BENTLEY (England) 1920 to date
One of the truly great British sports cars, the first Bentley appeared
at the 1919 Motor Show but did not reach the public until 1921.
This car was a long-stroke ohc 3 litre model, having a fixed head
and four valves per cylinder. Although this remained in production
until 1929, the next model was a more sophisticated six-cylinder
6 1/2 litre car which appeared in 1926. W. O. Bentley reverted to
his four-cylinder theme with the 4 1/2 litre of 1927 (and supercharged
by Sir Henry Birkin for 1930) though the mighty 8 litre of 1930
was a further development of the 6 1/2 litre layout.
Although today the Bentley represents to most of us the personification
of the Vintage sports car, many were fitted with stately and elegant
saloon bodywork. However; the open four-seater cars are forever
associated with the Le Mans 24 hour race. The Cricklewood company
chalked up no less than five wins in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and
1930, the last three victories going to a car driven by Woolf Barnato,
who had taken the company under his financial wing in 1927.
The results of the depression of 1929 were the last straw as far
as the company's finances were concerned, and in 1931 they were
bought by Rolls-Royce for £125,265, pipping Napier to the post.
In 1933, when the first Rolls-Royce-built Bentley appeared, it was
based on the Derby company's 3.7 litre 20/25 model: 1936 saw this
capacity increased to 4 1/2 litres. Independent front suspension
put in a brief appearance in 1940 on the Mark V car.
The first post-war model, the Mark VI; was the same capacity (4257cc)
as its pre-war counterpart, though the engine featured an overhead
inlet/side exhaust layout. It was offered with a standard steel
body by Pressed Steel; the first Rolls-Royce product to be so equipped.
Although 1952 saw the announcement of the 4566cc Mulliner-bodied
Continental, the marque's identity became more closely allied to
Rolls-Royce and 1960 saw the disappearance of the faithful six;
this being replaced by a 6.2 litre V-8.
In 1979 the current models use a 6750cc V-8 engine; the Corniche
is available in saloon and convertible form, and the T series car
shares the same monocoque body as the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow.
1949 Bentley Mk VI Drop Head Coupe
Pinin Farina
1950 Bentley Mark VI
1950 Bentley Mark VI
1955 Bentley S1
1983 Bentley Mulsanne
Turbo
1990 Bentley Mulsanne S
1990 Bentley Turbo R
©VEA
|
