MAXIM.COM SEP/OCT 2019 63A
sk any true James Bond aficionado: 007 has always been a
Bentley man at heart. In the original novels by Ian Flem-
ing, Bond owned a number of Bentleys, but his first was
a supercharged 1931 4.5 Litre “Blower”, nearly identical to
the car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1928—part of a string
of victories at the famed endurance race captured by the marque be-
tween 1927 and 1930 by the Bentley Boys, “a bunch of wild, fabulously
wealthy devil-may-carers” and gentleman racers, “united by a love
of insouciance, elegant tailoring, and a need for speed” (as The Rake
magazine put it).
In Casino Royale, the very first Bond novel, published in 1953, Flem-
ing writes that the Blower was Bond’s “only personal hobby,” noting
that he “drove it hard and well and with an almost sensual pleasure.”
An attitude shared by most Bentley owners, seduced by the brand’s
unique blend of uncompromising luxury and relentless performance,
be they secret agents or CEOs.
The first car built by Walter Owen (W.O.) Bentley roared into life
in a London back street in 1919, exactly one hundred years ago. And
while some manufacturers would be content to rest on their laurels,
Bentley is celebrating its centenary—and the start of its second cen-
tury—by breaking new ground in both automotive engineering and
design and alternative fuel. Not only with its revolutionary new 1,400
horsepower EXP 100 GT electric grand tourer concept, but a host of
new production models in keeping with the company’s ethos of creat-
ing “extraordinary cars for extraordinary customers.” For the past cen-
tury and the one to come.
“Bentley defined grand touring, and touring is in our blood,” as
former Bentley board member Dr. Andreas Offermann writes in his
foreword to Be Extraordinary, The Spirit of Bentley, published by Assou-
line. ”We believe life is a grand tour, an optimistic journey full of in-
spiration, seeking new opportunities and challenges, constantly learn-
ing and growing... From family, friendship, and entrepreneurship toThe stunning 1,400 hp Bentley EXP 100 GT concept embodies the future of luxury
craftsmanship with the seamless fusion of materials and intelligent curation of technology