Over a Century of Motoring
There aren’t a lot of automakers that have lasted over a century and are still healthy to this day. One of these is Bentley, and it’s been around for 107 years. Founded by W.O Bentley on January 18, 1919 in Cricklewood. A longtime purveyor of ultra-luxury vehicles, it’s seen its fair share of ups and downs, but VW’s purchase of the marque in 1998 has seen it in good health since, with expansion perhaps far beyond what its founder would’ve imagined.
Of those 107 years, a few things have stayed constant for a good chunk of those. The first is tapping into its sporting heritage, and the second is production at Crewe. This year marks the 80th anniversary of continuous production at that site, and you can bet Bentley is celebrating that.
Bentley
Rooted in Crewe
In the early years of the company, Bentley made its cars in Cricklewood, but then moved to Derby in 1931 following its acquisition from Rolls-Royce. Production there lasted until 1940 and stopped because of World War 2. After the war, Bentley set up its home base in Crewe in 1946, and has been rooted in the county of Cheshire since.
While there is production in Germany and Slovakia now, Crewe will always be the home of Bentley. To commemorate the milestone, the British automaker has rolled out a Mulliner-curated Continental GT Azure with nods to the past that pays tribute to the first model built in Crewe, the Mark VI.
Bentley
The Tribute
Mind you, this isn’t the first commemorative Bentley that celebrates 80 years in Crewe, but there’s no stopping the company from celebrating either way. While we don’t know if Bentley will make limited examples of its special Continental GT Azure, the one it’s built already has its place in history. Thanks to the brand’s wide array of color and trim configurations, it’s built a fitting and elegant tribute to the Mark VI. It’s finished in a solid shade of Barnato Green, as metallic paint wasn’t as widespread in the ’40s. It’s then complemented by a Mulliner Black roof, just like some of the Mark VIs built back in the day.
There is chrome, of course, but modern touches include subtle bits of carbon fiber, along with 22-inch wheels. Inside, there’s Connolly leather, walnut veneer and wool pile carpet. To recreate the post-war ambiance, the interior is trimmed in Cricket Ball, a deep shade of red that wouldn’t look out of place on many vintage cars. It’s then paired with solid black contrasts that Bentley simply calls Beluga. Sadly, there’s not a trace of burr walnut wood inside, although it has piano black wood instead.
Bentley
Then and Now
The Mark VI was a massive success for Bentley after the war. 4,001 had been built, with 3,171 in the standard steel body. But the one in the company’s heritage collection is even more special. It’s coachbuilt by H.J Mulliner, and it’s one of just 241 four-door, six-light sedans (or should we say, saloons?) ever made. This particular example was delivered to its owner in January 1950.
Specs? It was powered by a 4.3-liter inline-six, although official power figures were never mentioned. Remember, this was a time when adequate was the term used to describe its horsepower and torque. Perhaps numbers were simply too vulgar to mention in those days.
In stark contrast, the Continental GT proudly shows off its stats. There’s a choice between two 4.0-liter twin-turbo plug-in hybrid V8s. The High Performance Hybrid V8 makes 671 hp and 686 lb-ft, while the Ultra Performance version cranks that up to 771 hp and 738 lb-ft. It’s safe to assume the modern grand tourer packs a far bigger wallop compared to the Mark VI.
Bentley
Bentley
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