Bentley (full name Bentley Motors Limited) is a British automobile manufacturer and marketer of SUVs, racing cars, and luxury vehicles. It was founded in Cricklewood, North London, by two Bentley brothers, Walter Owen and Horace Millner. The company has been in operation since January 1919 and has been owned by the German Volkswagen Group since 1998, with Its headquarters in Crewe, England.
In many ways, the company’s machines outperform competitors with the help of its expressive logo design. The Bentley logo reflects pride in its accomplishments, optimism for the future, and the technical features that allow the brand’s cars to “fly” on the roads.
However the logo you see today has undergone a ton of changes over the years. So, let’s go over these changes whilst analyzing the inspiration behind the Bentley logo design since its inception.
Bentley Logo: Overview
Bentley is a British automobile manufacturer founded in 1919 by Walter Owen. Though the company began by making airplanes, the car market appeared to be the most promising after WWII. Luxury was in high demand then, but Bentley needed help immediately to gain attention.
Bentley cars initially failed in the market due to their higher price, but the company’s promotional efforts revolving around price as an indicator of technical excellence eventually paid off.
As Bentley continued to produce new cars and the brand’s popularity grew, the Bentley logo meaning evolved. Manufacturers began adding different feather counts to the Bentley logo to differentiate the types of vehicles.
The most straightforward cars typically have wings with ten feathers on each side, whereas asymmetrical wings are more common in racing cars because they are thought to bring good luck.
What is Bentley?
Bentley is a car brand owned by Bentley Motors Limited in the United Kingdom. The company owns it has operated since 1919 and is part of the German corporation Volkswagen AG.
The History of the Bentley Logo
Walter Owen Bentley envisioned designing and manufacturing his cars while transitioning from two to four wheels. He noticed an ordinary aluminum paperweight at the DFP factory one day in 1913. He determined this metal was an excellent substitute for the cast iron used to make pistons. The young man was correct in his assessment that this would reduce the weight of the machines and increase their speed. And he succeeded. During World War I, aircraft engines used early versions to improve aircraft maneuverability.
The entrepreneur then formalized the rights to Bentley Motors Ltd. in the summer of 1919 and, a few months later, presented a car chassis of his design made of an innovative material at the time. This laid the groundwork for the well-known brand, whose technique has consistently won rallies. Today’s most famous racing cars are considered descended from the legendary Bentley Speed Six and Bentley 412 Liter, which gave birth to the Sprint brand.
Bentley merged with Rolls-Royce through mergers, sales, and acquisitions. The British government nationalized and divided the world’s largest automobile manufacturing structure in 1971. The first is Rolls-Royce Plc (aerospace), and the second is Rolls-Royce Motors Limited (car), which includes a Bentley division. Vickers, an engineering conglomerate, then purchased the second company. He then sold it to Volkswagen AG, which still owns it today.
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However, an unfortunate incident occurred regarding Bentley’s intellectual property rights. The aerospace company retained the rights to the logo and names after selling Rolls-Royce Motors Limited and Rolls-Royce Plc. The automaker was forced to purchase a license to use elements of its visual identity. However, this had almost no effect on Bentley: ownership of the trademarks was transferred to the Volkswagen Group, which has been its sole owner since 2003.
Frederick Gordon Crosby created the logo. On the badge, he drew a winged B. The white capital letter is centered on a completely black horizontal oval. This is the logo’s only text element. Furthermore, the in-letter gaps resemble two round dies or valve holes.
The oval has wings to the right and left. They represent the flight of the founder’s dream to the heights of car, off-road, and racing car production. Furthermore, the wings represent the brand’s and its products’ high status, which has soared high into the sky and out of reach of competitors. Another explanation for the presence of feathers is a nod to the company’s beginnings in the aviation industry. Today, the brand is imbuing the winged icon with new meaning: the unearthly potential that the manufacturer can achieve in the future. In any case, this decoration makes Bentley cars extremely fast.
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Experts even counted the number of feathers in the right and left wings. It was discovered that their numbers are not the same because such a difference brings good luck to racing cars. However, in standard models, the numbers on the right and left are the same. There are two common variations in the number of feathers: 10:11 and 13:14. They correspond to 10:10 in the standard version. A thin strip connects the wings above and below. The emblem also resembles a bird’s tail, comprised of seven feathers.
