The history of Bentley – Part two
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.
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