| In 1912, W. O. Bentley and H. M. Bentley began in | | | | difficulties. Bentleys were expensive vehicles and |
| the car business as sales concession for three | | | | people were hesitant to drive them for this |
| cars, these three cars were the Buchet, La | | | | reason. People believed that since the car was so |
| Licorne and the Doriot, Flandrin and Parant known | | | | fast, it also would be hard to control. In 1926, the |
| in short as D.F.P. The D. F. P. was built to be a | | | | company got a reprieve when millionaire Woolf |
| racing machine, and W. O. Bentley designed all | | | | Barnato purchased controlling stock in the |
| new aluminum alloy pistons for it. Because of his | | | | company and became the managing director. In |
| success, Rolls-Royce and Sunbeam also adopted | | | | 1927, Bentley took the dubious honor of the |
| the pistons. These pistons also began use in | | | | strangest accident in that tracks history as all of |
| aircraft engines. | | | | the competing Bentleys ended up in an accident |
| Bentley Motors, Limited was created in 1919 and | | | | with one another. One of the Bentleys, though |
| saw its last days under its original conception in | | | | beaten and tattered, went back out on the race |
| 1931. This original company, though short lived, | | | | track and sped through the night at speeds over |
| had a very colorful, fast paced time in history. | | | | 90 miles per hour. |
| With racing successes and financial failures, this | | | | In the dawning of the new day, the big, tough |
| company had its ups and downs. This original | | | | green car, tattered though it was, drove to final |
| company was owned by two brothers, W. O. and | | | | victory. In honor of this valiant car, it was parked |
| H. M. Bentley. W. O. Bentley was the mastermind | | | | in it's battered state in the elegant dining room of |
| behind the engineering and was a very | | | | the Savoy in London and was the guest of honor |
| accomplished race car driver. He was also the | | | | at the celebration dinner. After an illustrious career |
| face of the company, while his brother stayed in | | | | on the track, Bentley retired from racing in order |
| the back ground and handled the business | | | | to produce elegant passenger cars of exceptional |
| management side of things. | | | | detail and an enormous engine. Even with this, in |
| After World War I, Bentley wanted to make a | | | | 1931, Bentley Motors LTD faded into history as its |
| car that was to completely satisfy all of his | | | | assets were bought up by Rolls-Royce who then |
| desires of a car. This car would need to be | | | | began producing Bentleys. As time went on, the |
| stately on the road but savage on the track, a | | | | Bentley became less and less of an individual and |
| totally stock car that could race on a track. These | | | | more and more a copy of the Rolls Royce of the |
| new cars not only raced, they won races, this put | | | | time. Today, the Bentley differs from the Rolls |
| them in demand and sales followed. The cars | | | | Royce only in it's own radiator grill. |
| were often completed just in time for their | | | | Recently, VW has come into possession of the |
| delivery. Soon people were pushing for a Le Mans | | | | venerable Bentley name and to their credit, they |
| victory. In 1923, a 3 liter Bentley competed in the | | | | are continuing in the old Bentley tradition with the |
| La Mans, it finished in fourth place but it also | | | | car in general and La Mans racing in particular. The |
| recorded the fastest lap time for that race. | | | | Bentley brothers would be proud to know that |
| Though in 1924 Bentley came home with a hard | | | | Rolls Royce is no longer in control of their |
| earned trophy, they still were having financial | | | | namesake vehicles. |