The Bentley Logo: Bentley Car Symbols Through the Years
The endurance of the Bentley car symbol over the years is part of what makes it so unique. The first version of the logo was designed in 1919, and it has remained unchanged ever since.
The Bentley Wings logo has been with the company since it began producing automobiles. Only the number of feathers on the wings surrounding the capital “B” has changed in this emblem.
While the Bentley symbol may appear complex compared to other logos from companies such as Ford and Audi, it is a testament to the company’s artistic nature and creativity.
While other brands’ logos have been simplified and modernized, the Bentley car emblem remains a beacon of heritage and class. The font of the capital “B” is even the same as it was over a century ago.
While the number of feathers on each wing varies depending on the model, the Bentley logo emblem appears on every vehicle the company produces. You might notice the feather difference if you look closely.
What Does the Bentley Car Emblem Represent?
The Bentley emblem is an artistic expression of freedom and creativity. Like many others with wings, the Bentley logo conjures up images of speed and euphoria. The use of the wings further demonstrates the company’s previous occupation in aircraft development.
The wings appear set on a silver circle with a smaller black circle embossed in the center. The capital “B” appears in a serif font with many bold curves. The “B” stands for Bentley, of course.
The Bentley emblem celebrates speed, heritage, and the freedom of the open road, but it also reveals the brand’s distinct personality.
The decision to vary the number of feathers on the emblem’s wings for different cars is an intriguing quirk that we don’t usually see from the majority of vehicle manufacturers.
Colors and Font
The caption is used independently of the icon. And there is only one text symbol in it: “B.” The capital letter, derived from the word “Bentley,” is in the individual category and is framed with small sharp serifs. They can be seen on the left side above and below. The rest of the elements are rounded.
The logo palette is monochrome, consisting primarily of black and white. The first is an image, and the second is a background, though the center is the polar opposite – a white symbol on a black oval. However, because cars are marked with a colored logo, this option is only used for advertising, business office, and other tasks. The area between the wings can be green or red. The first color is reserved for racing cars, while the second is reserved for luxury models.
Who Created the Bentley Logo?
Bentley’s emblem is a work of art and a symbol of mystery from every angle. It demonstrates the touch of a skilled graphic designer. Intriguingly, Frederick Gordon Crosby created the winged logo while in flight. The logo fits the British automaker’s personality.
Why Does the Bentley Logo Work?
The Logo Is Readable:
Readability is an essential aspect of logo design. It easily connects customers to the personality of the brand. Bentley’s logo design is highly legible due to the use of a clean typeface. This bold sans-serif font stands out in any marketing medium.
The Logo Is Unique:
Flying above the storm is a critical requirement for your logo design that you should pay attention to. To distinguish your brand from competitors, your visual assets must be distinct. Bentley’s logo stands out in the market thanks to carefully chosen graphic elements.
The Bentley Logo is Scalable
Customers are spread out. However, businesses must reach out to them with their goods and services. A logo with a simple layout is the solution to this problem. Bentley’s trademark is adaptable, despite its modest appearance. It can easily fit into any promotional channel.
The Bentley Logo is Simple:
Bentley’s logo is relatively simple. It has few graphic elements, making it classic and simple to understand. The icons, typeface, and colors are all in the proper proportions. Customers with less time to spend are likelier to choose a simple emblem over a detailed one.
The Logo Is Consistent:
Bentley’s logo is classic. It has maintained its distinct identity for over a century. This is no ordinary accomplishment. It is the result of deliberate effort in its element selection. Consistency fosters trust and, over time, elevates brands’ authority. This is a characteristic shared by all iconic logos.
Elements of Bentley Logo Design
Frederick Crosby chose appropriate graphic elements that send the right messages to Bentley’s ideal audiences to convey the brand’s unique feelings. He decided to use fewer design elements to make the design simple. Consider the following graphic factors:
Bentley Logo Shape And Symbol
The Number B:
The boldly written letter B is one of the flying logo’s standout graphic elements. It represents the brand’s identity, inspired by the founder’s surname, Bentley. The energy of bravery, beauty, benevolence, and the status of being a billionaire can all be conveyed by the second letter of the English alphabet. This is Bentley’s distinct charisma.
