If you are a Gen Xer, the Bentley name invokes Rolls-Royce knock-offs that eventually were turbo’d. If you’re a Boomer, maybe an early 1950s Bentley Type R Continental resonates, if not Bentley’s many wins at Le Mans. And if you’re a Millennial, you think of Bentley as the company owned by Volkswagen that builds chunky fastbacks with unusual W12 engines. Bentley embraces all of its legacy, which is why the brand has opened the doors to its new Heritage Garage to display 103 years of history.
Says Head of Bentley’s Heritage Collection, Mike Sayer, “As we continue to evolve, we want our guests and colleagues from all areas of the company to be able to share the rich history of Bentley Motors. The Heritage Garage brings that history to vivid life, and means we can actively reference our past while setting the course for our future.”
Currently there are 42 cars in the Collection, each having a special significance in Bentley’s history. Would you believe the #2 Bentley built — the oldest Bentley in the world – is alive and well in the Collection? Another vehicle, which the company deems the most valuable Bentley in the world, is the supercharged Team Car #2. W.O. Bentley’s personal car, the 1930 8 Litre, is also part of the Collection. It would be an understatement to suggest the 1991 Turbo R is in good company, as are the trio of W12s which includes Bentayga chassis 00001.
“Having now rebuilt the Collection to fully chart our history, we have an ongoing commitment to add to it with each significant new model we launch. For example, the Collection now includes the 2019 Bentayga Hybrid, which was both the first-ever plug-in hybrid Bentley and an important step in our ‘Beyond100’ strategy towards electrification,” adds Sayer.
You can read all about Bentley’s history here.
