Bentley - Fifty Years Of The Marque

Bentley: Fifty Years of the Marque (1974) – Johnnie Green
Dalton Watson | ISBN: 0901564001
Condition: Good – Book Very Good, Dust Jacket with a Couple of Snags | Sold by Crappy Old Books

Bentley. A name synonymous with luxury, engineering excellence, aristocratic motoring and the comforting reassurance that, whatever the economic circumstances of the nation, somebody somewhere can still afford to spend a small fortune on a motor car. While ordinary motorists wrestle with unreliable engines, uncomfortable seats and the terrifying prospect of an unexpected garage bill, Bentley owners have traditionally enjoyed the rather more civilised experience of travelling in magnificent mechanical creations that cost approximately as much as a respectable house.

In Bentley: Fifty Years of the Marque, Johnnie Green takes readers on a splendid journey through the history of one of Britain’s most celebrated automotive manufacturers, examining the machines, personalities and engineering achievements that established Bentley as a byword for performance, prestige and uncompromising quality.

The story begins with W. O. Bentley, an engineer whose ambitions extended considerably beyond producing comfortable transport for prosperous gentlemen. He wanted to build fast, reliable and exceptionally well-engineered motor cars, preferably capable of humiliating the competition on the racing circuit before returning home with their dignity, if not their tyres, intact.

The company’s early years were characterised by extraordinary sporting achievements, most famously at Le Mans, where the legendary Bentley Boys demonstrated that British engineering could compete with the world’s finest machinery. These wealthy, enthusiastic and occasionally eccentric gentlemen embraced motor racing with a determination that suggests they regarded personal safety as an unnecessary administrative complication.

The magnificent 3 Litre, 4½ Litre, 6½ Litre and celebrated Speed Six helped establish Bentley’s reputation, combining formidable mechanical ability with the sort of physical presence that made lesser automobiles appear rather apologetic.

Of course, engineering brilliance does not automatically guarantee commercial success, particularly when manufacturing expensive motor cars during periods of economic uncertainty. Bentley’s financial difficulties eventually led to its acquisition by Rolls-Royce in 1931, beginning another chapter in the marque’s history and introducing a relationship between two prestigious British manufacturers that would shape Bentley’s identity for decades.

Green’s exploration of the marque offers a fascinating appreciation of Bentley’s distinctive place in automotive history, from the heroic sporting machines of the interwar years to the increasingly refined luxury cars associated with the Rolls-Royce era.

Published in 1974 by Dalton Watson, a highly regarded name in specialist motoring literature, this substantial historical work belongs to an age when automotive books were serious objects in their own right, intended for enthusiasts who appreciated detailed research, historical photographs and the magnificent engineering achievements of a vanished motoring world.

This copy is offered in Good overall condition by Crappy Old Books. The book itself is in Very Good condition, while the dust jacket has a couple of snags, giving it a little character without pretending that it has spent the past half-century sealed inside a climate-controlled Bentley showroom.

An appealing acquisition for Bentley enthusiasts, collectors of classic motoring literature and admirers of British automotive engineering.

A celebration of fifty years of craftsmanship, competition and mechanical magnificence.

Because when W. O. Bentley set out to build a better motor car, he wasn’t particularly interested in whether it fitted comfortably into the average suburban garage.

He was rather more concerned with whether it could win at Le Mans.

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