The Bentley Brooklands – the flagship of a premium car maker

For two centuries, the British Empire dictated the terms of existence for its numerous colonies around the world. Gradually, its global influence waned, which affected the economy. By the second half of the 20th century, the British automotive industry had lost its leading position in the global auto market. That position was taken over by American and other European companies, which actively acquired Britain’s luxury car brands. By targeting affluent customers, Bentley became a symbol of luxury and maintained its status as a global manufacturer of premium-class automobiles. 

The State of the British Auto Industry

The British automotive industry originated in the 1880s. Initially, it relied on assembly kits from France and Germany. The first entirely British-built car was assembled in 1904. Gradually, famous companies such as Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Bentley, and Jaguar emerged. In the early 1930s, the British automotive industry was considered the largest in Europe in terms of the number of cars produced. By the end of the 1980s, the country had completely lost its leadership in this industry. Popular British car brands were acquired by American and European manufacturers. Since then, England has been unable to regain its lost ground.

The Legendary Manufacturer Bentley

Bentley Motors Ltd. was founded by two brothers in 1919. Together with several specialists, they developed a race car powered by a 4-cylinder engine. They placed the brand’s logo—the letter “B” surrounded by wings—on the hood. Thanks to their high speed and reliability, these cars competed in the most famous races of the time. In the 1920s, cars of this brand frequently won the world-famous “24 Hours of Le Mans” race. The only drawback was the cars’ high cost, so only wealthy people could afford them. 

Attempts to Save the Company

Despite the success of the sports cars, the company’s financial crisis was worsening. In 1931, it became a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce. Two years later, updated Bentley models were introduced. The logo underwent changes: instead of wings, the letter “B” was now surrounded by a laurel wreath. The background of the emblem is significant:

• green—for sports cars;
• red—for the most prestigious models;
• black—for the most powerful versions.

The automaker ultimately focused exclusively on the wealthiest segment of the population. The company faced no serious competition in this niche until the arrival of Mercedes and BMW. But World War II resulted in massive losses: for many years afterward, Europe had no need for luxury cars. For over 70 years, the cars were built on a chassis shared with Rolls-Royce. Bentley completely lost its unique design.

A new crisis forced the sale of the division to Vickers. Thanks to a decision by its management, the luxury cars regained their exclusive status in the 1980s. During this period, the brand began producing high-quality coupes, sedans, and limousines equipped with powerful turbocharged engines. Later, a decision was made to sell Bentley to the BMW Group, which had been supplying engines and parts for these cars. 

The Brand’s Revival

In the late 1990s, the Volkswagen Group saved the company from bankruptcy. It has owned the British brand ever since. At the 2002 Paris Motor Show, the manufacturer unveiled the new Continental Gran Turismo model. It was equipped with all-wheel drive, a twin-turbo 8-cylinder engine, and air suspension. Mass production began a year later, and in 2005, the convertible version of this series was introduced. The platform remained the same, so the technical specifications were similar. The car accelerated to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, and its top speed reached 314–318 km/h.

By this time, the Azure, built on the outdated SZ platform, had been discontinued. With the end of Silver Seraph production, a 67-year-long association with Rolls-Royce came to an end. Following a decision by management, production of older models resumed:

1. The Arnage—distinguished from the older version by its updated grille, hood, and headlights. The cars were equipped with a 400-liter engine capable of reaching a top speed of 318 km/h. An upgraded rear suspension improved handling. There were 40 body colors and 27 interior design options. The model remained on the market until 2009.
2. Azure – the 2005 version featured hand-crafted body panels. The massive convertible used a chassis based on the Arnage model. Under the hood was a 6.75-liter L-series V8 engine. The base version produced up to 456 l. s., while the turbocharged version delivered up to 507 l. s. The suspension ensured a comfortable ride for the driver by absorbing road irregularities. The interior trim also took a long time to complete. There was plenty of space inside, as the wheelbase was about 3 m.
3. The Mulsanne was unveiled in 2009 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It was named after a section of the “24 Hours of Le Mans” race track where cars reached their highest speeds. Both a sedan and a convertible were produced on the new platform. They were equipped with an L-series twin-turbocharged V8 engine, mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. Power output ranged from 513 to 537 liters of power. Acceleration to 100 km/h took about 7 seconds. The top speed reached 233 km/h. 
4. The Continental Flying Spur—a sedan built on the Continental GT platform—shared similar technical specifications with that model. It was equipped with a 6-liter W12 engine that produced 552 l. s. The car accelerated to 100 km/h in 5 seconds, and its top speed was limited to 305 km/h. 

All these models were aimed at wealthy buyers from the U.S. and Southern countries. Although the cars had a luxurious appearance, they did not enjoy great popularity on the market. This was confirmed by low sales figures. 

Bentley Brooklands—A New Legend for the Automaker

In 2007, the old-school models were replaced by the premium Bentley Brooklands coupes. This is the second generation, and the new cars had nothing in common with the first version. The previous version was a run-of-the-mill sedan—a more budget-friendly copy of the 1992 Turbo R—recognizable only to die-hard fans of the brand. The use of the 1980s SZ platform and its resemblance to the Mulsanne and Silver Spur did not lead to success. In six years, fewer than 1,500 units were produced.

The name Brooklands was not chosen by chance. For Bentley, it evokes the glory days of their cars’ popularity. This was the name of the racetrack in Surrey where the world’s first racing circuit was built in 1907. It was here that the company’s sports cars triumphed in numerous competitions. The aristocrats who participated in such races in cars of this brand called each other the Bentley Boys. 

Although the first version proved unsuccessful, the updated model cemented Bentley’s status as the creator of the most exclusive coupes on the global automotive market. The Arnage T served as the basis for the modern version. This four-seater is comparable in size to a small bus. Under the hood is an 8-cylinder twin-turbo engine, paired with a 6-speed transmission.

Hand-assembled construction, custom-made chrome trim, a lacquered wood interior, high power output (537 l. s.), and limited production run—these are the reasons for its high price. The factory planned to produce no more than 550 units over a three-year period (beginning in 2008). The announced starting price for the UK was $450,000.

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