Bentley and Volkswagen
- Thread starter Shel_B
- Start date
Purchased in 1998, first car developed under the VW umbrella was 2003
Shel_B
Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,167
Thank you very much.
the purchase was a bit comical at the time. here is a short story of what happened
https://caraaj.com/History/Bentley-cars-history.php
https://caraaj.com/History/Bentley-cars-history.php
The Continental was a Phaeton.
VW developing the Phaeton allowed Bentley to start with a clean slate and minimal development costs. They were built in the same factory in Dresden with some finish work happening in Crewe for the Bentley.
Have a look at "Die Gläserne Manufaktur" when you have a chance. Never been a factory like it before or since.
You should read up on how VW ended up owning Porsche. Some interesting financial maneuvering spanning a decade or so.
IMO a bigger story is how VW sold the Rolls Royce name to BMW and because it was only the name BMW had to buy a luxury yacht company in order to have personnel who had woodworking skills capable of creating RR level trim work.
I personally have a much higher opinion of Bentley now. VW brought them like a bat out of hell into the 21st century.
I used to see them in FL during the winter. Beautiful cars. There is a sport model that is really fast. I talked to an owner in a Costco parking lot and he said he had it up to around 180 on I-75.
This summer my son was gifted a young driver experience - this is an opportunity for youths to have a go at driving a car in a controlled environment (in this case an airfield). He is 13 years old and was booked to drive a compact automatic hatchback (a Vauxhall/Opel Astra). However on the day we arrived the car he had been allocated to had broken down, so they substituted the only free automatic car they had. My son's first ever driving experience was in a Bentley Continental Flying Spur! I've never even driven or even been inside a Bentley.
With regards to Rolls it's top of the line BMW drivelines with Rolls Royce bodywork and levels of interior refinement and options. I imagine Bentley (VAG) is similar and would guess that reliability has only improved comparatively speaking.
Bentleys are rather common around Atlanta and the sedans/coupes always have seem to ride a lot taller off the ground vs the population. Bentley styling is kina Meh. Basically an expensive Jelly Bean.
I have no delusion that I am driving a Bentley when I'm in the GTI. 
You can get them for peanuts. I've had to talk myself out of a cheap GT a few times...
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2023
- Messages
- 33
Life is crazy. Never say never. Money changes hands all the time and sometimes you gain a ton and sometimes you could lose it all!
My next big purchase will be a Western Star truck, and Freflyt trailer. Together they will cost about $450,000 so I'm saving towards the downpayment, and a few months operating expenses, as there will be a delay between getting it, and revenue coming in.
When my logging truck account reaches $150,000 I'll be a buyer, its only at $87,400 currently.
Have to rebuild my house repair account, its almost dry, about $2,600 total, after this summer getting new windows, siding, roof, rain gutters, furnace, and replacing half of the upstairs flooring. Next summer I would like to do the rest of the flooring.
My vacation savings account took a beating last spring, but we had a great trip.
Life is expensive!
When my logging truck account reaches $150,000 I'll be a buyer, its only at $87,400 currently.
Have to rebuild my house repair account, its almost dry, about $2,600 total, after this summer getting new windows, siding, roof, rain gutters, furnace, and replacing half of the upstairs flooring. Next summer I would like to do the rest of the flooring.
My vacation savings account took a beating last spring, but we had a great trip.
Life is expensive!
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