Due to the style and elegance associated with Bentley motor vehicles, it is no surprise that many of the most lavishly paid people in the world decide to opt to invest in their brand. This is particularly the case for some of the most well known faces from the Premier League, all of whom are eager to splash the cash around and really live up to their superstar image.

It is therefore know surprise that Cristiano Ronaldo is a massive Bentley fan, and it has recently been announced that the Manchester United star is to sell his 2007 Bentley Continental GTC in favour of the GT Speed version – costing him an estimated one hundred and thirty thousand pounds.

Anybody who is wishing to purchase Ronaldo’s previous vehicle must be willing to spend around £100k at a Bolton based dealer which is a thirty three thousand pound reduction from it’s original price.

The Manchester United playmaker has certainly had a busy month in terms of his motoring transactions, in addition to his Bentley purchase, he has spend an estimated £340k to secure a Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe and a further £150k on the registration plate CR7.

One worrying factor for Manchester United fans however is the fact that he has traded in his old red Bentley for an upgraded light blue model, and with their city rivals allegedly preparing a massive £135m bid for his services, does the move symbolise more than just a change of car?

This does however exemplify the fact that the Bentley hire and Rolls Royce Phantom hire which we offer here at Finishing Touch Cars represents some of the most sought after vehicles in the country. So if you want to experience the Ronaldo lifestyle and take part in an unforgettable trip, then please do call us to discuss your exact requirements.

The transition from childhood into adulthood is an exciting one, and one which will generate memories which will last a lifetime.

For many people, it will be a time of saying goodbye to old school friends and possibly friends in general if they are planning to move away, possibly to study at University.

For others, it will be a time for meeting new friends, particularly if they are entering the world of work and embracing all of the challenges within that.

As a result of this massive life change, 18th birthdays tend to be very special affairs and ones which are celebrated to a greater degree than many others. It is common for there to be both family and friend gatherings to be conducted and for a special gift to be presented by the parents

However, to make this event even more memorable then why not hire one of our luxury limos to escort your close friends on your big night out. In particular, the pink Hummer limo is ideal for that special party and is well renowned as the ultimate way to travel to such events.

If you are planning something a little more low key then our eclectic range of limo hire options will also be able to provide the ideal vehicle to suit your needs – a romantic evening with your partner will be spectacularly accompanied with Bentley hire for example.

No matter how you choose to celebrate your symbolic birthday, make sure that you enjoy it and create the memories which will last a lifetime.

Bentley hire is quite possibly the most stylish way in which you can arrive at that special location. Whether this be a suave dinner engagement, an important function, or indeed your wedding day. No vehicle will ooze more style and ooze respect than a Bentley will.

As a result, the perfect accompaniment to the Bentley is champagne – especially a type which is as elegant as the vehicle itself.

Imagine being escorted to that important event in the back of one of the world’s most sought after vehicles sipping champagne and watching all the heads turning as you cherish every single moment. There is no doubt that Bentley hire and champagne are the perfect combination and as a result, we can help you arrange the trip which dreams are made from.

Many people associate the Bentley limos which more mature people in terms of their age, but this not the case any longer. Anyone who has even a limited knowledge of limos and the motor car industry in general will appreciate Bentley’s reputation and will be drawn in by it. As a result, more and more people of all ages are investing in Bentley hire and are realising why the vehicles are amongst the world leaders in the limo hire industry.

You will struggle to think of many nights out which ooze more style and sophistication than a trip to the theatre. Many people attend numerous shows a year and enjoy the prestige and excitement of being able to see world renowned shows right here within the West Midlands.

The theatre has shrugged off it’s elitist perception over recent decades and is now well within the budgets of many people – as a result popularity is soaring.

One of the most popular theatres within the area is the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton and they have recently announced their schedule for the rest of 2008.

This includes Flashdance, All the Fun of the Fair and The Witches of Eastwick. These are sure to be popular events and will exemplify the stylish perception which previous productions have elicited.

It is quite common for people to hire limos to transport them to the theatre, as this adds to the sophistication of the night – particularly with Bentley hire which is incredibly fitting to the occasion.

The theatre is a wonderful night out and one which our stylish limos would accompany perfectly.

As always, should you have any queries with regard to this or any other limo hire issue, then do not hesitate to contact us.

One of most popular targets for limo hire is the stylish Bentley Arnage. Just the phrase Bentley elcits so many connotations, which result in a feeling of professionalism, style and trust. Much of this stems from Bentley’s illustrious history which we have previously documented within these articles.

The Arnage has been produced by the Bentley plant within Crewe, Cheshire and was unleashed in the spring of 1998. These were very eagerly anticipated due to the fact that the Arnage was the first completely new design to be unveiled for close on twenty years.

The new range was fired by a BMW V8 together with Cosworth twin turbo installation which marked a distinctive break from previous releases.

The spectacular vehicle is over five metres in length and almost two metres wide – weighing in excess of two and a half tonnes. When released it was to hold the distinctive accolade of being the fastest and most powerful four door saloon around.

Today, as with all Bentley products, the Arnage remains a firm favourite for those who want to create an element of style of sophistication into their big event as well as a considerable volume of luxury.

Bentley hire remains one of the most popular ways to mark you special event in a way which is dignified and memorable.

Many people assume that the trans-Atlantic credit crunch, which is currently affecting millions of people, is confined to low income households. However, news this week proves that this is also affecting the spending of some of the world’s wealthiest companies.

