100 years of Bentley: a picture history

As part of the Volkswagen Group, Bentley is thriving today.

Since its incorporation on 10 July 1919 the luxury marque has changed hands on numerous occasions, in the 1970s it almost faded away, and for years many of its cars were merely sister cars of Rolls-Royces. But it's also created some magnificent cars over the years, and here we look back as 2019 saw us celebrate 100 years of Bentley:

WO Bentley (1888)

Born on 16 September 1888 in north London, Walter Owen Bentley left school at 16 to begin a five-year apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway, where he learned engineering. By 1912 he had gone into business with his brother Horace, importing French cars made by Doriot, Flandrin & Parant (DFP). Bentley developed aluminium alloy pistons for the DFP engines, leading to significant competition success at Brooklands.

Wartime success

During World War One, Bentley put his engineering prowess to use, by helping to develop aero engines with aluminium alloy pistons; shown here is a Clerget radial engine that he helped to engineer. His designs were more efficient as well as more reliable than anything already created and in recognition of his efforts, in the 1919 New Year’s Honours list he was awarded an MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by the Queen, along with £8000 – around the equivalent of £1.5 million today.

Bentley Motors (1919)

With his £8000 fund, Bentley had the capital he needed to fulfil his dream and start his own car company. And so on 10 July 1919, Bentley Motors was born, with its founder aged just 21. “The policy was simple,” Bentley said. “We were going to make a fast car, a good car, the best in its class.”

EXP prototypes (1919)

Within two months of Bentley Motors being founded, the first Bentley 3-Litre prototype fired into life at the Baker Street premises in London, ready for its London Motor Show debut. The following year Autocar road-tested the first complete car – the handbuilt prototype EXP1.

Back in 1920 we said: “For the man who wants a true sporting type of light-bodied car for use on a Continental tour, the 3-litre Bentley is undoubtedly the car par excellence.” Two more prototypes followed: EXP2 and EXP3. The former is shown here; it's the world's oldest surviving Bentley.

Bentley 3-Litre (1921)

By September 1921 Bentley's first 3-Litre production car was ready for delivery. At first there was just the one edition, called the Blue Label, but in 1924 the Red Label and Green Label were introduced. While the former had a higher compression ratio (but still just 5.3:1), the Green Label's 6.3:1 compression ratio enabled it to reach 100mph. Between 1919 and 1929 Bentley built 1622 3-Litres.

Bentley at Le Mans (1923)

Bentley took part in the inaugural Le Mans 24 Hours in 1923; it was rewarded with a fifth place. But the following year Bentley took gold, thanks to the efforts of Frank Clement and John Duff (pictured here); the winning car was Duff's own 3-Litre. Further Le Mans victories followed, with four consecutive wins between 1927 and 1930.

It would then be another 73 years before Bentley won again at Le Mans.

The Bentley Boys

The first generation of Bentley Boys were a close-knit group of playboys, racers and adventurers who dominated Le Mans with five wins in just eight years. The Bentley Boys included former fighter pilot Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin, Harley Street specialist J.D. ‘Benjy’ Benjafield, Autocar motor sport journalist SCH ‘Sammy’ Davis, ‘born adventurer’ Glen Kidston, and financier Woolf ‘Babe’ Barnato. All men of independent means and World War One veterans, they lived life at the limit.

Bentley 6.5-Litre (1926)

When it arrived in 1926, the Bentley 6.5-Litre's specification was from another era. With its all-new 6597cc overhead-cam straight-six engine, there were four valves for each cylinder. In standard form there was 140bhp on tap, but when the Speed Six edition arrived in 1928, that had a huge 180bhp.

Bentley 4.5-Litre (1927)

Created to supersede the 3-Litre, the 4.5-Litre was the last Bentley to feature four cylinders. Launched in 1927, the 4.5-Litre's engine was effectively a cut-down version of the 6.5-Litre unit; it displaced 4398cc and was rated at 110bhp in touring form, but 130bhp was available in racing versions. Bentley built 720 4.5-Litres between 1927 and 1931.

