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{{Short description|British luxury automobile manufacturer owned by Volkswagen Group}}
{{Other uses}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2011}}
{{bots|deny=Citation bot}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Bentley Motors Limited
| logo = Bentley logo 2.svg
| image =
| image_caption =
| former_name = {{Ubl
| Rolls-Royce Motors Limited (1970–1986)<ref name="CompaniesHouse">{{Cite web |date=28 October 1970 |title=Bentley Motors Limited overview – Find and update company information – GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00992897 |access-date=16 February 2024 |website=[[Companies House]] |language=en}}</ref>
| Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited (1986–1999)<ref name="CompaniesHouse" />
| Rolls-Royce & Bentley Motor Cars Limited (1999–2002)<ref name="CompaniesHouse" />
}}
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| traded_as =
| fate = {{unbulleted list|1931: acquired by [[Rolls-Royce Limited]]|1980: acquired by [[Vickers plc|Vickers]]|1998: acquired by [[Volkswagen Group]]{{Sfn|Volkswagen AG|2012|p=68}}}}
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1919|01|18|df=y}}
| founders = {{unbulleted list | H. M. Bentley | [[W. O. Bentley]] }}
| defunct = <!-- {{End date|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| location_city = [[Crewe]]
| location_country = England{{Sfn|Volkswagen AG|2012|p=49}}
| locations =
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{Ubl
| Frank Walliser ([[chairman]], [[Chief executive officer|CEO]])<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frank Walliser becomes Bentley CEO |url=https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/industry-news/bentley/frank-walliser/ |last=Groves |first=Jake |date=2024-05-29 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Car Magazine}}</ref>
| John Paul Gregory (Head of Exterior Design)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bentleymedia.com/en/newsitem/654|title=new appintment|website=bentleymedia.com|access-date=11 March 2018|archive-date=17 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917032200/https://www.bentleymedia.com/en/newsitem/654|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| Darren Day (head of interior design)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/the-new-bentley-continental-gt-darren-day-head-of-interior-design-bentley-motors/vp-AAs6XKD |title=The new Bentley Continental GT – Darren Day, Head of Interior Design, Bentley Motors |publisher=[[MSN]] |access-date=23 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923194326/http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/the-new-bentley-continental-gt-darren-day-head-of-interior-design-bentley-motors/vp-AAs6XKD |archive-date=23 September 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
| industry = [[Automotive industry|Automotive]]
| production = {{unbulleted list | {{increase}}9,107 vehicles (2012) | 7,593 vehicles (2011)}}{{Sfn|Volkswagen AG|2012a|p=120}}<ref name=bentleyfy2012>{{cite web|title=vwagfy2012|url=http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en/news/2013/02/VW_Group_PM_FY.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004114805/http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en/news/2013/02/VW_Group_PM_FY.html|archive-date=4 October 2013}}</ref>
| products = {{unbulleted list | [[Bentley Flying Spur (2005)|Flying Spur]] | [[Bentley Continental GT|Continental GT]] | [[Bentayga]] }}{{Sfn|Volkswagen AG|2012|p=102}}
| services = Automobile customisation
| revenue = {{unbulleted list | {{increase}} €1,453 million (2012) | €1,119 million (2011)}}{{Sfn|Volkswagen AG|2012a|p=120}}
| operating_income =
| net_income = {{unbulleted list | {{increase}} €8 million (2011) | −€245 million (2010) }}{{Sfn|Volkswagen AG|2012a|p=121}}
| assets =
| equity =
| num_employees = 3,600 (2013)<ref>{{cite news|last=Armistead|first=Louise|title=Video: behind the scenes at the Bentley factory|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car-manufacturers/bentley/10359287/Video-behind-the-scenes-at-the-Bentley-factory.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009122301/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/car-manufacturers/bentley/10359287/Video-behind-the-scenes-at-the-Bentley-factory.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 October 2013|___location=London|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=9 October 2013}}</ref>
| owner =
| parent = [[Audi]]
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.bentleymotors.com/en.html|bentleymotors.com}}
| footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en/publications/2012/03/navigator-2012---facts-and-figures.bin.html/binarystorageitem/file/Navigator_11_06_2012_en_WEB.pdf |title=Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Facts and Figures 2012 |date=11 June 2012 |work=volkswagenag.com |publisher=Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft |id=1058.809.453.20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002114536/http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en/publications/2012/03/navigator-2012---facts-and-figures.bin.html/binarystorageitem/file/Navigator_11_06_2012_en_WEB.pdf |archive-date=2 October 2013 |url-status=dead |access-date=10 August 2012 |ref={{SfnRef|Volkswagen AG|2012}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en/publications/2012/03/Volkswagen_AG_Annual_Report_2011.bin.html/binarystorageitem/file/Y_2011_e.pdf |title=Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Annual Report 2011 |date=12 March 2012 |website=volkswagenag.com |publisher=Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft |id=258.809.536.00 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526072621/http://www.volkswagenag.com/content/vwcorp/info_center/en/publications/2012/03/Volkswagen_AG_Annual_Report_2011.bin.html/binarystorageitem/file/Y_2011_e.pdf |archive-date=26 May 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=8 August 2012 |ref={{SfnRef|Volkswagen AG|2012a}}}}</ref>
}}
'''Bentley Motors Limited''' is a British designer, manufacturer and marketer of [[Luxury vehicle|luxury cars]] and [[Sport utility vehicle|SUVs]]. Headquartered in [[Crewe]], England, the company was founded by [[W. O. Bentley]] (1888–1971) in 1919 in Cricklewood, North London, and became widely known for winning the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]] in [[1924 24 Hours of Le Mans|1924]], [[1927 24 Hours of Le Mans|1927]], [[1928 24 Hours of Le Mans|1928]], [[1929 24 Hours of Le Mans|1929]], [[1930 24 Hours of Le Mans|1930]] and [[2003 24 Hours of Le Mans|2003]]. Bentley has been a subsidiary of the [[Volkswagen Group]] since 1998 and consolidated under VW's premium brand arm [[Audi]] since 2022.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/10359364/Monday-Interview-Bentley-boss-on-whats-driving-demand-for-luxury-British-cars.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/10359364/Monday-Interview-Bentley-boss-on-whats-driving-demand-for-luxury-British-cars.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Monday Interview: Bentley boss on what's driving demand for luxury British cars|access-date=10 April 2014|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=6 October 2013|___location=London|first=Louise|last=Armitstead}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Premium brand group restructured|url=https://www.audi.com/en/company/sustainability/core-topics/products-and-services/new-premium-group.html|date=17 March 2022|access-date=19 May 2022}}</ref>
Prominent models extend 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, including the [[Bentley Flying Spur (2005)|Flying Spur]], [[Bentley Continental GT|Continental GT]] and [[Bentley Bentayga|Bentayga]] which are marketed worldwide, with China as its largest market as of November 2012.<ref>{{cite news|last=Einhorn|first=Bruce|title=The Surge in China's Auto Sales May Soon Slow|url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-05/chinas-auto-sales-surge-may-soon-slow#r=lr-fs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407065959/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-05/chinas-auto-sales-surge-may-soon-slow#r=lr-fs|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 April 2012|newspaper=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]]|date=5 April 2012}}</ref>
Today most Bentley models are assembled at the company's [[Bentley Crewe|Crewe factory]], with a small number assembled at Volkswagen's [[Dresden]] [[Transparent Factory|factory]], Germany,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=28854|title=Germany|access-date=11 April 2014|publisher=[[PistonHeads]]|date=14 November 2013}}</ref> and with bodies for the Continental manufactured in [[Zwickau]] and for the [[Bentley Bentayga|Bentayga]] manufactured 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 Limited|Rolls-Royce]] of Bentley, then in receivership. In 1971, Rolls-Royce itself was forced into receivership and the UK government nationalised the company—splitting it into an aerospace company (Rolls-Royce Plc) and an automotive company (Rolls-Royce Motors Limited, including Bentley). Rolls-Royce Motors was subsequently sold to engineering conglomerate Vickers, and in 1998 Vickers sold Rolls-Royce to Volkswagen AG, including Bentley with its name and logos (but not the name "Rolls Royce").