Wings:
Creative energy is aligned with wings. Most people associate them with the mystical world. They are associated with angels, demons, and spirits here. Wings can represent mobility, speed, freedom, and power in the physical world. They move the brand into flight and allow it to soar as decorative elements around the initials—B.
Circular Frames
Oval frames beautifully frame the emblem. They keep all of the dazzling design elements in place. This includes the letter B as well as the wings. An oval is associated with rebirth, fertility, and immortality. It can also convey feelings of community, unity, and love. The word oval comes from the Latin word ovum, which means “egg.”
Color Scheme for the Bentley Logo
Color: White:
More power is only sometimes beneficial. People will consider you to be an oppressor. To win the hearts of many people, you must often tone down this emotion. And white is the perfect color to balance out this strong personality. White energy is associated with purity, protection, and humility.
Color: Black
The color black has two sides. It can express both positive and negative emotions. Bentley used it to convey elegance, power, and mystery. The color can also share strong feelings of fear, death, rebellion, and aggression. Black is a color associated with wealth and power.
Color: Silver
Silver, as a valuable metal, represents wealth. It’s one of the vibrant colors that adorn Bentley’s emblem. Silver symbolizes mystic vision, hope, and tenderness. It has the power to evoke unconditional love, kindness, and elegance.
Color: Red
The color red is always present in Bentley’s sophisticated models. It can be found on the circular frame that holds the iconic letter B. Red, an eye-catching and primary color, is a fiery hue. Bentley chose this lustrous color to represent the energy of love, joy, willpower, and strength.
Color Green:
The green color is found on Bentley racing car models. Green, unlike red, is a secondary color created by combining blue and yellow. It’s a natural color that represents adventure, health, and harmony. Green is the color of rebirth.
Who Began Bentley?
Walter Owen Bentley, also known as W.O., was born in London in 1888. His parents were Emily nee Waterhouse and Alfred Bentley, a well-known businessman. He was the youngest child in a family of nine. W.O. attended Clifton College in Bristol from 1902 to 1905.
He joined Great Northern Railway in Doncaster, Yorkshire, to pursue his interest in engineering. Walter paid £75 for a five-year apprenticeship training program. He was almost 17 years old. He learned how to design, cast, and build intricate railway machinery.
Walter Bentley finished his education in 1910. He studied theoretical engineering at King’s College London. Following his successful completion, he was hired by the National Motor Cab Company. Maintenance of the fleets was one of his routine tasks.
W.O. founded Bentley & Bentley Limited with his brother, Horace Bentley, after working for the National Cab Company for about two years. The new company specializes in selling French DFP vehicles. DFP stands for Doriot, Flandrin & Parant, a Seine-based French car manufacturer.
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Walter Owen Bentley had some racing adventures. He worked for Quadrant, Rex, and Indian Motorcycles. On the race’s second lap, his rear tire on the Indian Motorcycle burst. W.O. could not complete the race in 1910 due to an unexpected incident.
As a captain in the Royal Naval Air, Walter Owen made significant advances in designing and constructing several aircraft engines. This effort was acknowledged—the Commission for Awards for Inventions bestowed upon him an MBE and £8,000 in compensation.
W.O. had a lousy marriage. He had three marriages. Leonie Gore, who died in the Spanish flu epidemic in 1914, became his first wife. He married Audrey Poppy in 1920, but they divorced in 1931. Finally, he married Margaret Roberts Hutton in 1934.
Walter Owen Bentley passed away in England, United Kingdom on August 13, 1971. He was childless. In 1995, W.O. was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.
Bentley’s Brief History
In July 1919, the first car with the Bentley logo hit the road. The British automaker manufactures and sells luxury vehicles all over the world. It has been a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group since 1998, with headquarters in Crewe, England.
Walter Bentley was a passionate engineer who began with railways but later moved on to automobiles. In 1912, he and his brother, Horace Bentley, founded Bentley & Bentley. The company specializes in purchasing and selling French vehicles.
W.O. discovered an aluminum paperweight during a visit to the DFP factory in 1913. This inspired him to create a new engine piston. He used lightweight metals instead of cast iron for engine pistons. On its aero engines, Sopwith Camel used the first Bentley pistons.
