Bentley Motors: Ownership and History
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer and brand of luxury automobiles, founded in 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley in Cricklewood, North London. Initially an independent company, Bentley Motors faced financial troubles in the late 1920s and was acquired by Rolls-Royce in 1931. The Volkswagen Group purchased Bentley from Vickers PLC in 1998 for £800 million. Currently located in Crewe, England, Bentley Motors remains a leading producer of high-performance grand tourers under the ownership of the German automotive conglomerate Volkswagen Group. The company operates as part of the premium segment within the Group, alongside other luxury brands like Audi, Lamborghini, and Porsche.
Bentley and Rolls-Royce Acquisition
Are Bentley and Rolls-Royce owned by the same company?
Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer and brand of luxury automobiles, founded in 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley in Cricklewood, North London. The Volkswagen Group purchased Bentley from Vickers PLC in 1998 for £800 million. Currently located in Crewe, England, Bentley Motors remains a leading producer of high-performance grand tourers under the ownership of the German automotive conglomerate Volkswagen Group. In 2021, Bentley generated over €2.84 billion in revenues for the Volkswagen Group. As of 2018, the Volkswagen Group owns 100% of Bentley shares. The Volkswagen Group itself comprises volume, premium and sports divisions across its family of automotive brands, which together accounted for approximately €250 billion in group revenues in 2021. As a publicly traded company, Volkswagen Group’s ownership is divided among numerous shareholders, with the Porsche and Piëch families holding a significant minority stake.