BENTLEY LE MANS – year 1931

Manufacturer: Bentley Motors Ltd., Derby, Anglia.

Mr. Bentley's greatest life passion was racing. The well-known rally in Oulton Park was an opportunity to see around 200 Bentley cars, prevailing almost exclusively at these professions.

When in 1923 r. several motorsport enthusiasts have decided to organize 24-hour races, it chose the French city of Le Mans as their place. In the first year, Bentley took fourth place with a private competitor at the wheel. A year later, the factory car won, and after a year 1927 came a relentless series of victories, lasting until 1930. Cars with the winged "B” on the radiator, they seemed to be immune to any damage and faults. In time, when competitors changed pitches with damaged engines, Bentley cars ran for successes. Pairs of players with such well-known names took turns behind the wheel, how: Benjafield — Davis, Barnato - Rubin, Barnato - Birkin and Barnato - Kidston; those were the years 1927, 1928, 1929 i 1930. In the years 1929-1930, the 4.5-liter models were the most successful, which Ettore Bugatti called "the world's fastest trucks."”. With an engine power of almost 147 kW (200 KM) reached their maximum speed 200 km/h.

The successful years ended unexpectedly. The new 8-cylinder luxury model was difficult to sell during the economic crisis. Bentley moved to a competitor. He tried to use his design concepts in Lamda, where he created a stately car with a 12-cylinder engine, so-called. Bentley. After the court intervention of Rolls-Royce, however, the name of the outstanding designer did not appear on his original solutions.. The Bentley brand ceased to be a protection brand.