==Cricklewood (1919–1931)==
[[Image:1919 Bentley EXP2 Oldest Surviving Bentley.jpg|thumb|1919 Bentley EXP2 (Experimental nr. 2), the oldest surviving Bentley]]
Before the [[World War I|First World War]], [[W. O. Bentley]] and his brother, Horace Millner Bentley, sold French [[Doriot, Flandrin & Parant]] (DFP) cars in Cricklewood, North London, but W. O. Bentley wanted to design and build his own cars. At the DFP factory, in 1913, he noticed an [[aluminium]] paperweight and thought that aluminium might be a suitable replacement for cast iron to fabricate lighter pistons. The first Bentley aluminium pistons were fitted to [[Sopwith Camel]] aero engines during the First World War.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://classic-supercars.co.uk/history-of-bentley/|title=History of Bentley |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|website=classic-supercars.co.uk |publisher=Cricklewood (1919–1931)|access-date=August 22, 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250822103543/https://classic-supercars.co.uk/history-of-bentley/|archive-date=August 22, 2025 }}</ref>
The same day that the [[Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920)|Paris Peace Conference]] started, W. O. Bentley founded Bentley Motors Limited, on 18 January 1919{{sfn|Stiefel|Clark|2019|p=}} and registered Bentley Motors Ltd. in August 1919. In October he exhibited a car chassis (with a dummy engine) at the [[British International Motor Show|London Motor Show]].<ref name="Beaulieu">{{cite book |editor1-last=Georgano |editor1-first=Nick |title=Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile |date=1 October 2000 |edition=Hardcover, Reprint |publisher=[[Routledge]] |___location=Oxford, United Kingdom |isbn=1-57958-293-1}}</ref> Ex–[[Royal Flying Corps]] officer [[Clive Gallop]] designed an innovative [[multi-valve|four-valves-per-cylinder]] engine for the chassis. By December the engine was built and running. Delivery of the first cars was scheduled for June 1920, but development took longer than estimated so the date was extended to September 1921.<ref name="Beaulieu" /> The durability of the first Bentley cars earned widespread acclaim, and they competed in hill climbs and raced at [[Brooklands]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bentley's racing heritage|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/bentleys-racing-heritage/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/bentleys-racing-heritage/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|agency=The Telegraph|date=5 October 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Bentley's first major event was the [[1922 Indianapolis 500]], a race dominated by specialized cars with [[Duesenberg]] racing chassis. They entered a modified road car driven by works driver [[Douglas Hawkes]], accompanied by riding mechanic H. S. "Bertie" Browning.<ref name="IndyBrits">{{cite book|last1= Wagstaff|first1= Ian|title= The British at Indianapolis=|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=aczKjoVLQn8C|access-date= 11 October 2013|date= September 2010|publisher= Veloce Publishing|___location= Dorchester, UK|isbn= 978-1-84584-246-8|pages= 26–27|chapter= 3: The Not-So-Roaring Twenties|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=aczKjoVLQn8C&pg=PA26|quote= It was an event that was to prove a costly exercise for the Cricklewood-based company in sending both a professional driver and a mechanic with the car.|ref= IndyBrits|archive-date= 6 January 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240106192049/https://books.google.com/books?id=aczKjoVLQn8C|url-status= dead}}</ref> Hawkes completed the full {{convert|500|mi}} and finished 13th with an average speed of {{convert|74.95|mph}} after starting in 19th position.<ref name="AutocourseIndyTable">{{cite book|last1= Davidson|first1= Donald|last2= Schaffer|first2= Rick|title= Autocourse Official History of the Indianapolis 500|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=CeCxyf0BpgUC|access-date= 9 October 2013|year= 2006|publisher= MBI Publishing|___location= St. Paul, MN USA|isbn= 1-905334-20-6|page= 327|chapter= Official Box Scores 1911–2006|ref= AutocourseIndy}}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The team was then rushed back to England to compete in the 1922 [[RAC Tourist Trophy]].<ref name="IndyBrits" /><ref name="AutocourseIndy60">[[#AutocourseIndy|Davidson, Donald, Schaffer, Rick, ''Autocourse Official History of the Indianapolis 500'']], page 60</ref>
===Cricklewood Bentleys===
[[File:Bentley 8 Litre limousine by Mulliner 1930 side.jpg|thumb|[[Bentley 8 Litre]] 4-door sports saloon]]
* 1926–1930 [[Bentley 4½ Litre|4½-litre & "Blower Bentley"]]
* 1926–1930 [[Bentley Speed Six|6½-litre]]
* 1928–1930 [[Bentley Speed Six|6½-litre Speed Six]]
* 1930–1931 [[Bentley 8 Litre|8-litre]]
* 1931 [[Bentley 4 Litre|4-litre]]
The original model was the three-litre, but as customers put heavier bodies on the chassis, a larger 4½-litre model followed. Perhaps the most iconic model of the period is the 4½-litre "Blower Bentley", with its distinctive [[supercharger]] projecting forward from the bottom of the grille. Uncharacteristically fragile for a Bentley it was not the racing workhorse the 6½-litre was, though in 1930 Birkin remarkably finished second in the [[1930 French Grand Prix|French Grand Prix at Pau]] in a stripped-down racing version of the Blower Bentley, behind [[Philippe Etancelin]] in a [[Bugatti Type 35]].
