Bentley

Bentley Motors, an automobile manufacturer, has a long history starting from the first 3.0 L engine drive to winning the championship of Le Mans in 2003 and the present successes enjoyed by it across the world.. The credit goes to the engineering genius W. O. Bentley, who broke class records at the newly opened Brooklands circuit in 1912 and his brother H. M. Bentley. Together they started with procuring the UK agency for the French Doriot, Flandrin & Parant. After a couple of more successes, the “secret ingredient” of Bentley was revealed: the lightweight pistons used in the cars. Bentley developed a 3.0L engine in October 1919 and the car was built around it. The first of its type was sold to Noel van Raatle in 1921. The later version of car, introduced in 1922, had a top speed of 86.76mph.

One of the results of the great depression was the takeover of the financially vulnerable Bentley by Rolls Royce. Refinements in its previous versions lead to the launch of a car with 4 L engine, an overdrive gearbox, and independent front suspension. After the critical survival during World War II, the company transferred its set-up to Crewe in 1946, where it got access to other skilled migrant engineers and mechanics. Bentley Mark VI, the first car rolling out from the Crewe works, became one of the best selling cars in Bentley’s history. The body was rejuvenated in the next decade, launching it as R-Type with higher gearing and streamlined coachwork by H.J. Mulliner. This lightweight vehicle had the ability to run up to 100mph in third gear, and a top speed of just less than 120mph made it the fastest four-seater car in the world at that time.

Next was the T series in 1960s, T2 and Bentley Corniche drophead coupe in 1970s and others in the following years. In 1998, the company was sold to Volkswagen with more advanced and competitive models getting launched almost each year from 1998 till 2007.