# Bentley

By [bocil](https://paragraph.com/@bocil) · 2023-02-01

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**Bentley Motors Limited** is a British designer, manufacturer and marketer of [luxury cars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxury_vehicle) and [SUVs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_utility_vehicle). Headquartered in [Crewe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crewe), England, the company was founded as Bentley Motors Limited by [W. O. Bentley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._O._Bentley) (1888–1971) in 1919 in Cricklewood, North London, and became widely known for winning the [24 Hours of Le Mans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_Hours_of_Le_Mans) in [1924](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1924_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans), [1927](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1927_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans), [1928](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1928_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans), [1929](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1929_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans) and [1930](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1930_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans). Bentley has been a subsidiary of the [Volkswagen Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Group) since 1998 and consolidated under VW's premium brand arm [Audi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi) since 2022.[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley#cite_note-14)[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley#cite_note-15)

Prominent models extend from the historic sports-racing [Bentley 4½ Litre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_4%C2%BD_Litre) and [Bentley Speed Six](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Speed_Six); the more recent [Bentley R Type](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_R_Type) Continental, [Bentley Turbo R](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Turbo_R), and [Bentley Arnage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Arnage); to its current model line, including the [Flying Spur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Flying_Spur_\(2005\)), [Continental GT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Continental_GT), [Bentayga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Bentayga) and the [Mulsanne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Mulsanne_\(2010\))—which are marketed worldwide, with China as its largest market as of November 2012.[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley#cite_note-16)

Today most Bentley models are assembled at the company's [Crewe factory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Crewe), with a small number assembled at Volkswagen's [Dresden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden) [factory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transparent_Factory), Germany,[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley#cite_note-17) and with bodies for the Continental manufactured in [Zwickau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwickau) and for the [Bentayga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Bentayga) manufactured at the [Volkswagen Bratislava Plant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Limited) 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.

[Intellectual property rights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_Property_Rights) to both the name _Rolls-Royce_ as well as the company's [logo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logo) had been retained not by [Rolls-Royce Motors](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Motors), but by aerospace company [Rolls-Royce Plc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Holdings), which had continued to license both to the automotive division. Thus the sale of "Rolls-Royce" to VW included the Bentley name and logos, vehicle designs, model nameplates, production, and administrative facilities, the [Spirit of Ecstasy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_of_Ecstasy) and Rolls-Royce grille shape trademarks (subsequently sold to BMW by VW)—but not the rights to the Rolls-Royce name or logo. The [aerospace](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerospace) company, Rolls-Royce Plc, ultimately sold both to [BMW AG](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW).

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*Originally published on [bocil](https://paragraph.com/@bocil/bentley)*