The 4½-litre model later became famous in popular media as the vehicle of choice of [[James Bond]] in the original [[Ian Fleming|novels]], but this has been seen only briefly in the [[James Bond film series|films]]. [[John Steed]] in the television series ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' also drove a Bentley.
The new eight-litre was such a success that when Barnato's money seemed to run out in 1931 and Napier was planning to buy Bentley's business, Rolls-Royce purchased Bentley Motors to prevent it from competing with their most expensive model, the Phantom II.
===Woolf Barnato acquires control (1924)===
{{unsourced section|date=August 2025}}
The Bentley enterprise was always underfunded, but inspired by the 1924 Le Mans win by [[John Duff]] and [[Frank Clement (racing driver)|Frank Clement]], [[Woolf Barnato]], who had inherited his father's South African gold and diamond mines, financed Bentley's business. Barnato had incorporated Baromans Ltd in 1922, which existed as his finance and investment vehicle. Via Baromans, Barnato initially invested in excess of £100,000, saving the business and its workforce. A financial reorganisation of the original Bentley company was carried out and all existing creditors paid off for £75,000. Existing shares were devalued from £1 each to just 1 shilling, or 5% of their original value. Barnato held 149,500 of the new shares giving him control of the company and he became chairman. Barnato injected further cash into the business: £35,000 secured by [[debenture]] in July 1927; £40,000 in 1928; £25,000 in 1929. With renewed financial input, W. O. Bentley was able to design another generation of cars.
===The Bentley Boys===
{{ref improve|section|date=August 2025}}
{{Main|Bentley Boys|Blue Train Races}}
[[File:1929 Bentley front 34 right.jpg|thumb|1929 Blower Bentley]]
The [[Bentley Boys]] were a group of British motoring enthusiasts that included Barnato, [[Henry Birkin|Sir Henry "Tim" Birkin]], [[steeplechase (horse racing)|steeple chaser]] George Duller, [[aviator]] [[Glen Kidston]], automotive journalist [[S.C.H. "Sammy" Davis]], and [[Dudley Benjafield]]. The Bentley Boys favoured Bentley cars. Many were independently wealthy and many had a military background. They kept the marque's reputation for high performance alive; Bentley was noted for its four consecutive victories at the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]], from 1927 to 1930.
Birkin developed the 4½-litre, lightweight [[Blower Bentley]] at Welwyn Garden City in 1929 and produced five racing specials, starting with [[Bentley Blower No.1]] which was optimised for the Brooklands racing circuit. Birkin overruled Bentley and put the model on the market before it was fully developed. As a result, it was unreliable.
During the March 1930 [[Blue Train Races]], Barnato raised the stakes on [[Rover Company|Rover]] and its [[Rover Light Six]], having raced and beaten ''[[Le Train Bleu]]'' for the first time, to better that record with his 6½-litre [[Bentley Speed Six]] on a bet of £100. He drove against the train from [[Cannes]] to [[Calais]], then by ferry to [[Dover]], and finally London, travelling on public highways, and won.
Barnato drove his [[H.J. Mulliner & Co.|H.J. Mulliner]]–bodied [[sedan (automobile)|formal saloon]] in the race against the Blue Train. Two months later, on 21 May 1930, he took delivery of a Speed Six with streamlined fastback "sportsman coupé" by [[J Gurney Nutting & Co Limited|Gurney Nutting]]. Both cars became known as the "[[Blue Train Bentley]]s"; the latter is regularly mistaken for, or erroneously referred to as being, the car that raced the Blue Train, while in fact Barnato named it in memory of his race.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/1698/Bentley-Speed-Six--Blue-Train-Special-.html |title=Bentley Speed Six 'Blue Train Special' |last=Melissen |first=Wouter |date=12 January 2004 |publisher=UltimateCarPage |access-date=4 November 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://autoaficionado.net/issue/0101-38.html |title=The Slippery Shape of Power |last=Burgess-Wise |first=David |date=1 January 2006 |work=Auto Aficionado |access-date=4 November 2008|url-status= usurped|archive-date= 24 March 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090324025849/http://autoaficionado.net/issue/0101-38.html}}</ref> A painting by [[Terence Cuneo]] depicts the Gurney Nutting coupé racing along a road parallel to the Blue Train, which scenario never occurred as the road and railway did not follow the same route.
===[[24 hours of Le Mans]] Grand Prix d'Endurance===
[[File:Rétromobile 2017 - Bentley speed six - 1930 - 001.jpg|thumb|[[Bentley Speed Six]]]]
* ''[[1923 24 Hours of Le Mans|1923]] 4th (private entry)'' (3-Litre)
* [[1924 24 Hours of Le Mans|1924]] 1st (3-Litre)
* ''[[1925 24 Hours of Le Mans|1925]] did not finish''
* ''[[1926 24 Hours of Le Mans|1926]] did not finish''
* [[1927 24 Hours of Le Mans|1927]] 1st 15th 17th (3-Litre)
* [[1928 24 Hours of Le Mans|1928]] 1st 5th (4½-litre)
* [[1929 24 Hours of Le Mans|1929]] 1st (Speed Six); 2nd 3rd 4th: (4½-litre)
* [[1930 24 Hours of Le Mans|1930]] 1st 2nd (Speed Six)
Bentley withdrew from motor racing just after winning at Le Mans in 1930, claiming that they had learned enough about speed and reliability.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bentley Motors To Give Up Racing |work=Evening Telegraph |___location= Angus, Scotland|date=1 July 1930 |access-date=23 July 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000563/19300701/068/0005| via = British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
==Liquidation (1931)==
The [[Wall Street crash of 1929]] and the resulting [[Great Depression]] throttled the demand for Bentley's expensive motor cars. In July 1931 two mortgage payments were due which neither the company nor Barnato, the guarantor, were able to meet. On 10 July 1931 a [[receivership|receiver]] was appointed.<ref>"Receiver Appointed of Bentley Motors Limited Re Bentley Motors Limited; London Life Association Limited v. Bentley Motors Limited, And Woolf Barnato". ''The Times'', Saturday, 11 July 1931; p. 4; Issue 45872</ref>
[[D. Napier & Son|Napier]] offered to buy Bentley with the purchase to be final in November 1931. Instead, British Central Equitable Trust made a winning sealed bid of £125,000.<ref name="BentleyDNA">{{cite book |last=Feast |first=Richard |title=The DNA of Bentley |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5l0PBEg9Ta0C |access-date=26 March 2012 |year=2004 |publisher=[[MotorBooks International]] |___location=St. Paul, MN |isbn=978-0-7603-1946-8 |pages=64–65 |chapter=When Barnato bought Bentley |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5l0PBEg9Ta0C&pg=PA64|ref=BentleyDNA }}</ref> British Central Equitable Trust later proved to be a [[Front organization|front]] for [[Rolls-Royce Limited]]. Not even Bentley himself knew the identity of the purchaser until the deal was completed.<ref name=Beaulieu/>
Barnato received £42,000 for his shares in Bentley Motors. In 1934 he was appointed to the board of the new Bentley Motors (1931) Ltd. In the same year Bentley confirmed that it would continue racing.
