Recommended Retail Price: $358,000 (model tested)
Options fitted: Four seat model, no charge.
- by Karl Peskett
It seems that, in the automotive world, keeping grudges would not be a clever move. Damaging to prospects of unification, recalling the past politically can hinder growth that would only be of benefit in the long term.
Walter Owen Bentley, or “W.O.” as he was affectionately known, used to manufacture engine components for the British Sopwith Camel - an aircraft of dubious maneuverability - used extensively in World War 1 when the British were fighting the Germans.
Some have said that W.O. would turn in his grave if he knew that it was a German company that now owned the rights to his British namesake marque. But look at what Volkswagen has achieved. Along with the re-invigoration of the Arnage, the VW Group has introduced the Continental GT, Continental Flying Spur, the Azure convertible and the new Continental GTC convertible.
Bentley has been bailed out a few times. The brothers Bentley won Le Mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930 - taking the first four places in 1929. Yet despite their apparent success, financial difficulty ensued. In 1931, just before Bentley was to close the doors, Rolls-Royce stepped in and bought the Bentley name.
After years of being built side by side at Crewe in England, Rolls-Royce gradually let Bentley slip, until most recently, Volkswagen came to the rescue in 1998. The synergy was effective, allowing British craftsmanship to combine with German engineering and reliability, producing a car that even W.O. would have been proud of.
Bentley has been very careful to stick to the formula that made the company famous - extremely powerful yet smooth engine, luxurious interior, predictable, sporty suspension, and road presence. In 1952, Bentley introduced the R-Type Continental, a two-door coupe which was followed in 1957 by the Continental Flying Spur. Echoing this, in 2002 the Continental GT was released, followed in 2005 by the Flying Spur.