Blower Bentley (1929)

The 4.5-Litre was a magnificent machine, but Sir Henry Birkin was disappointed by its performance. When Birkin asked WO Bentley about pepping things up, the latter replied that the 6.5-Litre was the answer. Birkin was having none of it and bolted a supercharger to the 4.5-Litre to create the Blower Bentley – against WO's wishes. But it was a hell of a machine and 55 were made between 1929 and 1931.

The Blue Train race (1930)

Launched in 1922, Le Train Bleu was a luxury express that whisked the wealthy from Calais to Menton on the French Riviera. The 750-mile journey took 20 hours and in 1930, a Rover Light Six raced Le Train Bleu, beating it by 20 minutes. Two months later an Alvis Silver Eagle beat The Blue Train by three hours, so in May 1930 Woolf Barnato placed a bet that he could leave Cannes station in his 6.5-Litre alongside The Blue Train, and be parked outside his club in London as the express got to Calais. He won his bet – by just four minutes.

Bentley 8-Litre (1930)

The 8-Litre was W.O.’s final creation, launched in September 1930. Such was the power and torque of the straight-six engine, the company proclaimed that the 8-Litre would be more than capable of 100mph, regardless of the type of body fitted. But with the Wall Street Crash occurring shortly before the launch of the 8-Litre, only 100 were ever made.

Rolls-Royce takes over

The Wall Street Crash led to a global financial meltdown in 1929, but Bentley managed to weather the storm until July 1931, when it could no longer meet its financial obligations. By November 1931 Rolls-Royce had taken over its biggest rival; pictured is company founder Henry Royce who died little more than a year after the takeover. Production was moved from Cricklewood to Derby and as soon as WO's contract expired in 1935, he jumped ship to Lagonda as technical director.

Bentley 3.5-Litre (1933)

The first model to come from Bentley after the company's acquisition by Rolls-Royce, and the first of the so-called Derby Bentleys, the 3 ½-Litre introduced the advertising slogan 'the silent sports car'. It was supplied in chassis form only, just like its predecessors, for the buyer's preferred coachbuilder to supply the bodywork. Power initially came from a 3669cc straight-six engine, but in 1936 a more powerful 4257cc engine option was introduced.

Embiricos Bentley (1938)

In 1938, André Embiricos, a wealthy Greek racing driver living in Paris, commissioned a Bentley 4 ¼-Litre with a sleek, aerodynamic body made from Duralumin, a lightweight aluminium alloy. This grand tourer was fast (it hit 114mph over an hour at Brooklands) while also being civilised enough to despatch continental jaunts with ease.

This model was of great long term consequence for the company as both its design and essential ethos are seen as key influences on the Continental GT, the first Bentley to emerge under Volkswagen ownership in 2003.

Bentley MkV (1939)

This is the one that got away. Bentley planned to unveil this development of the 4 ¼-Litre at the October 1939 Earls Court motor show, but when war was declared the month before, the factory stopped production of civilian cars. Just 17 MkVs were built, 10 of which were destroyed in the War; of the seven left, all survive today.

Bentley MkVI (1946)

In 1948 Rolls-Royce opened a factory in Crewe, to build aero engines; from 1946 all Bentleys were made there. In that year the MkVI was introduced, with a 4.3-litre in-line six-cylinder engine. The first Crewe-built Bentley, the MkVI was also the marque's first model with a pressed-steel bodyshell as standard.

Coachbuilt cars were still available, but the Mark VI signalled the dawn of a new era in Bentley car production and became one of the marque’s biggest selling cars, with 5201 examples made.

Bentley R-Type (1952)

The Bentley MkVI was updated in 1952 and was intended to be named the MkVII, but instead was launched as the R-Type; as with its predecessor, it could be ordered in Rolls-Royce form, as the Silver Dawn. With a stretched chassis the lines were more sporting and streamlined – just as a Bentley should be. Power came from a 4566cc straight-six which offered excellent performance and refinement, while usability was improved with the fitment of a bigger boot.