==Rolls-Royce (1931–1970)==
===Derby===
[[File:1935-bentley-archives.jpg|thumb|"The silent sports car"<br>1935 {{frac|3|1|2}}-litre cabriolet by unknown coachbuilder]]
Rolls-Royce took over the assets of Bentley Motors (1919) Ltd and formed a subsidiary, Bentley Motors (1931) Ltd. Rolls-Royce had acquired the Bentley showrooms in Cork Street, the service station at Kingsbury, the complex at Cricklewood and the services of Bentley himself. This last was disputed by Napier in court without success. Bentley had neglected to register their trademark so Rolls-Royce immediately did so. They also sold the [[Cricklewood]] factory in 1932. Production stopped for two years,<ref>{{cite news |title=Luxury of the long-distance cruiser |first=Ross |last=Finley |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YMBAAAAAIBAJ&dq=bentley%20rolls%20royce%20takeover%201931&pg=3350%2C6839959 |newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|Glasgow Herald]] |date=29 November 1985 |page=21 |access-date=5 April 2013}}</ref> before resuming at the Rolls-Royce works in Derby. Unhappy with his role at Rolls-Royce, when his contract expired at the end of April 1935 W. O. Bentley left to join [[Lagonda]].
When the new [[Bentley 3.5 Litre|Bentley 3½ litre]] appeared in 1933, it was a sporting variant of the [[Rolls-Royce 20/25]], which disappointed some traditional customers yet was well received by many others. W. O. Bentley was reported as saying, "Taking all things into consideration, I would rather own this Bentley than any other car produced under that name".<ref name=Beaulieu/> Rolls-Royce's advertisements for the {{fraction|3|1|2}} Litre called it "the silent sports car",<ref name="BentleyDNA77">[[#BentleyDNA|Feast, Richard, ''The DNA of Bentley'']], [https://books.google.com/books?id=5l0PBEg9Ta0C&pg=PA71 Chapter 5: "Togetherness: Rolls-Royce/Bentley"], p. 77</ref> a slogan Rolls-Royce continued to use for Bentley cars until the 1950s.<ref>{{cite book |last1= Stein|first1= Ralph|title= Sports Cars of the World|url= https://archive.org/details/sportscarsofworl0000stei|url-access= registration|access-date= 29 September 2013|year=1952|publisher= Scribner|page= [https://archive.org/details/sportscarsofworl0000stei/page/43 43]|quote= These, known as "the silent sports car," have been successfully marketed for almost twenty years now in various models.}}</ref>
All Bentleys produced from 1931 to 2004 used inherited or shared Rolls-Royce chassis, and adapted Rolls-Royce engines, and are described by critics as [[Badge engineering|badge-engineered]] Rolls-Royces.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Bentley is a drive in the wrong direction |first=Brian |last=Sewell |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/features/new-bentley-is-a-drive-in-the-wrong-direction-6165725.html |newspaper=The Independent |___location=London |date=13 July 2004 |access-date=5 April 2013 |archive-date=21 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621062244/http://www.independent.co.uk/us |url-status=dead }}</ref>
====Derby Bentleys====
* 1933–1937 [[Bentley 3.5 Litre|3½-litre]]
** 1936–1939 [[Bentley 3.5 Litre#4¼ Litre|4¼-litre]]
* 1939–1941 [[Bentley Mark V|Mark V]]
** 1939 [[Bentley Mark V|
===Crewe===
In preparation for war, Rolls-Royce and the [[British Government]] searched for a ___location for a [[shadow factory]] to ensure production of aero-engines.<ref name=OllerheadnFlood/><ref>Pugh 2000, pp. 192–198.</ref> Crewe, with its excellent road and rail links, as well as being located in the [[Northwest England|northwest]] away from the [[Airstrike|aerial bombing]] starting in mainland Europe, was a logical choice. Crewe also had extensive open farming land. Construction of the factory started on a 60-acre area on the [[potato]] fields of Merrill's Farm in July 1938, with the first [[Rolls-Royce Merlin]] aero-engine rolling off the production line five months later. 25,000 Merlin engines<ref name=OllerheadnFlood/> were produced and at its peak, in 1943 during [[World War II]], the factory employed 10,000 people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jackbarclayparts.co.uk/about-us/crewe-history/|title=Bentley Crewe History 1914 – 2006|publisher=Jack Barclay|access-date=19 November 2010|url-status= dead|archive-date= 5 March 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120305100743/http://www.jackbarclayparts.co.uk/about-us/crewe-history/}}</ref> With the war in Europe over and the general move towards the then new [[jet engine]]s, Rolls-Royce concentrated its aero-engine operations at [[Derby]] and moved motor car operations to Crewe.<ref name=OllerheadnFlood/>
====Standard Steel saloons====
[[File:Bentley MK VI DE-14-32 pic3.JPG|right|thumb|[[Bentley Mark VI]] standard steel saloon, the first Bentley supplied by Rolls-Royce with a standard all-steel body]]
Until some time after [[World War II]], most high-end motorcar manufacturers like Bentley and Rolls-Royce did not supply complete cars. They sold [[rolling chassis]], near-complete from the instrument panel forward. Each chassis was delivered to the coachbuilder of the buyer's choice. The biggest specialist car dealerships had coachbuilders build standard designs for them which were held in stock awaiting potential buyers.
[[File:Bentley MK VI project 4951122539.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The assembled pressings from Pressed Steel]]
To meet post-war demand, particularly UK Government pressure to export and earn overseas currency, Rolls-Royce developed an all-steel body using pressings made by [[Pressed Steel Company|Pressed Steel]] to create a "standard" ready-to-drive complete saloon car. The first steel-bodied model produced was the [[Bentley Mark VI]]: these started to emerge from the newly reconfigured Crewe factory early in 1946.<ref name=OllerheadnFlood>Crewe's Rolls-Royce Factory From Old Photographs by Peter Ollerhead and Tony Flood, republished electronically 2013 by Amberley Publishing of Stroud, Gloucestershire, England</ref><ref name="google">{{cite book|title=Crewe's Rolls-Royce Factory From Old Photographs|author=Ollerhead, P.|date=2013|publisher=Amberley Publishing|isbn=9781445627649|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CWSIAwAAQBAJ|access-date=5 October 2014}}</ref> Some years later, initially only for export, the [[Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn]] was introduced, a standard steel Bentley but with a Rolls-Royce radiator grille for a small extra charge, and this convention continued.
Chassis remained available to coachbuilders until the end of production of the [[Bentley S3]], which was replaced for [[Paris Motor Show|October 1965]] by the chassis-less [[monocoque]] construction [[Bentley T-series|T series]].
