On This Day – January 18th

Now headquartered in Crewe, Bentley Motors Limited was founded by W. O. Bentley 100 years ago on 18th January 1919 in Cricklewood, North London. It became widely known its range of high-cost luxury vehicles and for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans six times, most recently in 2003.

The original factory was located just off the Edgware Road near Staples Corner. In October 1919 Bentley exhibited a car chassis, with dummy engine, at the London Motor Show. Former Royal Flying Corps officer Clive Gallop designed an innovative four valves per cylinder engine for the chassis. By December the engine was built and running. Whilst delivery of the first cars was scheduled for June 1920, development took longer than estimated so the date was extended to September 1921. The durability of the first Bentley cars earned widespread acclaim and they competed in hill climbs and raced at Brooklands

Significant models range from the historic sports-racing Bentley 4½ Litre and Bentley Speed Six; the more recent Bentley R Type Continental, Bentley Turbo R, and Bentley Arnage; to its current model line which includes the Continental Flying Spur, Continental GT, Bentayga and the Mulsanne.

Most Bentleys are assembled at the company's Pym's Lane factory, whilst a small number assembled at Volkswagen's Dresden factory. Bodies for the Continental are manufactured in Zwickau and those for the Bentayga at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant.

The joining and eventual separation of Bentley and Rolls-Royce followed a series of mergers and acquisitions, beginning with the 1931 purchase by Rolls-Royce of Bentley, then in receivership. In 1971, Rolls-Royce itself was forced into receivership and the UK government nationalised the company – splitting into two companies the aerospace division (Rolls-Royce Plc) and automotive (Rolls-Royce Motors Limited) divisions- the latter retaining the Bentley subdivision. Rolls-Royce Motors was subsequently sold to engineering conglomerate, Vickers and in 1998, Vickers sold Rolls-Royce to Volkswagen AG.

During VW's tenure the company has grown three-fold in staff and deliveries of vehicles has risen from a yearly figure of less than two thousand to more than twelve thousand – almost half of which being the firm's Bentayga luxury SUV.

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