Palace on Wheels for Bentley Cars
The Bentley brand is to luxury cars what Everest is to mountains. Founded by Walter Owen Bentley, Bentley Motors came into being on 18 January 1919. In August 1919, Bentley Motors Limited was registered. The first Flying B insignia appeared on the 1920 Bentley 3 1/2 Liter test car, which was built near Baker Street in London, and the first production car, another 3 1/2 Liter, was delivered to Bentley's first customer in 1921. Bentley saw its first win at Brooklands in 1921. A privately owned Bentley took 4th place in the first Le Mans in 1923, prompting W.O. Bentley to support a factory team. Engines grew larger, with a 6 1/2 Liter, a 4 1/2 Liter, a supercharged Speed Six, and an 8 Liter that weighed two and a half tons rolling out of the Cricklewood factory. Walter Owen Bentley's dedication to quality created beautiful cars and this bring in a financial crisis. By 1931, things were no better and Rolls-Royce bought Bentley secretly using a company named the British Central Equi...