Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2013 Bentley is known as a British luxury car brand\ncombining high performance with traditional craftsmanship, but its\nstatus remains a subject of debate, particularly since its ownership\nchanged nearly 30 years ago.<\/p>\n
Founded in 1919, Bentley built its reputation on high-performance\nluxury cars and victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours in the 1920s. However,\nthe Great Depression following the Wall Street Crash of 1929 brought the\ncompany to its knees, and it was taken over by rival Rolls-Royce,\nCarscoops reported on Saturday (17 October), local time.<\/p>\n
For the next six decades, Bentley cars used Rolls-Royce chassis and\nengines. Nevertheless, Bentley continued to develop its own identity,\nincluding with the 1952 R-Type Continental, which inspired today\u2019s\nContinental GT.<\/p>\n
In 1998, Vickers, then the owner of Rolls-Royce and Bentley, decided\nto sell both brands. BMW, which had been supplying V12 engines, offered\n\u00a3340 million (Rp8.18 trillion) to acquire them. However, another German\ncarmaker, Volkswagen, also had plans for the two British luxury\nbrands.<\/p>\n
Volkswagen bid \u00a3430 million (Rp10.3 trillion), outbidding BMW to take\nover the factory in Crewe, England, along with the cars of both brands,\nthe Spirit of Ecstasy mascot and Rolls-Royce\u2019s iconic grille.<\/p>\n
BMW, however, had already reached an agreement with Rolls-Royce plc,\nthe aircraft-engine company, to obtain a licence to use the Rolls-Royce\nname for \u00a340 million (Rp962.4 billion).<\/p>\n
The two German companies eventually agreed to divide the assets. BMW\ntook over Rolls-Royce and built a new factory in Goodwood, while\nVolkswagen operated Bentley from the old plant in Crewe.<\/p>\n
Bentleys have continued to be made at the Pyms Lane facility in\nEngland rather than being moved to Germany. To this day, all Bentley\nmodels, from the Bentayga SUV to the Batur Convertible, are produced\nthere.<\/p>\n
There is one exception. Strong demand for the Flying Spur following\nits launch in 2005, and a renewed surge in demand in 2013, led Bentley\nto produce a small number of cars at Volkswagen\u2019s factory in Dresden,\nGermany, to fulfil orders.<\/p>\n
Modern Bentleys still use a great deal of German technology. The\nBentayga shares its platform with the Porsche Cayenne, while the\nContinental GT and Flying Spur use the same architecture as the Porsche\nPanamera.<\/p>\n
The 6.75-litre V8 engine, a Bentley hallmark since the Rolls-Royce\nera, was discontinued in 2020. Bentley now uses Volkswagen 3.0-litre V6\nand 4.0-litre V8 engines made in mainland Europe. Its body structures\nare also imported from Germany, with some previously produced in\nSlovakia.<\/p>\n
Even so, Bentley\u2019s distinctive character is evident in its paintwork,\ntrim and Mulliner personalisation. Following an investment of \u00a3350\nmillion (Rp8.4 trillion), the Crewe plant now has a modern paint\nfacility, a new engineering technical centre and a production line for\nthe Torcal, Bentley\u2019s first electric car.<\/p>\n
Since 2021, Bentley has been under Audi\u2019s control as part of\nVolkswagen\u2019s Progressive division. Nevertheless, it continues to\nmaintain its production base and British roots.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bentley-remains-british-despite-now-being-owned-by-volkswagen-1792299044", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }