Bentley Motors Limited is a British producer and marketer of high-end automobiles and sport utility vehicles. It has been a Volkswagen Group subsidiary since 1998 and has been combined with Audi, VW’s premium brand arm, since 2022. [13] [14]
The firm, which has its headquarters in Crewe, England, was established in 1919 in Cricklewood, North London, as Bentley Motors Limited. It gained notoriety by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930.
Its current model line, which includes the Flying Spur, Continental GT, Bentayga, and Mulsanne, is marketed globally, with China being its largest market as of November 2012. Notable models include the historical sports-racing Bentley 41/2 Litre and Bentley Speed Six; the more recent Bentley R Type Continental, Bentley Turbo R, and Bentley Arnage; and the Bentley 41/2 Litre and Bentley Speed Six.
[15]
A small number of Bentley vehicles are currently put together in Volkswagen’s Dresden facility in Germany[16], while the bodies for the Continental and the Bentayga are made at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant. The majority of Bentley cars are currently put together at the company’s Crewe factory.
Following a string of mergers and acquisitions, including Rolls-1931 Royce’s purchase of a Bentley that was then in receivership, Bentley and Rolls-Royce eventually merged and then eventually split again. Rolls-Royce was thrown into receivership in 1971, and the UK government then nationalized the business, dividing it into the Rolls-Royce Plc aerospace branch and the Rolls-Royce Motors Limited automotive sector, the latter of which kept the Bentley division. Vickers, an engineering corporation, later acquired Rolls-Royce Motors. Vickers then sold Rolls-Royce to Volkswagen AG in 1998.
The aerospace firm Rolls-Royce Plc, which has continued to license both to the automotive division, has kept the intellectual property rights to the name Rolls-Royce as well as the company’s logo, not Rolls-Royce Motors. Thus, the Bentley name and logos, vehicle designs, model names, production facilities, and administrative facilities were all sold to VW along with the Spirit of Ecstasy and Rolls-Royce grille shape trademarks (which VW later transferred to BMW), but not the rights to the Rolls-Royce name or emblem. Rolls-Royce Plc, a manufacturer of aeronautical equipment, eventually sold both to BMW AG.
In This Article...
When did Bentley become an Audi brand?
The British business, with its headquarters in Crewe, United Kingdom, joined Volkswagen AG in 1998 and the Audi Group in January 2022. Today, Bentley Motors released the luxury brand’s financial statistics for 2021, adding to the company’s record sales performance over the previous 12 months.
Audi is Bentley’s property?
Ten brands from five different European nations make up the Group: Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, Ducati, KODA, SEAT, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The Volkswagen Group also has a large number of additional brands and business divisions, including financial services. Volkswagen Financial Services includes leasing, leasing for customers and dealers, banking, insurance, and fleet management services.
The Volkswagen Group is laying the groundwork for the biggest change process in its history with its NEW AUTO – Mobility for Generations to Come Group strategy and future program: the realignment of one of the best automakers to become a leading provider of sustainable mobility on a global scale. To do so, the Group will change its core automotive business, which will include, among other things, the introduction of another 30 or more fully electric vehicles by 2025 and the expansion of battery technology and autonomous driving as new key businesses.
VW acquired Bentley when?
- Full ownership of Bentley Motors Ltd. [3] On July 28, 1998, Volkswagen acquired Rolls-Royce & Bentley from Vickers[75], but the deal excluded the Rolls-Royce Plc-controlled license to use the Rolls-Royce trademark on automobiles. [76] BMW outwitted Volkswagen and was able to secure the right to use the Rolls-Royce trademark on cars. According to a contract with BMW, the Bentley division sold vehicles under the Rolls-Royce and Bentley brands from July 1998 to December 2002. BMW continued to provide engines for the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph during that time. Bentley Ltd. merged into the Audi group in January 2022. [77]
Does Bentley make use of Audi motors?
The current Bentley lineup does not include any vehicles with engines lower than 6.0 liters. A few years ago, this might not have seemed unusual for the Crewe-based ultra-luxury brand, but now, as environmental awareness spreads among governments and consumers alike, even companies like Bentley must begin to think sustainably.
Bentley has repeatedly emphasized its commitment to delivering a powertrain selection that reduces CO2 emissions by 40%. In keeping with this goal, Bentley will debut a new, smaller-than-average-for-a-Bentley V-8 engine developed in partnership with Audi.
