New Delhi:- Bentley and Rolls-Royce are probably the most famous British luxury car manufacturers. They are as strikingly different as they are strikingly similar, a history that is the result of an enduring link in the early 1930s when Bentley was bought by Rolls-Royce. Another thing that both luxury cars have in common is the fact that they were both developed by automotive pioneers driven by a passion for cars and technology.
About Bentley:- Bentley was founded in 1919 by W.O. Bentley and his brother H.M. Bentley. Their first sports car (or more precisely the chassis) - the Bentley 3 Liter - was unveiled at the London Motor Show that same year and the first car was delivered in 1921. Although considerably larger than other sports cars of the time, its innovative technology saw the Bentley 3-litre quickly end the dominance of small sports cars in racing, leading to the formation of the so-called Bentley Boys.
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It has attracted widespread attention from car enthusiasts. And it was one of the Bentley Boys, Wolf Bernath, who overcame the company's financial difficulties. He was forced to relinquish ownership of the company and become an employee instead.
Under Barnath, Bentley produced five of his other models, including the famous Speed His Six, the most successful racing Bentley of all time. After his Speed Six victory at Le Mans in 1930, it would be 73 years before Bentley won Le Mans again.
Rolls Royce:- Rolls-Royce was founded in 1904 by Sir Henry Royce and Charles Rolls. Like Bentley, Rolls-Royce quickly caught the attention of car enthusiasts. But unlike Bentley, Rolls-Royce focused on pure luxury, especially after introducing the iconic Silver Ghost with its own aluminum bodywork.
And while Bentley struggled financially, Rolls-Royce survived the stock market crash of 1929, even though it had to close its U.S. factories. However, Charles Rolls died in a car accident in 1910 at the age of 32, and Rolls-Royce lost one of its founders early on.
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Acquisition of Bentley by Rolls-Royce:- Bentley was devastated by the Great Depression, and in 1931 Bernath informed his financiers that he could no longer pay his guaranteed debts. A court appointed a liquidator for Bentley, and in November 1931 Bentley was bought by the Central Equitable Trust of Great Britain (which was actually Rolls-Royce).
With the acquisition of Bentley by Rolls-Royce, the future development of both automakers was closely linked, as Bentley was dependent on the owners of Rolls-Royce. However, this has proven not to affect the brand. In the same way that Rolls-Royce continues to be associated with pure luxury, Bentley continues to be associated with the best sports cars and high performance for an enhanced driving experience.
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The story of Rolls-Royce and Bentley can still go on in the future but the reality doesn’t change. BMW owns Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen owns Bentley but they still are the most luxurious brands in the world selling the costliest vehicles.