CITY OF LE MANS RENAMES STREET ‘RUE DES BENTLEY BOYS’ AS BENTLEY CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE AT 24 HOURS OF LE MANS

CITY OF LE MANS RENAMES STREET ‘RUE DES BENTLEY BOYS’ AS BENTLEY CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS CONTINUE AT 24 HOURS OF LE MANS

The illustrious racing heritage of Bentley Motors is being honoured at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans – the world’s greatest motorsport event. Today, to mark the company’s Centenary and the brand’s close association with the race, the City of Le Mans renamed a street in honour of the indomitable ‘Bentley Boys’ who won five Le Mans 24-hour races between 1924 and 1930, and their successors who took the laurels in 2003.

On Saturday, 25 Bentley motor cars from across the marque’s last century will drive the Parade Lap at the beginning of this year’s race. They will be led by the all-new Flying Spur in its Global Dynamic debut, and the 2003 Le Mans race-winning EXP Speed 8.

A trackside display entitled ‘Bentley Through The Decades’ will also be a major highlight of the 87th running of the endurance race this weekend in France. Among the legendary Bentley models will be previous Le Mans race entries, including Bentley Motor’s Birkin Team Car; the legendary 1927 3-Litre No 2 Team Car from the 1930 race and the 1926 3-Litre Team Car No 8. EXP 2, the oldest surviving Bentley, will also be on display. Although it never raced at Le Mans, it is the most successful racing Bentley ever with 11 first and 7-second places to its name.

A new display on Bentley’s racing heritage will also open in the trackside 24 Hours of Le Mans Museum. Honouring Bentley’s six famous victories at the event the display will showcase a replica Speed 8 and Speed 6 and will run until September 2019.

Bentley Boys Honoured In Le Mans

Today, Bentley has been honoured by the City of Le Mans, which has renamed one of its major streets in memory of the company’s illustrious racing heritage. Rue de Laigne becomes ‘Rue des Bentley Boys’ paying homage to the group of wealthy young men who raced W.O. Bentley’s fast and dependable cars in the early 20th Century, and their 21st Century successors.

During the 1920s, Bentley enjoyed great success on the racetrack and also broke many speed records. It brought W.O.s new company front page recognition, none more so than the company’s first Le Mans victory in 1924.

W.O. worked with ‘Bentley Boy’ John Duff to prepare for the 1924 endurance race, travelling to France to watch his car take the company’s first chequered flag at Le Mans. The dashing Bentley Boys went on to win four more consecutive races from 1927 to 1930, dominating the Golden Era of Le Mans racing and delivering one of the sport’s greatest achievements.

After an absence of 73 years, Bentley returned to contest Le Mans in 2001 and won the race in 2003. 

The Mayor of Le Mans, M.Stéphane Le Foll, led the re-naming ceremony and was joined by representatives of Auto Club de l’Ouest President M.Pierre Fillon, Bentley’s Director of Motorsport, Brian Gush, Bentley’s Head of Heritage Collection, Robin Peel and several current day ‘Bentley Boys’.

Global Dynamic Debut of All-New Flying Spur

Le Mans will host the global dynamic debut of the all-new Flying Spur on Saturday 15 June, as it demonstrates its sporting capabilities as Pace Car in the pre-race Parade Lap of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Driven by Chris Craft, Bentley's Member of the Board for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, it will lead more than 20 historic and current Bentley models from the company’s first 100 years around the historic racetrack in front of hundreds of thousands of motor racing fans from around the globe.

The all-new, All-Wheel Drive Flying Spur is an extraordinary Grand Tourer with unparalleled agility. Designed, engineered and handcrafted in Britain, the sports sedan sets new standards for both driving enjoyment and luxury.

It is the very first Bentley to feature All-Wheel Steering, enhancing both stability at cruising speeds and agility around town. The new, all-wheel drive Flying Spur is a ground-up development that sets a new benchmark for technology and craftsmanship in the luxury sector.

Two Special Le Mans Displays

Located on the track’s famous Dunlop Curve, a ‘Bentley Through The Decades’ static display on Friday (June 14) will feature a host of special Bentley models from the last 100 years. In addition to the EXP 2 and the 1927 Team Car, the display includes the Team Blower, an R-Type Continental, a Series 1 FS Continental and the EXP Speed 8 that won at Le Mans in 2003.