Bentley R-Type Continental (1952)

Whereas the regular R-Type is now one of the more affordable early post-war Bentleys, in Continental form it's one of the most valuable, with prices nudging £1 million. Of the 2320 R-Types made, a mere 207 were Continentals. Each came with swooping bodywork courtesy of HJ Mulliner and with its improved aerodynamics the R-Type Continental was the world's fastest four-seat production car.

Bentley S-Series (1955)

When Rolls-Royce introduced the Silver Cloud in 1955 it could also be ordered as a Bentley – which is what most customers opted for. Initially known as the S1, power came from a 4887cc straight-six, but when the S2 was launched in 1959 it brought a 6230cc V8. The S3 of 1962 retained the V8 but brought twin headlamps and a raft of improvements throughout the car. All three S-Series iterations could be ordered as a four-door saloon or two-door drophead coupé.

Bentley S-Series Continental (1955)

While the S-Series was expensive and luxurious, for those who craved even more there was a Continental option, which wasn't offered to Rolls-Royce buyers. Available on all three iterations of the S-Series (S1, S2, S3), buyers could choose between two-door fixed-head or drophead coupé bodystyles, both more sporting than the regular four-door saloons.

Bentley Flying Spur (1957)

All Bentley Continentals came with two doors, but for those wanting an even more special S-Series with four doors, there was a Flying Spur option from 1957. Made by independent coachbuilder HJ Mulliner (which merged with Park Ward in 1963), these cars have become hugely collectible in recent years.

Bentley T series (1965)

A decade of intensive development and a redesigned production line at Crewe in 1965 produced the Bentley T-Series, which was nothing more than a rebadged Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. With independent suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and air-conditioning, like the Silver Shadow for Rolls-Royce, the T-Series was the first Bentley to feature monocoque construction.

Bentley Corniche (1971)

Although it wasn't marketed as the Corniche until 1971, there were two-door coupé and convertible versions of the Bentley T-Series from the outset. It was the open-topped car which was by far the most popular of the two, although most buyers opted for Rolls-Royce badges, so these Bentleys are quite unusual. In 1984 the Corniche was rebranded as the Continental, with production finally ending in 1987.

Bentley Mulsanne (1980)

By the time the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow was launched in 1980 Bentley was in major danger of becoming totally overshadowed by its big sister; it accounted for just 5% of the Crewe factory's output. The only thing that separated Bentleys from their Rolls-Royce counterparts was the badging and with most buyers choosing the latter, the Bentley brand was becoming superfluous.

When the Mulsanne arrived in 1980 it was nothing more than a Silver Spirit with winged-B badges, but things were set to improve…

Bentley Project 90 (1985)

Bentley's first cars were EXP (for Experimental) models, but they had always been for evaluation purposes only – they'd never been shown to the public. The Project 90 marked a change in policy as it was the first experimental Bentley – albeit a non-runner – that the great unwashed got to see. The concept got a thumbs up just about everywhere, leading to the introduction of the Continental R six years later.

Bentley Turbo R (1985)

The arrival of the Mulsanne coincided with Rolls-Royce and Bentley being acquired by Vickers PLC, which made the rather splendid decision to start to make something of Bentley's incredible sporting heritage. The result was a rather rapid version of the Mulsanne which wasn't available in Rolls-Royce form. The Bentley Turbo R was 50% more powerful than the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit – not that Bentley revealed any power or torque figures.

Bentley Continental R (1991)

The separation between Rolls-Royce and Bentley continued apace with the Continental R – a coupé that came only in Bentley form. A glorious grand tourer, the Bentley Continental R referenced the legendary R-Type Continental of the 1950s and as with all Bentleys of this era, power came from the classic 6.75-litre pushrod V8, in turbocharged form.

