Gaari Means Car. Car Reviews & Car News

The British have an atypical view of the automobile. In fact, you can almost call it a national admiration for automobiles, especially vintage cars. With their attitude towards autos, it’s not hard to appreciate the esteem for which the British hold for the Bentley Motor Car Company. Although Bentley has had a number of trials and troubles in its nearly 90 year history, British fans remain loyal. The best example is that of the national excitement displayed by the British when a Bentley race car finished third at the 24 Hours of Le Mans sports automobile endurance race in France. Never mind that Bentley is now owned by Volkswagen and that the engines used in the Bentley race car was the save as the Audi R8s that took first and second. It was the first time that a Bentley had place in the top three in 71 years and the British fans gave little regard to the ownership or engine used. W.O. Bentley began his career as an apprentice to a railroad engineer around the 1900 turn of the century. But he had a passion for racing and immediately got into it with the motorcycle circuit, which was a common engagement among young British men prior to World War I. After the end of World War I, Bentley became determined to develop his own auto manufacturing company, thus the beginning of Bentley Motors, Ltd. Established in 1919, the company was held with very little capital for the next decade. At the time, the only Bentley for sale was attractive to a small niche market. Being a racer at heart, Bentley’s first cars were high performance race cars and became immediately established as winners in the world of European racing. Bentley racers won the 24 Hours of Le Mans 4 times between 1923 until 1931 when the company went a different route. Bentley realized early that there was little market and profitability in building race cars, and to succeed his company would have to make consumer minded vehicles that would offer functionality, style and most importantly, pay the bills. The Bentleys for sale during this era where rolling chassis fitted with fancy coachwork bodies, built to suit the wealthiest of clients. With its new line of Bentleys for sale, Bentley quickly became a major competitor of Rolls-Royce as the next British luxury car maker. However, the Great Depression got in the way of progress and W.O. put up Bentley for sale. Although Bentley himself was planning to sell the company to another firm, the deal was grabbed by Rolls-Royce in 1931.