Before the start of the 87th 24 Hours of Le Mans, the prestigious Parade Lap on Saturday (June 15) will also be dominated by Bentley cars. Other models to join the all-new Flying Spur on the track circuit will include the EXP 2, the 1925 3 Litre ‘Speed’, the 4 ½ Blower, the 3 Litre Team Car, a Brooklands and a Continental GT3-R.

100 Years Of Extraordinary

From Le Mans victories, through to the incredibly powerful road cars of the modern era, all of Bentley’s extraordinary cars have innovation hand-built into them. July 10, 2019 marks Bentley’s 100th year - an extraordinary milestone achieved by only a few companies.

The Le Mans celebrations are just part of a year-long series of special activities, with celebrations at other events around the world. They will showcase Bentley’s motoring evolution over the last 100 years, highlighting its global success today and the exciting future of innovation ahead.

TRAINS, PLANES AND AUTOMOBILES: THE STORY OF BENTLEY’S INNOVATIVE FOUNDER

TRAINS, PLANES AND AUTOMOBILES: THE STORY OF BENTLEY’S INNOVATIVE FOUNDER

W.O. Bentley

 As Bentley marks its Centenary year, the Crewe-based luxury car maker celebrates the life of the innovative British engineer whose drive and ingenuity started it all.

Walter Owen Bentley – or W.O. as he is fondly known – was born in 1888 in London, when horse and carriage was still the most common form of transport. Growing up in a busy household of 11, and despite an undistinguished school career, W.O. used enthusiasm and innovation to succeed. After an apprenticeship on the railways and then in motor racing, the young engineer joined the armed forces, designing the highly regarded BR1 and BR2 rotary engines for military aircraft, including the renowned Sopwith Camel.  

A couple of years later, in 1919, W.O. created a company that would become synonymous with the finest hand-built British motor cars and which, even today, is still the most sought-after luxury car brand in the world.

A Pioneering Spirit

W.O. Bentley was just 16-years-old when he left school and started as an apprentice on the Great Northern Railway. It cost his father the not inconsiderable sum of £75 to enrol his steam-obsessed son as a Premium Apprentice in Doncaster, in the north of England.

He earned 25 pence a week for five years training on the job – although it was 18 months before W.O. finally got to work on the steam engines he loved. Later in his life, W.O. recalled: ‘The underside of a car after a few thousand miles is as hygienic as an operating theatre, compared with a locomotive in for an overhaul!’.

Realising it would be years before he would climb up the pecking order, towards the end of his apprenticeship W.O. decided to explore a new area of transport. With great foresight, he turned his attention away from steam to the rapidly improving internal combustion engine.

Bentley Rotary One (BR1)

W.O. was so enthused with the combustion engine he began racing motorcycles at events around the country, including the famous Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. He went into business with one of his brothers importing French cars, before secretly creating a new alloy of aluminium and copper that would be used to make lighter weight pistons for his own racing car.

His innovative early years in the automotive industry didn’t come without interruption. Commissioned into the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during World War One, W.O. patriotically passed on his lightweight piston idea, which created a more powerful and reliable version of the RNAS’s existing aircraft engine.

Impressed with his efforts, W.O.’s superiors then allowed him to set about designing a new rotary aircraft engine from scratch. He was afforded every available facility to experiment, instructing engineers at the Humber plant in Coventry, England. The engine was a great success and was soon in mass production for the War effort.

That unit became the favourite engine for mounting in the naval version of the famous fighter-scout aircraft, the Sopwith Camel. The single-seater bi-plane flew into the history books and is one of the best-known aircraft of the 20th century.

The engine was initially known as the Admiralty 1 but later it was decided to honour the name of the founder. The Bentley Rotary 1 subsequently became the BR1 – a fitting tribute to W.O.’s inventiveness.

W.O. went on to develop a more powerful 230bhp version called the BR2, a nine-cylinder unit which was fitted to aircraft in great numbers in 1918. The engine was still in use when the War ended and continued to be used in many parts of the world for several years to follow. It was the most powerful rotary engine in military service.

The founding years of Bentley

Having demonstrated a natural ability as an innovative engineer, W.O. took his first steps into the automotive world when the War was over, using his skill to create a car bearing his own name.

When hostilities ended, he was presented with a Commission of Awards To Inventors grant of £8,000 for his vital contribution to the War effort, as well as an MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).

In 1919 W.O. used that capital to fulfil a dream and create his own car company. W.O. built the brand on the guiding principle of creating ‘a fast car, a good car: the best in its class’, a goal he would achieve time and time again.