{{Clear}}
====Bentley Continental====
[[File:Bentley SI Continental Fastback Coupe Mulliner.jpg|right|thumb|Bentley Continental, fastback coupé body by H J Mulliner]]
The Continental fastback coupé was aimed at the UK market, most cars, 164 plus a [[prototype]], being right-hand drive. The chassis was produced at the Crewe factory and shared many components with the standard R type. Other than the R-Type standard steel saloon, R-Type Continentals were delivered as rolling chassis to the [[coachbuilder]] of choice. Coachwork for most of these cars was completed by [[H. J. Mulliner & Co.]] who mainly built them in fastback coupe form. Other coachwork came from [[Park Ward]] (London) who built six, later including a drophead coupe version. [[Franay]] (Paris) built five, [[Carrosserie Hermann Graber|Graber]] (Wichtrach, Switzerland) built three, one of them later altered by Köng (Basel, Switzerland), and [[Pininfarina]] made one. [[James Young (coachbuilder)|James Young]] (London) built in 1954 a Sports Saloon for the owner of James Young's, James Barclay.
The early R Type Continental has essentially the same engine as the standard R Type, but with modified carburation, induction and exhaust manifolds along with higher gear ratios.<ref name=Autocar1969>{{cite journal |title = Used Car test: Bentley Continental| journal=Autocar| volume = 130 |issue=3824 | pages = 47–48| date = 29 May 1969}}</ref> After July 1954 the car was fitted with an engine, having now a larger bore of {{convert|94.62|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} with a total displacement of {{convert|4887|cc|L cuin|1|abbr=on}}. The compression ratio was raised to 7.25:1.
{{Clear}}
===
<gallery style="float:right; clear:right;" caption="Bentleys made by Rolls-Royce Ltd. in Crewe" widths="185">
File:1951 Bentley MK VI HJM 2-door saloon 8160965887.jpg |"The silent sports car"<br />1952 4¼-litre 2-door by H J Mulliner
File:Bentley S2.JPG |Bentley S-series Standard Saloon
File:Bentley T2 reg 1977 6750 cc.JPG|Bentley T-series Standard Saloon (l.w.b.)
</gallery>
* Standard-steel saloon
** 1946–1952 [[Bentley Mark VI|Mark VI]]
** 1952–1955 [[Bentley R Type|R Type]]
* Continental
** 1952–1955 [[Bentley R Type|R Type]] Continental
* S-series
** 1955–1959 [[Bentley S1|S1]] and Continental
** 1959–1962 [[Bentley S2|S2]] and Continental
** 1962–1965 [[Bentley S3|S3]] and Continental
* [[Bentley T-series|T-series]]
** 1965–1977 [[Bentley T-series|T1]]
** 1977–1980 [[Bentley T-series|T2]]
* 1971–1984 [[Rolls-Royce Corniche|Corniche]]
* 1975–1986 [[Rolls-Royce Camargue|Camargue]]
{{Clear}}
==Vickers (1970–1998)==
The problems of Bentley's owner with Rolls-Royce aero engine development, the [[RB211]], brought about the financial collapse of its business in 1970.
The motorcar division was made a separate business, Rolls-Royce Motors Limited, which remained independent until bought by [[Vickers plc]] in August 1980. By the 1970s and early 1980s Bentley sales had fallen badly; at one point less than 5% of combined production carried the Bentley badge.<ref name=Beaulieu/> Under Vickers, Bentley set about regaining its high-performance heritage, typified by the 1980 [[Bentley Mulsanne (1980–1992)|Mulsanne]]. Bentley's restored sporting image created a renewed interest in the name and Bentley sales as a proportion of output began to rise. By 1986 the Bentley:Rolls-Royce ratio had reached 40:60; by 1991 it achieved parity.<ref name=Beaulieu/>
===Crewe Vickers Bentleys===
[[File:Bentley Mulsanne Blue NEC.JPG|thumb|1984 [[Bentley Mulsanne (1980–92)#Mulsanne Turbo|Bentley Mulsanne Turbo]]]]
[[File:Bentley Brooklands.JPG|thumb|1997 [[Bentley Brooklands]]]]
* 1984–1995 [[Rolls-Royce Corniche|Continental]]: convertible
** 1992–1995 [[Rolls-Royce Corniche|Continental Turbo]]
* 1980–1992 [[Bentley Mulsanne (1980–92)|Bentley Mulsanne]]
** 1984–1988 [[Bentley Mulsanne (1980–92)#Mulsanne L|Mulsanne L]]: limousine
** 1982–1985 [[Bentley Mulsanne (1980–92)#Mulsanne Turbo|Mulsanne Turbo]]
** 1987–1992 [[Bentley Mulsanne (1980–92)#Mulsanne S|Mulsanne S]]
* 1984–1992 [[Bentley Eight|Eight]]: basic model
* 1985–1995 [[Bentley Turbo R|Turbo R]]: [[turbocharger|turbocharged]] performance version
* 1991–2002 [[Bentley Continental R|Continental R]]: turbocharged 2-door model
** 1994–1995 [[Bentley Continental R|Continental S]]: [[intercooler|intercooled]]
** 1996–2002 [[Bentley Continental R|Continental T]]
** 1999–2003 [[Bentley Continental R|Continental R Mulliner]]: performance model
* 1992–1998 [[Bentley Brooklands|Brooklands]]: improved Eight
** 1996–1998 [[Bentley Brooklands|Brooklands R]]: performance Brooklands
* 1994–1995 [[Bentley Turbo S|Turbo S]]: limited-edition sports model
* 1994–1995 [[Bentley Continental S|Continental S]]: to order only version of Continental R with features of Turbo S incorporated
* 1995–1997 [[Bentley Turbo R|New Turbo R]]: updated 96MY Turbo R with revised bumpers, single front door glazing, new door mirrors, spare in trunk, engine cover, new seat design, auto lights, auto wipers etc.