Franz-Josef Paefgen, CEO for Bentley cars, has highlighted the fact that the current economic climate is beginning to affect the level of sales being conducted in the US – the companies largest market.

Traditionally, vehicles of such luxury and prestige are assumed to be less likely to feel the peaks and troughs of economic cycles. This is mainly due to the fact that the type of people who invest in a Bentley car tend to be financially very secure and are not particularly influenced by cost themselves.

Yet Paefgen has stated that the company are experiencing a reduction in the demand for Bentley vehicles in two critical areas of the US – New York and California. It is entirely possible that if this trend continues, or deepens even further, then the full effect of this would be felt within the production site at Crewe in Cheshire.

Statistics have indicated that around four thousand five hundred Bentley cars are sold in the US each year – this equates to just under half of their total annual sales level.

Despite this, demand in the UK continues to be stable and the amount of people investing in Bentley hire for their special occasions is actual rising.  Their cars will always be at the forefront of people’s minds when hiring a limo, due to their elegance and notoriety which has stood the test of time. With this in mind, it is hard to see the current trends in the limousine industry altering too drastically.

In this third and final blog on the history of Bentley, we look at their recent developments and document just how they remain a firm favourite within the Birmingham limos industry.

Ten years ago Bentley was to undergo yet another takeover bid. This time, German car giants Volkswagen beat off some fierce competition from rivals BMW to secure both Bentley Motors and Rolls-Royce for the cool sum of £430m.

Yet problems arose due to the fact that just prior to the takeover, BMW had begun supplying the companies with a range of components for their vehicles. After a long period of deliberation, Volkswagen and BMW came to the mutual agreement that the manufacturing wing of Rolls-Royce and Bentley would remain with Volkswagen for the following four years. At this point, the responsibility for producing Rolls-Royce cars would be given exclusively to BMW.

As a result, Volkswagen’s dependence on BMW was allowed to deteriorate between 1998 and 2002 to the extent that by the start of 2003 Bentley cars no longer contain engines made by BMW.

Over the past five years, the Bentley brand has gone from strength to strength, consolidating their position as Britain’s most prestigious supplier of high performance vehicles. As a result of this their models are always in high demand within the limo hire industry, as well as the private market.

Financially, Bentley are as secure as they have ever been – last year the company broke the 10,000 sales mark for the first time in their history and announced previously unparalleled profit levels.

Bentley had been acquired by Rolls Royce under the pseudonym British Central Equitable Trust and it is an amazing fact that founder W O Bentley was unaware of who the true buyer was until after the transaction was completed.

The era of Bentley Motors had finally come to an end and a new company – Bentley Motors (1931) Ltd took its place at the forefront of the performance cars and limos trade.

Four years later, with Walter Bentley having emigrated to Lagonda, it was decided that production should be transferred from the Cricklewood site to a much more modern setting in Derby. Yet with the gradual deterioration of European relations, and the British public’s unwilling acceptance that war was imminent, Bentley’s immediate future was uncertain yet again.

Following the culmination of the Second World War, the production location changed yet again – this time moving to a former engine factory within the Cheshire town of Crewe. Yet sadly, Bentley increasingly played a supporting act where Rolls-Royce took centre stage in terms of quantity of production. In fact by the start of the 1980s, sales had plummeted to the extent where they represented just five prevent of previous levels.

Yet, Bentley were far from beaten and during the 1980s they experienced a renaissance period which catapulted them back into the forefront of the high performance car and limo hire industries. Their new “sporty” image accurately reflected the trends of the time as well as representing the latest advancements in technology and innovation.

By the start of the 1990s, the proportion of Bentley’s produced in comparison to Rolls-Royce’s was 50:50 – the brand had successfully conquered all the challenges which had been thrown at them and emerged at the forefront of the British motor industry once again.

Bentley hire is one of the most luxurious and stylish ways you can travel to your special event. The prestige associated with travelling in a Bentley results largely from their illustrious history as well as their perfectionist workmanship.

In a series of blogs we will document the tumultuous history of arguably Britain’s greatest producer of high performance cars

Bentley Motors was officially born on 18th January 1919, in the wake of the First World War by Walter Owen Bentley. Yet Bentley already had a distinguished history within the transport industry prior to this with a successful and innovative range of rotary-aero engines which were employed on the battlefields of The Great War – the most triumphant being the Bentley BR1.

The new company produced a chassis complete with a prototype engine in October 1919 with their first orders being received for the following June. Yet, the fledging business hit some technical problems and their release was to be delayed by three months. This was hardly the start Bentley would have dreamt of, although he had the confidence and conviction in his ideas to persevere.

Technical frustrations were to be superseded by financial hardship however and during the mid 1920’s it was unclear whether these may have proved to be the end of Bentley Motors.

Thankfully however, a saviour was found in the form of Woolf Barnato – a millionaire who invested much of his wealth in the company such was his belief in their ultimate success.

Yet with the onset of the Great Depression during the late 1920s the demand for luxury items such as cars began to dwindle. As Britain tightened their belts and their wallets, Bentley faced yet another financial crisis.

They were saved by been taken over by Rolls Royce in 1931 which marked a new era in the development of Bentley Motor Cars.

Here at Finishing Touch the Bentley Arnage has been available for hire for nearly four years now. In fact we must have been of the first companies in Birmingham to add the Bentley to our wedding car hire fleet. (more…)