Bentley’s Heritage Collection now on display in new facility at Crewe plant site

MANILA: Some of the most historically significant Bentley models from the past 103 years of the brand's history are now displayed in a portion of the original Crewe plant site. The Heritage Garage serves as an exhibit for the 42-car Bentley Heritage Collection and accompanies the Bentley Lineage exhibition currently on display in CW1 House. The Heritage Garage will contain 22 vehicles from the Collection, currently spread from 1919 onwards but will eventually center on the Crewe-built vehicles, which are from 1946 and onwards.

For the first time ever, every member of Bentley's Heritage Collection is now housed on the Bentley campus. The Collection currently encompasses the full history of the company after undergoing a major development and expansion program over the past 18 months.

Customers, VIPs, and media guests will all be able to see an uninterrupted series of Bentley production models in Crewe that are all maintained in excellent working order and road-legal condition. The Collection will be split across three different areas by next year. A soon-to-be-renovated display in CW1 House will house notable Cricklewood models and Derby-era Bentleys, while the Heritage Garage will feature Crewe-built models. The Collection's eight race cars, which include Ice Speed Record, Pikes Peak, and Speed 8s from the Le Mans, will be displayed separately.

The Heritage Garage, which is housed inside the original 1930s factory made of brick, served as the “project forum” where models like the 2003 Continental GT were designed and produced. As workers move around the factory, they can see the open, breezy environment that is the heart of the facility. The Garage, which is surrounded by a stunning collection of vintage Bentleys, is also used as an event space for internal briefings and external presentations.

The Heritage Collection plays an essential role in Bentley's ongoing Beyond100 transition by clearly illustrating the history of the Bentley of today. Additionally, Heritage Collection vehicles are displayed and driven at big events all around the world, from Pebble Beach to the Mille Miglia.

“Having now rebuilt the Collection to fully chart our history, we have an ongoing commitment to add to it with each significant new model we launch. For example, the Collection now includes the 2019 Bentayga Hybrid, which was both the first-ever plug-in hybrid Bentley and an important step in our ‘Beyond100’ strategy towards electrification. As we continue to evolve, we want our guests and colleagues from all areas of the company to be able to share the rich history of Bentley Motors. The Heritage Garage brings that history to vivid life, and means we can actively reference our past while setting the course for our future,” Bentley’s Heritage Collection Head Mike Sayer stated.

Each of the 42 vehicles in the Collection has a special position in Bentley's history.

The Heritage Collection's Cricklewood section features some of the most famous pre-war Bentleys in existence. EXP2, the second vehicle produced by W.O. Bentley, serves as the starting point. Next are two Blowers, including Team Car #2, the most valuable Bentley ever built. They are joined by a 1929 Speed Six, and the 1930 8 Liter that served as W.O.'s personal car for two years.

Bentley's Mark VI was the first vehicle to leave the Crewe plant and it immediately became popular with customers. The Heritage Collection example, AGO 2, has a two-tone green over black paint and represents a vital link between the 4 ¼-liter Embiricos of 1938 and the legendary Type R Continental of 1952.

Another significant narrative link is the Jack Phillips-designed aluminum alloy V8 engine, which was introduced in 1959. The Heritage Collection's exquisite 1963 S3 Bentley Standard Saloon, 176 FGH, and the convertible Bentley Continental of 1984—A455 YGJ, the Chairman's personal company car—were all powered by the naturally aspirated version of this engine.

When the 6.75-liter V8 was turbocharged, Bentley's sales and popularity skyrocketed. Examples of this powerplant in the Heritage Collection include the 1991 Turbo R and the 2001 Arnage Red Label, the first vehicle made under Volkswagen Group ownership. Bentley's Heritage example, finished in Fireglow red, represents one of the pivotal moments in the brand's history.

Up until 2020, the 6.75-liter V8 kept up Bentley's reputation of smooth torque. The leviathan V8's final version as the Mulsanne's engine produced 512ps and 1,020Nm of torque, allowing it to reach 296kph and accelerate from 0 to 100kph in 5.1 seconds. The second vehicle to leave the assembly line was the Mulsanne from the Heritage Collection, chassis 000002. The exterior is finished in Imperial Blue, while the interior is upholstered in Shortbread.

Bentley and its Crewe plant underwent a transformation after the 2003 debut of the Continental GT, which increased production from less than 1,000 highly coachbuilt vehicles annually to more than 10 times that amount. The first Continental GT to roll off the Crewe assembly lines was chassis VIN 20001, a right-hand drive Cypress Green model.

The 6.0-liter W12 engine, which is compact and incredibly powerful, quickly became as remarkable as the 6.75-liter V8. Three generations of the Flying Spur and two generations of the powerful Continental Supersports coupe are among the W12-powered Heritage Collection vehicles. The 2016 “first of line” Bentayga, chassis 00001, one of the most significant models introduced in Bentley's 103-year history, is also driven by the versatile W12.

The 2014-released Continental GT V8S is a representation of the cutting-edge Bentley 4.0-liter V8 in the Heritage Collection. An updated version of the 4.0-liter V8 is now available across all Bentley model lines.

Photos from Bentley

Also read: Bentley introduces hybrid versions of Bentyaga S and Bentayga Azure