* 1995–2003 [[Bentley Azure|Azure]]: convertible Continental R
* 1996–2002 [[Bentley Continental T|Continental T]]: short-wheelbase performance model
* 1997–1998 [[Bentley Turbo RL|Turbo RL]]: "new" Turbo R LWB (Long [[wheelbase|Wheel Base]])
* 1997–1998 [[Bentley Turbo RT]]: replacement for the Turbo RL
** 1997–1998 [[Bentley Turbo RT|RT Mulliner]]: Ultra exclusive performance model
==Volkswagen (1998–present)==
[[File:2003 Bentley Arnage T in Jupiter, FL (front right).jpg|thumb|right|1998 Bentley Arnage T]]
[[File:2002 Bentley State Limousine.jpg|right|thumb|Queen [[Elizabeth II]]'s [[Bentley State Limousine]]]]
In October 1997, Vickers announced that it had decided to sell Rolls-Royce Motors. [[BMW|BMW AG]] seemed to be a logical purchaser because BMW already supplied engines and other components for Bentley and Rolls-Royce branded cars and because of BMW and Vickers joint efforts in building aircraft engines. BMW made a final offer of £340m, but was outbid by [[Volkswagen Group|Volkswagen AG]], which offered £430m. Volkswagen AG acquired the vehicle designs, model nameplates, production and administrative facilities, the Spirit of Ecstasy and Rolls-Royce grille shape trademarks, but not the rights to the use of the Rolls-Royce name or logo, which are owned by Rolls-Royce Holdings plc. In 1998, BMW started supplying components for the new range of Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars—notably [[V8 engine]]s for the [[Bentley Arnage]] and [[V12 engine]]s for the [[Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph]], however, the supply contract allowed BMW to terminate its supply deal with Rolls-Royce with 12 months' notice, which would not be enough time for Volkswagen to re-engineer the cars.
[[File:bentleyazure.JPG|thumb|right|[[Bentley Azure]] Mulliner 2003 Final Series]]
BMW paid [[Rolls-Royce plc]] £40m to license the Rolls-Royce name and logo. After negotiations, BMW and Volkswagen AG agreed that, from 1998 to 2002, BMW would continue to supply engines and components and would allow Volkswagen temporary use of the Rolls-Royce name and logo. All BMW engine supply ended in 2003 with the end of Silver Seraph production.
From 1 January 2003 forward, Volkswagen AG would be the sole provider of cars with the "Bentley" marque. BMW established a new legal entity, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited, and built a new administrative headquarters and production facility for Rolls-Royce branded vehicles in [[Goodwood plant|Goodwood]], West Sussex, England.
===Investment and company development===
[[File:Bentley badge and hood ornament-BW.jpg|thumb|Bentley winged "B" badge bonnet (hood) ornament]]
After acquiring the business, Volkswagen spent [[Pound sterling|£]]500 million (about US$845 million) to modernise the Crewe factory and increase production capacity.<ref name=BW062410>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2010-06-23/porsche-development-head-duerheimer-said-to-succeed-paefgen-as-bentley-ceo |title=Volkswagen Said to Shuffle Porsche, Bentley Managers |date=24 June 2010 |first=Andreas |last=Cremer |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |access-date=25 June 2010 }}</ref>
As of early 2010, there are about 3,500 working at Crewe, compared with about 1,500 in 1998 before being taken over by Volkswagen.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.caranddriver.com/going-back-in-time-at-the-bentley-factory/ |title=Going Back in Time at the Bentley Factory |date=10 May 2010 |first=Mark |last=Gillies |publisher=Car and Driver blog |access-date=25 June 2010 |archive-date=9 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809135049/http://blog.caranddriver.com/going-back-in-time-at-the-bentley-factory/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> It was reported that Volkswagen invested a total of nearly US$2 billion in Bentley and its revival.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/2004-12-05/vw-steals-a-lead-in-luxury |title=VW Steals A Lead in Luxury |date=6 December 2004 |first=Gail |last=Edmondson |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |access-date=25 June 2010 }}</ref> As a result of upgrading facilities at Crewe the bodywork now arrives fully painted at the Crewe facility for final assembly, with the parts coming from Germany—similarly Rolls-Royce body shells are painted and shipped to the UK for assembly only.
Demand had been so great that the factory at Crewe was unable to meet orders despite an installed capacity of approximately 9,500 vehicles per year; there was a waiting list of over a year for new cars to be delivered. Consequently, part of the production of the new [[Bentley Continental Flying Spur (2005)|Flying Spur]], a four-door version of the Continental GT, was assigned to the [[Transparent Factory]] (Germany), where the [[Volkswagen Phaeton]] luxury car was also assembled. This arrangement ceased at the end of 2006 after around 1,000 cars, with all car production reverting to the Crewe plant.
Bentley presented Queen [[Elizabeth II]] with an official [[Bentley State Limousine|State Limousine]] in 2002 to celebrate her [[Golden Jubilee]]. Production of the two-door convertible [[Bentley Azure]] finished in 2003. It was replaced by a large luxury coupé powered by a [[W12 engine]] built in Crewe and named [[Bentley Continental GT]].
It was confirmed in April 2005 a four-seat convertible [[Bentley Azure|Azure]] derived from the [[Bentley Arnage|Arnage Drophead Coupé]] prototype would begin at Crewe in 2006. By the autumn of 2005, a convertible version of the successful Continental GT, the [[Bentley Continental|Continental GTC]], was also presented in the autumn of 2005. These two models were launched in late 2006.
[[File:Bentley Continental Flying Spur.jpg|thumb|right|2005 Bentley Continental Flying Spur]]
[[File:Bentley Continental GT (II) – Frontansicht (3), 30. August 2011, Düsseldorf.jpg|thumb|right|2011 Bentley Continental GT]]
[[File:Bentley Bentayga Diesel – Frontansicht, 24. Juni 2017, Düsseldorf.jpg|thumb|2017 Bentley Bentayga diesel]]
[[File:Geneva International Motor Show 2018, Le Grand-Saconnex (1X7A0019).jpg|thumb|CEO [[Adrian Hallmark]] presents the Bentayga Hybrid at [[Geneva International Motor Show]] 2018.]]
[[File:Bentley Continental GTC Top Marques 2019 IMG 1078.jpg|thumb|2019 Bentley Continental GTC]]
[[File:2019 Bentley Flying Spur W12 Front.jpg|thumb|2019 Flying Spur W12]]
A limited run of a [[Zagato]] modified GT was also announced in March 2008, dubbed "[[Bentley Continental GT#Continental GTZ (2008)|GTZ]]".
A new version of the Bentley Continental was introduced at the [[Geneva Motor Show#2009|2009 Geneva Motor Show]]: The [[Bentley Continental Supersports|Continental Supersports]]. This new Bentley combines power with environmentally friendly FlexFuel technology, capable of using petrol (gasoline) and biofuel (E85 ethanol).
