Feb 22: Big and beautiful Bentleys

First of all, let's get this straight, James Bond never drove an Aston Martin in any of Ian Fleming's famous books. No sir, being the discerning and suave spy, he drove a blower Bentley, like this one.......

Courtesy of Ian Guy (www.motoringartist.com)

Back in the '20's, these were very hot cars that competed in the 24 Hours of LeMans. Not exactly a stealthy spy car, but neither was the Aston Martin that Hollywood made famous in the Bond movies.Surely a car like this would "shake" you as well as "stir" the soul.

Up until a very few years ago, Bentley's were simply Rolls-Royce's with a different grille and much less cache'. In my hometown of Saint John, New Brunswick, the owner of Moosehead Breweries always drove a Bentley, since a Rolls would not have been very good PR with the unionized work force. The difference in price? A few hundred dollars, but that Rolls grille was an intimidating feature that one couldn't overlook.

In a move that would have some old Brits spinning in their graves, BMW bought Rolls and Volkswagen bought Bentley and thank goodness for both tranactions. Since VW took over Bentley, this car has gone back to its roots as a sporting, luxury ride. For example, they've just unveiled the 2014 Flying Spur.......

What a beautiful machine and a great companion to the Continental coupe and cabrio. And at a very affordable price (for a lottery winner) in the low $200's. It's good to see Bentley, over the last few years go back to the beautiful grand touring machines that remind us of its past. Ever read Keith Richards' autobio, where he writes fondly of his Continental sedan, the "Blue Lena"?

Keith Richards in a quieter moment

Ahhh......great car for the discerning, drug crazed rock star. The Blue Lena features in many of Keith's and the Stones '60's adventures through Europe and North Africa. A Rolls wouldn't have suited his persona.

Another great old Bentley from the '50's, this Continental fastback coupe, designed by Mulliner.........

Feel the need for something a bit more formal, maybe this one by Park Ward?

Yeah, those were the days. But, no, "today" is actually the good old days, as these new Bentley's are every bit as stunning as those older models and their performance would spin heads back in the day. And actually will today as well.

Bentley. A great old name that no longer languishes in the shadow of Rolls-Royce. It's about time.

Until next time.......