The Mulsanne W.O. Edition by Mulliner

The Mulsanne W.O. Edition by Mulliner pays homage to the founding father of the company and incorporates a genuine piece of Bentley history in every car.

Inside each of the 100 limited edition Mulsannes, a slice of the original crankshaft taken from W.O. Bentley’s personal 8 Litre car – the last model he designed for Bentley Motors back in 1930 – is displayed.

Bentley’s Centenary – 100 Years of Extraordinary

July 10, 2019, marks Bentley’s 100th year - an extraordinary milestone achieved by only a few companies. To celebrate the occasion, a year-long series of special activities has been planned, with celebrations at events around the world.

These will showcase Bentley’s motoring evolution over the last 100 years, highlighting its global success today and the exciting future ahead – all thanks to one man’s determination and drive for innovation

A CENTURY APART – BENTLEY BEGINS YEAR OF EXCLUSIVE CELEBRATIONS

A CENTURY APART – BENTLEY BEGINS YEAR OF EXCLUSIVE CELEBRATIONS

 As Bentley enters its Centenary year, the oldest remaining and first racing model – EXP 2 – will be displayed at Retromobile, Paris.

The first of many unique events in 2019 that will see Bentley celebrate this landmark year, Retromobile kick-starts the world car show season between 6-10 February at Salon des Expositions, Porte de Versailles.

Showcasing Bentley’s motoring evolution over the past 100 years, the British brand’s stand-in Paris offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore the heritage and the innovation of the British luxury car manufacturer. Joining its illustrious forebear in Paris will be the new Continental GT Convertible – the pinnacle open-top Grand Tourer.

Although separated by 100 years of automotive evolution, the two models share fundamental Bentley characteristics: both are genuine Grand Tourers; both offer sector-defining levels of performance, and both feature innovative technology at their core.

The year, Retromobile celebrates its 44th anniversary, with over 120,000 visitors expected to attend from all over the world. For more information on the event please visit www.retromobile.com.

EXP 2 – The Oldest Surviving & First Racing Bentley

In the first few years of his company’s existence, W.O. Bentley made three prototypes: EXP 1 (EXPerimental No.1) at New Street Mews off Baker Street (which first ran in October 1919); EXP 2 built later that year at Bentley’s new workshop in Cricklewood (cannibalising much of EXP 1): and EXP 3 – better known as ‘The Cab’ and W.O.’s personal car.

A legacy of the Cricklewood era, EXP 2 is the oldest Bentley in existence. As the second Bentley to ever be made, its debut was at the 1919 Olympia Motor Show and is a landmark car in the brand’s 100-year history.

Drawing influence from W.O. Bentley’s pre-war competition experience – when he pioneered the use of aluminium pistons – EXP 2 is also the brand’s first car to win a race, powered by a 3.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a top speed of 80 mph.

Frank Clement, W.O.’s development engineer and racing driver, won the Junior Sprint Handicap at Brooklands on 16 May 1921 in EXP2 – the first recorded racing victory for Bentley. Clement not only took the brand’s maiden win at the famous banked circuit but also saw off some famous names in the process.

2019 Calendar of Heritage Events

As Bentley commemorates 100 extraordinary years, brand enthusiasts will be able to join the celebrations at a number of events hosted around the world – showcasing the best of Bentley past and present.

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION
44th Salon Rétromobile	6-10 February	Paris, France
13th Annual Boca Concours d’Elegance	22-24 February	Boca Raton, Florida, US
W.O. Bonhams exhibition	11 April	London
Bentley Drivers Club Centenary Extraordinary Drive	15-31 March	Castle of Mey – Crewe – London
Benjafield Racing Club, W.O. race	13 April	Silverstone race track
Mille Miglia	15-18 May	Brescia – Rome – Brescia, IT
24 Hours of Le Mans	15-16 June	Le Mans, France
RREC Annual Rally & Concours	21 June	Burghley house, England
Chantilly Arts & Elegance	30 June	Chantilly, France
RROC National Meeting	22-27 July	Detroit, US
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance	21-26 August	Carmel, California, US
Salon Privé Concours d'Elegance	6-8 September	Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, UK

Bentley’s Centenary – 100 Years of Extraordinary

In 1919 Walter Owen (W.O.) Bentley created a company with a simple objective: to build “a fast car, a good car, the best in its class”. This guiding principle has driven Bentley ever since, pushing the brand forward and making it the leader in automotive luxury around the world today.

