Bentley Cars

W.O Bentley began his working life on the railway, as did Henry Royce of Rolls Royce fame but whereas Royce went straight into business after leaving that employment Bentley was employed first at the National Car Company.
He left the company in 1902 and joined his brother HM Bentley selling DFP cars. Bentley's passion was racing and he began his career in motorcycling but 4 wheels soon became his passion.

Bentley improved the DFP cars that he drove by installing lighter pistons. The cars went on to win races at Brooklands before the outbreak of the First World War. DFP were persuaded to make cars with the lighter pistons but production was brought to a halt at the outbreak of hostilities. Bentley then went to work for the government on aero engines.

In 1919 he formed Bentley Motors Ltd, Frank Burgess who worked for Humber assisted Bentley in the design of the first prototype. The Bentley 3 litre.

The first car was not delivered to customer until 1921 after a 2 year wait but production rose steadily in the 1920's

Coachwork was by different coach builders notably Vanden Plas. Bentley did not have their own coahworks at the time.

the demand for closed top cars with the subsequent increase in weight persuded Bentley that a bigger engine was needed. The resultant car was sized at approximately 6.6 litres.

The racing variant of the 6.6 litre was known as the Speed 6. Winners of Le Mans 2 years running the car also became the standard vehicle for the CID of Western Australia. The cars lasted in service until 1947 when they were withdrawn having been in service since 1930.

The 8 litre variant which could top 100 mph with standard bodywork.

In 1930 the company which had always been underfunded went into receivership. Bentley had been receiving financial aid from Woolf Barnato since 1925.

The eventual buyer of the company was a mystery to Bentley going by the name of British Equitable Trust Ltd. This company was acting for an unknown buyer which was subsequenly revealed to be none other than Rolls Royce.

Bentley's servies wetre retained by the new company Bentley Motors (1931)Ltd but Bentley had no say in the design or manufacture of the new cars so he left in 1835 and joined Lagonda who later made engines for Aston Martin Bentley died in 1971