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| Bentley (1919) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bentley (1919) |
| Manufacturer | Bentley Motors Limited |
| Production | 1919–1931 |
| Assembly | Cricklewood, London |
| Predecessor | None |
| Successor | Lagonda |
| Class | Luxury vehicle |
| Body style | Various |
| Engine | Inline-four and inline-six engines |
| Designer | W.O. Bentley |
Bentley (1919) Bentley (1919) was the founding model line of Bentley Motors Limited, established by W.O. Bentley after service in World War I and with early workshops in Cricklewood. The marque quickly became synonymous with Grand Prix and 24 Hours of Le Mans competition, attracting patrons such as Vanderbilt family-era industrialists and motoring enthusiasts from Brooklands and Goodwood. Its emergence influenced contemporaries including Rolls-Royce, Sunbeam, Riley Motor, and Aston Martin.
Bentley Motors Limited was founded amid post-Armistice reconstruction by W.O. Bentley, drawing personnel from Clutton coachworks and engineers with wartime experience at Royal Aircraft Factory and Aston Martin workshops. Early capital came from figures connected to Napier & Son and Dunlop, enabling development of road and racing chassis that contested events at Brooklands, Montlhéry, and Le Mans. Successes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and entries in Mille Miglia elevated Bentley above rivals such as Hispano-Suiza and Bentley Boys era personalities like John Duff and Woolf Barnato became emblematic patrons and competitors. Financial strains during the Great Depression and shifting markets culminated in the acquisition by Rolls-Royce Limited in 1931.
The engineering philosophy emphasized robust internal combustion engine design with large-displacement inline engines, durable chassis frames, and long-stroke crankshafts influenced by W.O. Bentley's work with aero engines at Royal Naval Air Service contractors. Early powerplants shared design language with contemporaneous engines from Sunbeam Motor Car Company and Napier & Son, featuring advanced combustion chamber profiling and twin-ignition options similar to R-type aero practice. Suspension used semi-elliptic leaf springs and rigid axles comparable to Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost arrangements, while braking systems evolved from transmission brakes to four-wheel servo-assisted systems paralleling innovations from Lockheed and Girling. Coachwork was supplied by coachbuilders such as Vanden Plas, H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward, and Gurney Nutting.
The model range included early four-cylinder chassis like the 3 Litre and enlarged six-cylinder variants culminating in the 6½ Litre and supercharged "Blower" models developed alongside contemporaries from Alfa Romeo, Cooper-Bentley tuners, and Talbot. Roadgoing iterations featured saloon and tourer bodywork by Freestone and Webb and Barker (coachbuilder), while racing specials were prepared for endurance events by privateers connected to Bentley Boys circles and aristocratic teams from Ecurie Ecosse-style groups. Variant designations corresponded to bore and stroke changes, carburetion setups like those used by Zenith (carburettor), and later supercharging experiments echoing Roots blower technology. Limited special editions and lightweight chassis were commissioned by customers including industrial figures with links to Vickers and Armstrong Siddeley.
Manufacture concentrated at the Cricklewood works, with component supply chains tied to Dunlop, Lucas Industries, Shell plc fuel specifications, and specialist foundries in Birmingham. Production techniques blended hand-crafted coachbuilding traditions exemplified by Hooper (coachbuilder) with precision machining routines influenced by wartime ordnance plants such as Vickers and Short Brothers. Output numbers were modest compared with mass-market manufacturers like Ford, reflecting a bespoke process that engaged craftsmen from Fleet Street-era workshops and attracted commissions from European markets including Paris and Berlin. The financial model relied on wealthy clientele from United States and British Empire circuits, but maintenance and parts distribution networks proved costly during interwar economic downturns.
Upon debut, the marque received acclaim in trade journals that also covered Autocar (magazine), The Times, and Motor (magazine), praised by drivers accustomed to Bentley Boys exploits and endurance victories at Le Mans against rival marques like Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, and Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq. Collectors and historians cite the period models as progenitors of later sport-luxury concepts exemplified by Jaguar and Aston Martin grand tourers; surviving examples are prized at auctions held by Bonhams, Christie's, and RM Sotheby's with provenance tracing to owners such as Woolf Barnato and aristocratic European houses. The marque’s endurance racing pedigree influenced postwar motorsport strategy at later iterations and remains a cultural touchstone in museums like the National Motor Museum, Science Museum, London, and private collections across United Kingdom, France, and United States.