Bentley sales continued to increase, and in 2005 8,627 were sold worldwide, 3,654 in the United States. In 2007, the 10,000 cars-per-year threshold was broken for the first time with sales of 10,014. For 2007, a record profit of [[Euro|€]]155 million was also announced.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bentley reports record profit|last=Garlick|url=http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=17750|access-date=18 March 2008}}</ref> Bentley reported a sale of about 7,600 units in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ajtqDKRS4Rno |title=Daimler Maybach Fails to Dent Rolls, Bentley Super-Luxury Lead |date=15 December 2009 |first1=Chris |last1=Reiter |first2=Mike |last2=Ramsey |publisher=Bloomberg News }}</ref> However, its global sales plunged 50 percent to 4,616 vehicles in 2009 (with the U.S. deliveries dropped 49% to 1,433 vehicles) and it suffered an operating loss of [[Euro|€]]194 million, compared with an [[operating profit]] of [[Euro|€]]10 million in 2008.<ref name=BW062410/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-01-14/volkswagen-s-bentley-targets-u-s-growth-with-mulsanne-sedan.html |title=Volkswagen's Bentley Targets U.S. Growth With Mulsanne Sedan |date=14 January 2010 |first=Andreas |last=Cremer |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |access-date=25 June 2010 }}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> As a result of the slump in sales, production at Crewe was shut down during March and April 2009.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} Though vehicle sales increased by 11% to 5,117 in 2010, operating loss grew by 26% to [[Euro|€]]245 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://annualreport2010.volkswagenag.com/divisions/bentley.html |title=Volkswagen AG 2010 Annual Report |publisher=Annualreport2010.volkswagenag.com |access-date=24 March 2012 |archive-date=10 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610021805/http://annualreport2010.volkswagenag.com/divisions/bentley.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In Autumn 2010, workers at Crewe staged a series of protests over proposal of compulsory work on Fridays and mandatory overtime during the week.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.crewechronicle.co.uk/crewe-news/crewe-business-news/2010/11/24/bentley-protests-continue-in-crewe-over-changes-to-working-hours-96135-27702030/ |title=Bentley protests continue in Crewe over changes to working hours |date=24 October 2010 |first=Rhiannon |last=Cooke |newspaper=Crewe Chronicle }}</ref>
Vehicle sales in 2011 rose 37% to 7,003 vehicles, with the new Continental GT accounting for over one-third of total sales. The current workforce is about 4,000 people.
The business earned a profit in 2011 after two years of losses as a result of the following sales results:<ref>{{cite news|last=Rauwald|first=Christopher|title=Bentley Mulls Its Own SV|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=4 January 2012|page=B3}}</ref>
On 23 March 2020, Bentley announced to halt production due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|last1=L|first1=Bentley Jaguar|last2=Rover|title=Luxury carmakers join coronavirus shutdown|url=https://uk.motor1.com/news/405358/bentley-jaguar-land-rover-join-coronavirus-shutdown/|access-date=11 August 2020|website=Motor1.com|language=en-gb}}</ref> In June 2020, Bentley announced that it will cut around 1,000 (one quarter of 4,200) job places in the UK as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/17d52428-3603-4725-a732-e59dfa35f5aa |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/17d52428-3603-4725-a732-e59dfa35f5aa |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Bentley to cut quarter of workforce as UK car sector job losses hit 5,000|work=[[Financial Times]]|last=Campbell|first=Peter|access-date=5 June 2020}}</ref>
On 3 November 2020, Bentley announced that all new cars sold will be electric by 2030. This announcement also follows after the United Kingdom Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] announced in February 2020 that he approved legislation that will ban and phase out non-electric vehicles (including Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid vehicles) from the UK by 2030 with hybrids being banned by 2035.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wayland|first=Michael|date=5 November 2020|title=Famed luxury carmaker Bentley to go fully electric by 2030|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/05/famed-luxury-carmaker-bentley-to-go-fully-electric-by-2030.html|access-date=6 November 2020|publisher=CNBC|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/luxury-automaker-bentley-go-all-electric-n1246862|title=Luxury automaker Bentley to go all electric|date=10 November 2020|publisher=NBC News}}</ref>
====Deliveries, profits and staff====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:88%"
|-
!Year
!Profit or loss<br />€ million
!Staff
!Total<br />deliveries
!Americas
!China
!Europe<br />exc UK
!UK
!Middle<br />East
!Asia<br />Pacific
!Japan
!Other
|-
| 1998 || || 1500 || 414 || || || || || || || ||
|-
| 1999|| || || 1001 || || || || || || || ||
|-
| 2000|| || || 1469 || || || || || || || ||
|-
| 2001|| || || 1429 || || || || || || || ||
|-
| 2002|| || || 1157 || || 36 || || || || || ||
|-
| 2003|| || || 1017 || || || || || || || ||
|-
| 2004|| || || 7411 || || || || || || || ||
|-
| 2005|| || || 8627 || 3654 || 500 || || || || || || 4473
|-
| 2006|| +137 || || 9387 || 4035 || 175 || 2024 || || || || || 3153
|-
| 2007|| +155 || || 10014 || 4196 || 338 || 2166 || 2079 || || || || 1235
|-
| 2008|| +10 || || 7605 || || || || || || || ||
|-
| 2009|| −194 || 3500 || 4616 || 1433 || 489 || || 897 || || || || 1797
|-
| 2010|| −245 || || 5117 || 1525 || 910 || 776 || 982 || || || || 924
|-
| 2011|| 8 || 4000 || 7003 || 2021 || 1839 || 1187 || 1031 || 566 || 249 || || 110
|-
| 2012|| 100 || || 8510 || 2457 || 2253 || 1333 || 1104 || 815 || 358 || 190||
|-
| 2013|| 176 || || 10120 || 3140 || 2191 || 1480 || 1381 || 1185 || 452 || 291||
|}
Sources <small>Volkswagen AG Annual Reports and press releases<ref name="Volkswagen AG 2012 Annual Report">{{cite web|url=http://annualreport2012.volkswagenag.com/divisions/bentley.html |title=Volkswagen AG 2012 Annual Report |publisher=Annualreport2012.volkswagenag.com |access-date=15 March 2013}}</ref></small>
