Bentley Motors history

By 1957 Bentley had launched the new highly anticipated four-door Bentley Continental Flying Spur and the Bentley S2 was announced in 1959. It used an all-new 6.2-litre aluminium V8 engine, replacing the six-cylinder unit originally developed for Rolls-Royce models in the 1920s.

1921 May - Bentley achieves its first racing success with Frank Clement victorious at Brooklands.

1923 May - John Duff and Frank Clement drive a privately-entered 3-litre to fourth place in the first 24-hour Le Mans race.

Both Duff and Clement recorded their 1924 win at the Le Mans in this model, proving just how legendary the 3-litre model was.

1926 May - Bentley's financial difficulties are eased with new investment from Woolf Barnato, who becomes company chairman.

1927 June - Sammy Davis and Dr Dudley Benjafield nurse a badly damaged 3-litre home for an epic victory in the Le Mans 24-hour race.

1928 June - Woolf and Bernard Rubin deliver Bentley's third Le Mans win, driving the 4 � -litre 'Old Mother Gun'.September - The 'Speed Six' high performance 6 � -litre Bentley is revealed.

In 1929 the firm made its only substantial profit, of �28,467

1930 June - Barnato and Glen Kidston are winners and another 'Speed Six is placed second at the last Le Mans race Bentley will enter for 71 years.

With Bentley in financial difficulties, it was bought by former rival Rolls Royce in 1931, and production moved to Derby.

1933 August - Debut of the first Rolls-Royce-produced Bentley, the 3 � -litre.

W. O. Bentley who was at the time of Rolls Royce’s takeover still working and designing Bentleys left the company as soon as his contract has expired in 1935.

In 1938, André Embiricos, a wealthy Greek racing driver living in Paris, commissioned a Bentley 4 ½ Litre with a sleek, aerodynamic body made from Duralumin, a lightweight aluminium alloy.

1939 February - A 4 � -litre Bentley is built to special order with aerodynamic bodywork and goes on to provide a demonstration of high-speed cruising ability on Continental motorways.

1946 May - Bentley and Rolls Royce move its production to the Crewe factory.

The Embiricos Bentley spurred Bentley on to experiment with more streamlined styles after the Second World War, leading to the glorious lines of the 1952 R-Type Continental.

1955 April - The Bentley S Series is announced, powered by a new 4.9-litre version of the six-cylinder engine and equipped with automatic transmission.

1957 October - The lightweight Mulliner-bodied four-door Bentley Continental Flying Spur is launched.

1959 September - The Bentley S2 is announced.

1965 October - The Bentley T Series is launched, almost identical in appearance to the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow.

1970 July - The V8 engine is re-engineered to increase capacity to 6 � litres - the size it has remained to this day.

1971 March - Both the Bentley T Series and Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow two-door saloon and drophead models are renamed Corniche.

1980 October - Bentley's Le Mans heritage is echoed in the name Mulsanne, given to the new development of the T Series.

1982 March - The high-performance Bentley Mulsanne Turbo is announced, capable of nought to 60mph acceleration in seven seconds and a 135mph top speed.

The Bentley Corniche is renamed the Continental in 1984 which is to become one of the bestselling models to date.

1985 May - The legendary Bentley Mulsanne Turbo R is launched, the fastest road-going Bentley yet.

By 1989 half of the cars emerging from Crewe were Bentleys.

The asymmetry of the logo was restored in 1990 and has again been revised continuously to ensure a contemporary feel to the identity of Bentley.

Unveiled at Geneva in 1991, the Continental R was the first Bentley of the Rolls Royce era not to share a body with a Rolls Royce model.

1998 April - The Bentley Arnage is announced.

1999 September - The Bentley Arnage Red Label is launched. marking the return of the 6 � -litre V8 engine to the range.

2000 November - Bentley announces it is to return to competition at Le Mans.

In 2001 Bentley announced it will build the first bespoke design Bentley State Limousine, commissioned through Bentley Mulliner, for none other than HM The Queen on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee and the first Bentley to be used for state occasions.

BMW buys the rights to the Rolls-Royce name and it is announced that from midnight on December 31st 2002 Bentley and Rolls-Royce will be separate companies once again, after 67 years together.

In 2003, the Continental GT was launched – the first car of the modern Bentley era.

In 2015, Bentley launched the Bentayga – the first luxury SUV and Bentley’s fourth model line.

2018 saw the launch of the all-new third generation Continental GT. Sharper, lighter, faster and more refined than its predecessor, the third generation Continental GT is the definitive Grand Tourer.