The new engine will have direct injection and a 4.0-liter displacement. According to the company, it will emit 40% less CO2 than the 2011 Bentley Continental GT’s twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12 when it makes its appearance before the end of the year.
There are little details available, however Brian Gush, Bentley’s director of chassis and powertrain, told What Car? that the new engine will not have a typical configuration. Expect forced induction of some sort, perhaps a supercharger rather than Bentley’s traditional penchant for turbochargers.
With ample of low end torque and flexibility as top priorities, the Bentley version of the new V-8 will be tuned specifically for the large premium automobiles. The Audi engine will only be used in high-performance variants and is anticipated to be tweaked to produce power and torque at higher revs than the Bentley unit.
Why are Bentleys such a bad bet?
The fact is that, unlike more cheap, everyday cars, premium vehicles like Bentleys are not designed to survive daily use and abuse.
In the end, luxury cars are made to look a certain way and function in a certain way. They aren’t heavy machinery.
The average luxury car suffers damage faster and more frequently than non-luxury cars, according to research. This alone renders the Bentley an unstable option for a vehicle.
However, the price of repairs significantly increases when you take into account how pricey Bentley parts are.
It becomes obvious that maintaining a Bentley over the long run is no walk in the park when we consider the previous figures that claimed 93 percent of Bentleys have at least one defect per year and that the average repair costs over $900.
In short, by most people’s standards, Bentleys cannot be regarded as reliable vehicles because they often require annual upkeep and are extremely expensive to repair.
Volkswagen produces engines for Bentley?
Reuters: London With the end of the year approaching, the British luxury automaker Bentley Motors will begin producing all of parent Volkswagen’s potent W12 engines, adding approximately 100 jobs to its central England factory and discontinuing the production of the engines in Germany.
The news was released on Wednesday, following Bentley’s record 2013 profit, which was fueled by demand from the Americas, and as British Chancellor George Osborne celebrated the nation’s economic resurgence in his annual budget.
By 2017/18, Bentley, which Volkswagen (VW) acquired in 1998 and is famed for its svelte vehicles with a racing heritage, expects to be producing 9,000 W12 engines. Currently, it produces 5,000 units annually at its factory in Crewe, with the final 2,000 units coming from Salzgitter, Germany.
With this step, Bentley will start exporting engines to vehicles built outside of the United Kingdom, some of which will be used in models for Volkswagen and its upscale Audi brand that have not yet been revealed.
Given VW’s goal of selling 10 million cars worldwide, Bentley Chairman and Chief Executive Wolfgang Schreiber said it made sense to produce all W12 engines in one location and downplayed the relevance for German automaking.
For Germany, it is not a catastrophe, he told reporters in London.
When compared to the volume that is typically produced in engine production plants, the overall volume of W12 is quite modest.
The operating profit for Bentley, which sells some of its vehicles for more than 200,000 pounds ($331,500) each and is developing what is reportedly the most expensive sport utility vehicle (SUV) in the world, increased by 67 percent to 139.7 million pounds in 2013.
The company earlier reported that sales increased 15.5 percent to a record 1.4 billion pounds, helped by the launch of the Flying Spur saloon’s new generation last year and the Continental GT Speed coupe’s convertible variant in late 2012.
Demand from the Americas exceeded China’s declining deliveries, where luxury companies have been struggling due to the country’s faltering economy and restrictions on ostentatious buying.
In 2013, Bentley sold 10,120 ultra-luxury saloons, coupes, and convertibles, up 19% from 2012 and surpassing the previous record established in 2007.
In the first two months of 2014, sales increased by 13% to 1,408 vehicles. The company stated that it planned to expand into new areas such as Morocco, Iraq, Vietnam, and Chile and increase the number of its dealerships from 193 to approximately 220.
Who now owns Bugatti?
(CNN)Rimac Group, a Croatian manufacturer of high-end electric supercars that also owns Bugatti, revealed that it has secured 500 million, or roughly $536 million in additional financing. Porsche, which currently owns nearly a quarter of the business, is one of the participants in the new financing round.
In 2009, Rimac Automobili was established with the purpose of building electric supercars with high horsepower. The business also entered into agreements to develop and produce high-performance electric drive components for high-end cars with other automakers like Aston Martin and Sweden’s Koenigsegg.