Bentley specialized in making aircraft spare parts for the aviation industry thanks to this novel idea and massive profit potential. The automobile industry boomed following World War II. Walter and his colleagues embarked on a significant project to capitalize on the new wave.
They began work on a sophisticated three-liter, four-cylinder engine. By October 1919, they had a rolling car chassis and were testing the prototype engine at the London Motor Show. The engine was operational by December, and the first car was scheduled to be delivered in June 1920.
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However, the engineers could not meet this deadline because development took longer than expected. Finally, Noel Van Raalte received the first Bentley—a three-liter saloon car—in September 1921. It was made in a factory in Cricklewood, and people adore its toughness.
In June 1924, John Duff and Frank Clement won the Le Mans race with an official Bentley car. They had finished fourth with a different brand the previous year. In 1925, Woolf Barnato purchased his first Bentley. This tough car helped him win several races.
He saw potential in Bentley, a profitable but under-financed brand. Barnato initially invested £100,000 in the company, saving it from bankruptcy. He became the company’s chairman with a controlling stake of 149,500 shares. He then added more money.
Bentley dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its iconic Bentley Boys from 1927 to 1930. Sir Henry, Steeple George, Glen Kidston, Sammy Davis, Dudley Benjafield, and Walter Owen were among the British drivers. They brought the company four consecutive victories.
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Rolls-Royce purchased the company and made it a subsidiary in November 1931, saving it from another collapse. W.O. stayed with his new investor until April 1935, when his contract expired. He later joined Lagonda because he was dissatisfied with Rolls-Royce.
The first Rolls-Royce Bentley, the 31/2 liter, was released in August 1933. It was built on a modified Rolls-Royce 20/25 chassis. Rolls-Royce relocated its factory to Crewe, and the Bentley MkVI debuted. It was the very first Bentley with a steel body.
In July 1998, Volkswagen AG outbid BMW for Rolls-Royce, paying £430 million instead of £340 million. Since then, the company has followed the founder’s vision of producing luxury and high-performance vehicles for society’s wealthiest individuals.
What Size Is Bentley?
Bentley, a British automobile manufacturer, takes pride in designing and manufacturing magnificent automobiles that meet the needs of extraordinary people. For a little more than a century, the brand has maintained a legacy of power and luxury. These characteristics are popular among the world’s elites.
Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America are its primary markets. Bentley could only break into these competitive markets with the help of its talented and experienced engineers. The luxury automaker relies on these invaluable pools of human capital to carry out its sustainability mission.
Over 4000 workers design and hand-build some of the world’s most expensive and sought-after automobiles. I’m referring to the Bentley luxury models that speak for themselves. You can sense the emotional pride that attracts its loyal customers just by looking at them.
Its most recent models are the Bentley Mulliner, Bentley Continental, Bentley Bentayga, Bentley Flying Spur, and Bentley Mulsanne. In 2020, the company’s output was 10,693, generating €2049 million in sales revenue.
Despite the global economic downturn, Bentley sold 11,206 vehicles worldwide. The company’s executives even claim it was the best year ever for new car sales. Given how the pandemic has melted almost all industries, it was a record-breaking season for the brand.
This achievement elevated it above its competitors, confirming Bentley’s position as the world’s leading manufacturer of luxury automobiles. Riding in a Bentley carries a certain amount of prestige. Millions of people worldwide recognize the Bently logo as a luxury car manufacturer.
Conslusion
Bentley Motors Limited has experienced both bitterness and sweetness. The brand and its founder have faced numerous financial and emotional challenges. Walter Bentley worked for a company that he founded at one point. It was a massive blow to him.
Bentley, like most reputable brands, has changed hands for various reasons. W.O. founded Bentley with £8000 in prize money to change the motoring world. On July 10, 1919, his childhood dream came true.
Woolf Barnato’s economic power was required to turn the company’s fortunes around after financial difficulties struck. W.O., on the other hand, became an employee rather than a co-founder. British Central Equitable Trust purchased the company in 1931 as well.
Unlike its business, the winged logo has survived the passage of time. It is the driving force behind a brand known for prestige, craftsmanship, luxury, performance, and innovation. Bentley is genuinely a one-of-a-kind vehicle that provides an enriching experience to a select group of people.
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