The 10th of July 2019 marks Bentley’s 100th year and this extraordinary milestone – reached by only a special few companies – will be a cause for celebration of the company’s history, its global success today and its exciting future

100 YEARS OF BENTLEY CAPTURED ON ICONIC CAMERA

100 YEARS OF BENTLEY CAPTURED ON ICONIC CAMERA

• Iconic Polaroid 20x24 Land Camera photographs Bentley models
• Bentley first automotive brand to be shot with the legendary device
• Landmark camera famously used by artists and photorealists
• Hollywood celebrities and world leaders have faced Land Camera lens
• Exclusive imagery to be used in special chapter of limited edition Bentley Centenary Opus book
• More information at www.thisisopus.com/Bentley

Bringing together landmark vehicles and iconic camera technology for the first time, the pioneering Polaroid 20x24 Land Camera has been used to photograph famous Bentley models for a limited edition Opus book celebrating the British brand’s centenary.

While the ground-breaking camera has been used previously to capture Hollywood celebrities and world leaders, this is the first time that the world’s largest Polaroid camera has been used to photograph an automotive brand.

Having transformed instant photography by offering large-scale, one-of-a-kind originals with incredibly rich colours, tremendous detail, and exquisitely shallow focus, the landmark Polaroid Land Camera has been used by the world’s foremost photorealists and photographers.

The Bentley models captured during this one-off photo shoot include EXP 2 of 1919 (the oldest surviving Bentley); 1952’s R-Type Continental; the 8 Litre of 1930; and the Le Mans-winning Speed 8 from 2003. The final car to be shot was the recently launched, all-new Continental GT.

This exclusive imagery will be used to create a special chapter in the forthcoming Bentley Centenary Opus book. For more information including pre-orders and reservations please visit www.thisisopus.com/Bentley.

Polaroid 20x24 Land Camera – A Truly Iconic Camera

The creation of the Polaroid 20x24 Land Camera in 1976 was an iconic moment in modern photography.

At 1.5 metres tall and weighing 107 kgs, the 20x24 Land Camera is the world’s largest Polaroid camera, and one of only five built.

Due to the finite amount of 20x24 Polaroid film left in the world, after capturing the history of Bentley for the forthcoming Centenary Opus limited edition book, this iconic camera will be retired and take up a museum residence.

Bentley Opus – An Extraordinary Book

While Bentley’s glorious Le Mans victories of the 1920s, iconic models of the past and the extraordinary people who created them are celebrated in full, the Opus book is far more than simply a historical record – it is also a celebration of the future of Bentley.

The publishers were given unprecedented access to Bentley’s designers, engineers and executives who will be defining the future of automotive luxury, as the marque enters its second century.

The Bentley Centenary Opus will weigh a substantial 30 kilograms and feature pages of up to half a metre square to do justice to the never-seen-before imagery, with special gatefold pages measuring two metres across.

The Bentley Centenary Opus will be available in three special distinct versions: the ‘Mulliner’ and ‘Centenary’ limited editions will be presented in the largest print format, while the ‘Crewe’ edition will be offered in a more accessible size. All three editions will be delivered in early 2019.

Bentley – The First 100 Extraordinary Years

Born in 1888, founder W.O. Bentley grew up as an engineering enthusiast. It was no surprise to people who knew him that W.O. eventually turned his attention to building cars that would satisfy his own extraordinary expectations as a driver, an engineer and a gentleman.

Bentley Motors was established in 1919 and by September 1921 the first production model was proudly delivered to its owner, Noel van Raalte, at a cost of £1,050. The car carried Bentley’s hallmark radiator casing and Flying ‘B’ insignia.

The Bentley models of the 1920s became some of the most distinctive cars of the era. W.O. also became a fan of developing racing engines and his cars famously triumphed at Brooklands, Indianapolis and the Isle of Man. The legendary achievements of the Bentley Boys brought success at Le Mans on five occasions.

From modest beginnings, Bentley has moved from strength to strength in the relentless pursuit of both luxury and performance. Handbuilt in Crewe, England, Bentley remains the definitive British luxury car company.

A new film honouring the decades of innovation, achievement and craftsmanship entitled ‘Together we are Extraordinary: The Story of Bentley Motors’ can be viewed at www.BentleyMotors.com/100Years

Source: Bentley Motors