Last year, the corporation divided its supercar manufacturing and EV component businesses, with Rimac Group managing both of the new businesses. In addition, Rimac’s supercar division acquired Bugatti, which was separated from the Volkswagen Group. Rimac controls the majority of the newly established Bugatti Rimac, although Porsche, which is controlled by Volkswagen and owns the aforementioned portion of the Rimac Group as a whole, owns 45 percent of Bugatti Rimac. The Rimac Group continues to be the only owner of the EV component industry.
Goldman Sachs and SoftBank took the lead in the most recent funding round. InvestIndustrial, a significant investor in Rimac already, took part in this latest round of financing as well. According to the company, Mate Rimac, the 34-year-old founder of Rimac, continues to be the company’s largest shareholder. According to Mate Rimac, this is the largest single investment round Rimac has ever received. According to Rimac, that suggests a total corporate valuation of $2 billion.
Rimac Technologies, a completely owned part of Rimac Group, continues to provide other businesses with important electric car components, such as fully functional chassis, electric motors, and hybrid and electric vehicle batteries. Among others, it has collaborated with Automobili Pininfarina and Aston Martin.
What makes Rolls-Royce superior to Bentley?
For fans of luxury, Rolls Royce is a more opulent, visually appealing, timeless classic option. The Rolls Royce lineup is packed with lavish car variants that resemble boat boards, complete cinemas, mobile bars, and other internal luxury amenities. Rolls Royce is a stand-alone symbol of luxury and is perfect for people who enjoy attracting attention to their exquisite taste wherever they go!
Which one is Right for You?
Well, everything is subjective. Bentley is the best option for you if you’re searching for a less expensive, more compact, and performance-focused vehicle that delivers driving exclusivity. However, the Rolls Royce is the best option for individuals seeking a truly opulent vehicle that is more concentrated on comfort, convenience, and luxury features.
Final Verdict
It’s difficult to choose between these two automakers because each one has a distinctive take on luxury. While Rolls-Royce makes every effort to make the car as comfortable and sumptuous as possible, Bentley develops a more athletic version of the luxury vehicle.
But everything is arbitrary, and the choice is affected by individual preferences.
Are Bentley and Aston Martin owned by the same company?
The automotive industry is as complicated as ever in 2019, with independent owners, conglomerates, subsidiaries, and manufacturers connecting some of the most recognizable and well-liked car brands in the world. We’ve made this infographic to assist you (and us) learn more about the auto brands we employ in our supercar driving experiences. Some of the information may surprise you, like the fact that Porsche, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Audi are all owned by the same corporation, Volkswagen Group. The only fully independent supercar manufacturers now are Ferrari, Aston Martin, and McLaren.
Who constructs Bentleys?
Walter Owen Bentley, who preferred to be called W.O., was the youngest of nine siblings and was born in 1888. On July 10, 1919, he created the business that bears his name. Nearly a century later, his name is now recognized all over the world for producing automobiles with an unmatched fusion of performance and the best materials and craftsmanship. The man who radically altered the automotive industry is profiled below.
W.O. Bentley started Bentley Motors. In 1919, the first automobile bearing his name rolled out of New Street Mews in London.
The business grew steadily from humble origins in its tireless pursuit of excellence and luxury. This combination could seem contradictory if not for the company’s five triumphs at Le Mans in the 1920s and its sixth in 2003. Then it might be mentioned that Bentley continues to produce the most renowned contradictions on the road right now.
Nearly a century later, W.O.’s vision still directs our attitudes, deeds, and goals. Bentley Motors, based in Crewe, England, and owned by Volkswagen AG since 1998, continues to be the world’s most coveted high performance grand tourer manufacturer.
The Power of Steam
W.O. Bentley has always loved being in motion. When he was nine years old, he purchased a used bicycle and disassembled it to figure out how it operated. But trains were where his true interest resided. At the age of 16, he dropped out of school to begin an apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway. He eventually realized his childhood dream of working on a steam locomotive’s footplate, throwing coal into the firebox to maintain the steam pressure. After five years, he finished his apprenticeship, but by that time, his focus had changed to driving.
W.O. purchased a Quadrant motorcycle while still employed by the railway, and along with two of his brothers, he enthusiastically got into racing. He practiced on the roads early in the morning when police speed traps weren’t in operation. He participated in the London-Edinburgh trial in 1907 and, although breaking down just outside Edinburgh, was able to fix the bike and complete the race in time to earn a gold medal. Additional gold medals were won at the 1908 London-Plymouth and London-End Land’s trials. W.O. improved the performance of engines as his passion for racing grew, and the official Rex team adopted his changes to a Speed model Rex since they were so effective.