Bentley Brooklands (1992)

Bentley used the Brooklands name on two completely different models. The first was an entry-level Turbo R that took over where the Mulsanne S and Eight left off. As such, it was naturally aspirated which meant it was a bit lame compared with the boosted models – but it still featured the classic 6.75-litre V8, so it wasn't exactly gutless…

Bentley Concept Java (1990)

Unveiled at the 1994 Geneva motor show, the Bentley Concept Java was designed by Bentley's head of design Graham Hull, along with Roy Axe, the man behind the MG EX-E concept. Designed purely to test reaction, the Concept Java was spotted by the Sultan of Brunei who promptly ordered 18 of them, split equally between coupés, convertibles and estates. The Concept Java was a runner; based on a BMW 5 Series platform it featured a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V8, but the Sultan's cars got a 4.0-litre engine.

Bentley Azure (1995)

The Bentley Azure was the world's most luxurious and desirable convertible when it arrived in the mid-1990s. Based on the same floorpan as the Bentley Continental R, the metamorphosis into the Azure was overseen by Pininfarina. Power (all 385bhp of it) came from a single-turbo version of the 6.75-litre push-rod V8 and by the time production had ended in 2003, Bentley had built 1403 Azures.

Bentley Continental T (1996)

The Continental R was fast and luxurious, but for those who wanted something that bit sportier Bentley came up with the Continental T. With its wheelbase shortened by four inches and the engine pepped up to produce 400bhp and 590lb ft of torque, the Continental T was quicker and more agile than the regular Continental R.

Bentley Arnage (1998)

Named after one of the sweeping turns at Le Mans, the heavyweight Arnage had immense presence and massive power from its twin-turbo BMW V8 engine. It wasn't long before the classic 6.75-litre Rolls-Royce V8 was also offered in single-turbo form. When this powerplant was introduced the two editions became known as the Green Label (BMW engine) and the Red Label (Bentley powerplant) as a throughback to early Bentley derivation nameplates.

Volkswagen buys Bentley (1998)

In 1998, Vickers PLC sold Rolls-Royce and Bentley to Volkswagen, who outbid BMW for them. BMW then bought the rights to the Rolls-Royce name and announced that Rolls-Royce and Bentley would be splitting up after 67 years. Volkswagen swiftly put £500 million into Bentley's Crewe factory to boost production capacity. Employees soared from 1500 in 1998 to over 4000 by 2011.

Bentley Continental SC (1999)

The rarest of all the mainstream production Continental R-based models, the Continental SC was based on the Continental T, so it featured the shortened wheelbase, but with a targa roof arrangement. Just 79 of these open-topped coupés were built, each powered by a 400bhp twin-turbo 6.75-litre V8.

Bentley Hunaudieres (1999)

Unveiled at the 1999 Geneva motor show, this was Bentley's first ever mid-engined car. Power came from a 623bhp naturally aspirated 8.0-litre W16 engine to give a 220mph top speed. But with Volkswagen already developing the Bugatti Veyron, it made no sense to proceed with the Bentley.

Bentley returns to Le Mans (2001)

With Bentley in the same stable as Audi, and with the latter enjoying success at Le Mans in 2000, there was an opportunity to evolve the Audi R8 endurance racer into a Bentley. The result was the Bentley EXP Speed 8 (the EXP bit was later dropped), which made its debut at La Sarthe in 2001. Bentley managed a class win in 2001 and again in 2002, before taking the overall win in 2003.

Bentley State Limousine (2002)

H.M. Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her golden jubilee in 2002, and to mark the occasion Bentley created a unique limousine for her. Powered by a twin-turbo 6.75-litre V8 rated at 400bhp, the State Limousine was 83cm longer than the Bentley Arnage and came with armoured bodywork and glass, the cabin can be sealed air-tight, and the tyres are kevlar-reinforced.

Bentley Continental GT (2003)

The first all-new Bentley to debut under Audi's stewardship of the brand, the Continental GT packed a VW-sourced 6.0-litre W12 that offered massive power and torque, four-wheel drive security and astonishing levels of refinement. Later would come the open-topped Continental GTC and the 621bhp Continental Supersports.

The new models transformed the Bentley brand in the United States. From selling just 437 cars in 2003, sales increased to nearly 4000 in 2007.