Bentley recorded a 31% rise in global sales in FY21 despite shutdowns caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Carey|first=Nick|date=6 January 2022|title=Bentley cruised to record year in 2021 with luxury cars in high demand|language=en|agency=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/bentley-cruised-record-year-2021-with-luxury-cars-high-demand-2022-01-06/|access-date=6 January 2022}}</ref>
====Production====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:88%"
|-
!Year
!Bentayga
!CGT Coupé
!CGT Cabrio
!Flying Spur
!Mulsanne
!Arnage
!Brooklands
!Azure
!Continental
!Other Bentley
!Rolls-Royce
!Total
|-
| 2000|| || || || || || 1243 || || 131 || 93 || 2 || 469 || 1938
|-
| 2001|| || || || || || 1049 || || 205 || 114 || 61 || 352 || 1781
|-
| 2002|| || || || || || 883 || || 69 || 50 || 61 || 147 || 1210
|-
| 2003|| || 107 || || || || 607 || || 62 || 16 || || || 792
|-
| 2004|| || 6896 || || || || 790 || || || || || || 7686
|-
| 2005|| || 4733 || || 4271 || || 556 || || || || || || 9560
|-
| 2006|| || 3611 || 1742 || 4042 || || 464 || || 177 || || || || 10036
|-
| 2007|| || 2140 || 4847 || 2270 || || 357 || 8 || 350 || || || || 9972
|-
| 2008|| || 2699 || 2408 || 1813 || || 277 || 312 || 165 || || || || 7674
|-
| 2009|| || 1211 || 722 || 1358 || || 147 || 106 || 93 || || || || 3637
|-
| 2010|| || 1735 || 843 || 1914 || 354 || || 6 || 2 || || || || 4854
|-
| 2011|| || 3416 || 677 || 2354 || 1146 || || || || || || || 7593
|-
| 2012|| || 3536 || 2638 || 1764 || 1169 || || || || || || || 9107
|-
| 2013|| || 3602 || 2197 || 3960 || 1117 || || || || || || || 10876
|-
| 2014|| || 3442 || 2151 || 4556 || 884 || || || || || || || 11033
|-
| 2015|| 96 || 3997 || 2216 || 3660 || 919 || || || || || || || 10888
|-
| 2016|| 5586 || 2272 || 1600 || 1731 || 628 || || || || || || || 11817
|-
| 2017|| 4849 || 1345 || 1468 || 2295 || 595 || || || || || || || 10552
|-
| 2018|| 4072 || 2841 || 28 || 1627 || 547 || || || || || || || 9115
|-
| 2019|| 5232 || 3903 || 2760 || 102 || 443 || || || || || || || 12440
|-
| 2020|| 3946 || 1905 || 1244 || 3381 || 127 || || || || || || || 10603
|}
Sources <small>[https://annualreport2020.volkswagenag.com/divisions/bentley.html Volkswagen AG Annual Reports]</small>
==List of Bentley vehicles==
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
!Model Name
!Introduced
!Discontinued
!Class
|-
|3 Litre
|1921
|1929
|Sports car
|-
|3.5 Litre
|1933
|1939
|Luxury car
|-
|4 Litre
|1931
|1931
|Luxury car
|-
|4 1/2 Litre
|1927
|1931
|Sports car
|-
|Speed Six
|1926
|1930
|"Rolling chassis"
|-
|8 Litre
|1930
|1932
|Luxury car
|-
|Arnage
|1998
|2009
|Luxury car
|-
|Azure
|1995
|2009
|Grand tourer
|-
|Bentayga
|2015
|
|Luxury SUV
|-
|Brooklands
|1992
|2011
|Luxury car
Grand tourer
|-
|Continental
|1952
|
|
|-
|Continental GT
|2003
|
|Grand tourer
|-
|Eight
|1984
|1992
|Luxury car
|-
|Flying Spur
|2005
|
|Luxury car
Ultra-luxury car
|-
|Mark V
|1939
|1941
|Luxury car
|-
|Mark VI
|1946
|1952
|Luxury car
|-
|Mulsanne
|1980
|1992
|Luxury car
|-
|Mulsanne
|2010
|2020
|Luxury car
|-
|R Type
|1952
|1955
|Luxury car
|-
|S1
|1955
|1959
|Luxury car
|-
|S2
|1959
|1962
|
|-
|S3
|1962
|1965
|Luxury car
|-
|State Limousine
|2002
|2002
|Luxury car
Limousine
Official state car
|-
|T-Series
|1965
|1980
|Luxury car
|-
|Turbo R
|1985
|1999
|
|}
== Crewe Volkswagen Bentleys ==
=== Car models in current production ===
* 2016–present: [[Bentley Bentayga|Bentayga]]
* 2024–present: [[Bentley Continental GT#Fourth generation (2024–present)|Continental GT (Gen 4)]]
* 2019–present: [[Bentley Flying Spur (2005)#Third generation (2019–present)|Flying Spur (Gen 3)]]
=== Car models formerly in production ===
* 1998–2009: [[Bentley Arnage|Arnage]]
* 2003–2011: [[Bentley Continental GT#First generation (2003–2011)|Continental GT]]
* 2005–2013: [[Bentley Flying Spur (2005)#First generation (2005–2013)|Continental Flying Spur (Gen 1)]]
* 2006–2009: [[Bentley Azure#Second generation (2006–2009)|Azure (Gen 2)]]
* 2008–2011: [[Bentley Brooklands#Brooklands (2008–2011)|Bentley Brooklands (Gen 2)]]
* 2010–2020: [[Bentley Mulsanne (2010)|Mulsanne]]
* 2011–2018: [[Bentley Continental GT#Second generation (2011–2018)|Continental GT (Gen 2)]]
* 2013–2019: [[Bentley Flying Spur (2005)#Second generation (2013–2019)|Flying Spur (Gen 2)]]
* 2018–2024: [[Bentley Continental GT#Third generation (2018–2024)|Continental GT (Gen 3)]]
=== Special edition car models ===
* 1999: [[Bentley Hunaudières|Hunaudières Concept]]
* 2002: [[Bentley State Limousine|State Limousine]]
== Motorsport ==
<!--I'll add this bit later: Bentley re-entered prototype racing in 2001 with the EXP Speed 8...
-->
A [[Bentley Continental GT#Continental GT3 (2013–2018)|Bentley Continental GT3]] entered by the [[M-Sport]] factory team won the Silverstone round of the 2014 [[Blancpain Endurance Series]]. This was Bentley's first official entry in a British race since the 1930 RAC Tourist Trophy.<ref name=Autocar20140525>{{cite web |url= http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport/new-bentley-continental-gt3-claims-inaugural-victory-silverstone|title= New Bentley Continental GT3 claims inaugural victory at Silverstone|last1= Burt|first1= Matt|date= 25 May 2014|website= [[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]]|publisher= [[Haymarket Group]]|access-date=26 May 2014}}</ref>
== See also ==
{{Portal|Companies}}
* [[List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Bibliography==
* {{cite book | last = Feast |first = Richard |title = Kidnap of the Flying Lady: How Germany Captured Both Rolls-Royce and Bentley | publisher = Motorbooks | year = 2003 | isbn = 0-7603-1686-4}}
* {{cite book | last = Frankel |first = Andrew |title = Bentley: The Story | publisher=Redwood Publishing | year=2005 | isbn=0-9517751-9-7}}
* {{cite book | last = Parissien | first = Steven | title = The Life of the Automobile: A New History of the Motor Car | publisher = Atlantic Books | year = 2013 | ___location = London | type = Hardback | isbn = 978-1-8488-7705-4 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/lifeofautomobile0000pari }}
* {{cite book|last1=Stiefel|first1=Barry L. |last2=Clark|first2=Jennifer| title = The Routledge Companion to Automobile Heritage, Culture, and Preservation|date=6 December 2019| publisher = Taylor & Francis| isbn= 9780429753428}} <small>- Total pages: 406</small>
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2570109.stm "Inside the Bentley factory"]—Jorn Madslien, [[BBC News]]
{{Bentley Motors Limited}}
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