car in the world. With sports inspired detailing to distinguish it from its more traditionally styled sibling, it adds a darker edge to the Mulsanne range.

After a long period of development, Bentley’s first SUV is launched. Named after the Roque Bentayga on the Mediterranean island of Gran Canaria, it combines all-terrain capabilities with Bentley craftsmanship and on-road performance, making it the world’s first true luxury SUV.

The Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase is created for the growing number of customers who prefer to be driven by a chauffeur. A subtle wheelbase extension results in a full 250mm of additional legroom in the rear, which in turn makes room for electrically reclining seats with airline-style extending leg rests.

The second-generation Continental Supersports is revealed, in both coupé and convertible form. The maximum power of the 6.0 litre W12 engine is boosted to a full 710 PS (700 bhp), which translates into more than 1,000 Nm of torque. 710 cars are built in total, in honour of its incredible power.

The first ever Bentley plug-in hybrid is revealed. The Bentayga Hybrid combines a 3.0 litre V6 petrol engine with an electric motor, alongside navigation technology that allows the car to choose which power source to use for different stages of a journey. Crucially, it can be driven for over 30 miles on electric power alone.

The third generation of the now-iconic Continental GT arrives. While remaining true to the car’s grand touring ethos and retaining the same engine sizes, it features a wealth of new technology and an entirely new body. Sleeker and lighter, with a longer wheelbase, it pushes the boundaries of performance and craftsmanship.

The third-generation Flying Spur follows on the heels of the third-generation Continental GT – with the range including Bentley’s second ever hybrid model. In addition to a longer wheelbase than its predecessor, this Flying Spur features a new vertical-vaned front grille, a retractable, illuminated ‘Flying B’ bonnet mascot and, for the V8 version, new chassis technology including four-wheel steering.

A plan is hatched to resurrect the most famous Bentley race car of all time – the supercharged Bentley Blower. An original Blower is stripped down, with every part being digitally scanned, before it is rebuilt. Twelve all-new Blowers are then created from scratch, honouring the design of the original.

As well as a host of aesthetic enhancements, a wealth of new technology is added to the Bentayga, including the addition of the Touchscreen Remote – a wireless tablet offering rear-seat passengers control of features such as the audio and air conditioning systems.

A new era of coachbuilding begins with the arrival of the incredible Bacalar. With its roofless ‘barchetta’ body, it offers an unprecedented opportunity for personalisation, in the form of a one-to-one commissioning process. Every car is crafted to the precise specification of the customer, making it a true collector’s item.

The last Mulsanne commissioned by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is delivered. Among its bespoke modifications are the royal coat of arms on the waistrails, a fitted handbag compartment and mirrors on the D-pillar. There are also concealed blue police lights, a siren and a bullhorn, all of which can be activated via a switch beneath a walnut-veneered door in the centre console.

Named after Lake Batur in Bali, the Batur is the coachbuilt successor to the Bacalar. A sleek coupe with an uprated implementation of Bentley’s hallmark W12 engine, it delivers a maximum power output of 730 bhp (740 PS). Its styling, meanwhile, offers a glimpse of Bentley’s future design direction.

Starting with the original Bentley blueprints, the Mulliner team creates 12 new examples of the legendary Bentley Speed Six – the first Speed Sixes to be built in more than 90 years. Each one embodies the Speed Six works racing specification, just like the cars that won at Le Mans in 1929 and 1930.

A boldly redesigned new Continental GT introduces an entirely new Bentley powertrain: the Ultra Performance Hybrid. Pairing a 4.0 litre V8 petrol engine with a powerful electric motor, it delivers 1,000 Nm (738 lb ft) of torque, resulting in acceleration from 0-60 mph in just 3.1 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds).

The third of Mulliner’s modern coachbuilt cars, the Batur Convertible offers yet another opportunity for the world’s most discerning drivers to commission a truly unique car. The cockpit features a unique, aviation-inspired ‘airbridge’ design, while the W12 engine is now tuned to deliver an unprecedented 740 bhp (750 PS).

Bentley announces its first battery electric vehicle (BEV). Due for launch in 2026, the as-yet-unnamed car will be a luxurious, urban SUV. The first in a series of electric Bentley vehicles, it will be a crucial step on the journey towards an all-electric product range – a transition Bentley plans to complete by 2035.