What have Bentley got to do with Rolls-Royce?
Bentley was founded by W O Bentley after WW1, produced a famous line of fast sports-touring cars, won several Le Mans races, and went bust in the Depression. The company was purchased by Rolls-Royce in 1931. Conspiracy theorists have it that Rolls-Royce bought Bentley to suppress the new, impressive 8-litre Bentley, which threatened to take sales from the similar-sized Rolls-Royce Phantom 1. Far more likely is that Rolls-Royce wanted to broaden their market by appealing to wealthy young sports, who thought that Rolls-Royces were for elderly dowagers. They wanted Bentley’s image, and Bentley’s wealthy, sporty young customers.Until WW2, Bentley cars were different from their Rolls-Royce stable mates. They used the “small” Rolls-Royce engine and gearbox in a much lower and lighter sporty chassis, to give high performance with Rolls-Royce refinement. They were known as The Silent Sports Car, or as Derby Bentleys (after where they were built) or, in the public’s mind at the time, “Rolls-Ben
