10 Things You Didn’t Know About Bentley

When you talk about Bentley, you can’t separate the man from his machine. Born in 1888—before the automobile was even invented—W.O. Bentley, the marque’s founder and engineer extraordinaire, studied at King’s College London. His expertise lay not only in engine design but also in cars and airplanes. Bentley Motors Ltd. got its start in Cricklewood, just outside London, England.

This list covers both the man and the company—and, of course, their cars. You’ll also learn the story behind Bentley’s famous “B” logo and hood ornament. One thing is unmistakable: Bentley has always been, and will always be, a symbol of Great Britain.

It may sound odd for what’s essentially a hood ornament, but right from day one Bentley was thinking ahead. The wings design was chosen to foil counterfeiters. Today, counterfeiting is rampant, but Bentley recognized that success breeds envy. If you look closely, you’ll see an odd number of feathers on each wing. That was originally meant to trip up forgers who might overlook such a tiny detail.

Woolf Barnato wasn’t just wealthy—he was fiercely competitive, a natural extension of his playboy lifestyle. The French had a “blue train” that ran from the Mediterranean coast to Calais in under a day. Barnato claimed he could beat that time by car once dinner was over—and he did, winning by four minutes. The sporting French promptly fined him for street racing.

Not content with submarine rescues, Kidston survived a plane crash by crawling through the fuselage to safety—and then tried to pull a trapped prince from the burning wreck. Still smoking and on fire, he ran for help before seeking medical treatment. Kidston’s connection with W.O. Bentley seemed natural—yet it was aviation that ultimately claimed his life when his plane disintegrated in a South African dust storm.

Stop by the company’s headquarters and you’ll find it topped by the UK’s largest solar roof. Despite Britain’s reputation for cloudy skies, these panels supply over 40% of the factory’s daily electricity needs—even on dull days.

Woolf Barnato—rich, charismatic, and always in it for the thrill—raced at Le Mans three times in his life and won all three. After Rolls-Royce took control of Bentley Motors, Barnato became the company’s CEO.

Contrary to popular belief, in Ian Fleming’s novels Bond drove a Bentley, not an Aston Martin. It fits: stereotypically British and upholding the very highest standards. His main car sported a 4.5-liter engine, and later Fleming mentioned various saloon models in the mix.

Kidston wasn’t your average racing driver. He began his career as a Royal Navy officer. Once his submarine became stuck on the ocean floor—through no fault of his own—he used his skill and determination to rescue the entire crew.

It’s true—for anyone craving an extraordinary thrill or simply to master the art of high-speed handling on ice. Since a Bentley can exceed 200 mph, the school teaches you to control it on frozen terrain—if you’re willing to fly to Finland. It’s especially popular with drivers from icy countries like, well, Finland.

Legend says the winning Bentley came across the finish line badly damaged. Affectionately nicknamed “Old Number Seven,” it even had a torch shining through its cracked windshield—a reminder that race rules were more relaxed back then. There was no more deserving car, so the team took it to dine at the Savoy—a five-star London hotel that first opened in 1889 and was the first hotel in the world fully lit by electricity.

It’s fitting to end with this: the story of how Bentley nearly had nothing to do with Le Mans. In 1923, Le Mans was just a dusty track in the middle of nowhere. A couple of Bentley customers—John Duff and Frank Clement—wanted to race there, hoping for factory backing. Initially, Bentley resisted. Then it relented. In that inaugural 24-Hour event, Duff and Clement finished fourth. The next year, they won. And the rest, as they say, is history.