Bentley Motors Limited /ˈbɛntli/ engineers, manufactures and distributes luxury automobiles and automobile parts worldwide. Based in Crewe, England, Bentley Motors Limited has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the German Volkswagen AG since 1998. The company was founded by W. O. Bentley on 18 January 1919 in Cricklewood near London. Rolls-Royce purchased Bentley in 1931.
Bentley Motors Limited is the direct successor of Rolls-Royce Motors, which Volkswagen AG purchased in 1998. The purchase included the vehicle designs, model nameplates, production and administrative facilities, the Spirit of Ecstasy and Rolls-Royce grill shape trademarks, but not the rights to the use of the Rolls-Royce name or logo, which are owned by Rolls-Royce Holdings plc and were later licensed to BMW AG.
Bentley vehicles are sold via franchised dealers worldwide, and as of November 2012, China is the largest individual market for Bentley automobiles.[11]
Bentley cars have won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930 and 2003.
