On this day the English engineer and designer, Walter Owen Bentley, together with his brother Horace, founded Bentley Motors Ltd in Cricklewood, north London. Walter Bentley, or W.O. as he preferred to be called, had one overriding desire: “To build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class.” With the help of Clive Gallop’s innovative engine design, the first Bentley car came onto the market in September 1921 and soon earned widespread acclaim for its impressive results in races at Brooklands, Indianapolis and Le Mans. The reputation of Bentley cars for their combination of high performance and luxury is still very much alive today although the company has changed hands many times.
What a superb resource this web site is! Ultimately learning should be fun and Mr. Lawson’s materials make it so. I enjoyed the “period pieces”. Though I can never hope to own a Bentley, it is entertaining nonetheless to read about this vintage car. This is my first visit to this marvellous site. I will definitely return.
Henry Rodgers
Thanks for the feedback, Henry.
I do try to get a balance of ‘fun’ and ‘utility’ with the site because, as you say, language learning shouldn’t be a chore! I totally agree! 🙂
Owen owed me an oval oven before starting his fortunate activity.
I believe it was this devastating debt that galvanised him into action!