Bentley Continental Flying Spur (2006)

In period we took a Bentley Continental Flying Spur to 206mph, four-up with the air-con on, to prove that this was perhaps the world's greatest grand tourer. Effectively a four-door saloon version of the Continental GT, the Flying Spur featured a longer wheelbase than the coupé to ensure that people more than three feet tall could be carried in the back seats.

Bentley Azure (2006)

It may have looked much like the original Azure, but the second-generation model used the Arnage platform and power was now provided by a twin-turbo 6.75-litre V8 rated at 450bhp. The second-generation Azure didn't stay in production for long though; the plug was pulled in 2009.

Bentley Brooklands (2008)

Bentley revisited the Brooklands in 2008, when it launched a limited-run fixed-head Azure. Limited to 550 examples at a cool £230k apiece, each car featured a twin-turbo 6.75-litre V8 that put out a thundering 530bhp and 774lb ft of torque. The production run lasted for three years, with 500 examples sold before production even began.

Bentley Mulsanne (2010)

Thirty years after Bentley had first used the Mulsanne name, on a four-door saloon derived from the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, this Arnage replacement was unveiled. Incredibly, power still came from the 6750cc V8 first seen in the S2 of 1959, in 6230cc form, updated to meet Euro 5 emissions rules. The car was updated in 2013, then in 2016 Bentley introduced a long-wheelbase Mulsanne, called the EWB (Extended Wheelbase).

Bentley EXP 9 F (2012)

When it was unveiled at the 2012 Geneva motor show, the Bentley EXP 9 F attracted a pretty mixed response. While most people appreciated why Bentley was making a SUV, many queried the design. In the nose was a 6.0-litre W12 petrol engine, of the type that Bentley had been using in the Continental GT for a decade – but diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains were also mooted.

Bentley Grand Convertible (2014)

Based on the latest Mulsanne, the Bentley Grand Convertible was a new take on the Azure formula, but sadly it didn't go into proper production. At the end of 2017 Bentley announced that the Grand Convertible would be available in Europe, the Middle East and Russia (but not the US or Asia) at US$3.9m dollars apiece, with just 19 cars made.

Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 (2015)

Created to take Bentley head to head with Aston Martin, the EXP 10 Speed 6 was a two-seater hybrid coupé concept that would compete with the Vantage V8. Engineered to accommodate a regular V8 engine or a plug-in hybrid powertrain, the EXP 10 Speed 6 would take Bentley into previously uncharted territory. And so far, it's still uncharted…

Bentley Bentayga (2015)

When it arrived the Bentley Bentayga reflected some elements of the EXP 9 F concept car of three years earlier, though many extreme details had been toned down. At launch there was a twin-turbo W12 petrol engine with cylinder deactivation, but later would come V8 petrol and diesel powerplants, along with a plug-in hybrid edition.

Bentley Continental GT (2017)

Having hit on a successful formula, Bentley introduced a third take on the Continental GT 14 years after the original had hit the road. There was still the familiar 6.0-litre W12 engine, now with 626bhp and 664lb ft of torque, with that power being transmitted to all four wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Bentley Continental GTC (2018)

A year after its tin-top sibling had been unveiled, Bentley took the wraps off the third-generation Continental GTC. Mechanically identical to the fixed-head model, the GTC's performance figures were identical – 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 207mph.

Bentley EXP 12 Speed 6E (2017)

Unveiled at the 2017 Geneva motor show as a concept, the EXP 12 Speed 6E was Bentley's proposal for a truly green luxurious grand tourer, with its electric powertrain. Effectively an electric drop-top version of the EXP10 Speed 6, Bentley didn't give much away about this concept, other than that it could make production within two years.

Bentley EXP 100 GT (2019)

Revealed to mark the marque's centenary year, the EXP 100 GT is a spectacular concept take on the grand tourer formula, and an indication of where Bentley sees itself heading by 2035. It promises unparalleled luxury and interactivity, with up to 1340bhp from four electric motors, and be capable of autonomous (as well as enjoyable) driving.