Bentley celebrates International Women’s Day and its own rich history.
International Women’s Day celebrates the incredible contributions of women across the globe throughout history, and as the historic British automotive luxury manufacturer Bentley celebrates the day, it looks back on its own history, inspired by three women tied to the story of Bentley in the 1920s. These women were the “Bentley Girls,” Mary Petre Bruce, Dorothy Paget, and Diana Barnato Walker. All three of them boldly wrote chapters in Bentley’s history nearly a century ago, and are being celebrated today by a stunning bespoke project.
Mary Petre Bruce had a veritable need for speed, as her first time behind the wheel of a Bentley was in 1929 when she drove a Bentley 4½ Litre in Montlhéry, France for 24 hours to break the world record for single-handed driving, averaging 89 mph to cover 2,164 miles over the 24 hours, despite fog and a dangerous track. The same year, she also used a powerboat to achieve the fastest double-crossing of the English Channel at the time, and became the first woman to fly around the world alone.
Dorothy Paget is known for racing the legendary Blower Bentley, sponsoring a team of four supercharged Blowers, which raced at Brooklands and Le Mans, and despite never winning, the #2 car raced by Sir Tim Birkin has become the most valuable and legendary Bentley in the world.
Diana Barnato Walker inherited her father’s courage, and pursued passions like horseback riding, and driving a Bentley 4¼ Litre Park Ward Saloon in Dove Grey. However, her lifelong passion was flight, and her favorite aircraft was the Spitfire, flying solo at the Brooklands Flying Club, and joining the Air Transport Auxiliary in 1941, completing the precarious and dangerous delivery of 260 Spitfires and other aircraft to their squadrons by the end of World War II.
Each of these women are being honored with a bespoke one-of-one Bentley Bentayga, designed and crafted with intricate details of their stories in mind. The Mary Petre Bruce Bentayga Azure is finished in Parson Green, which references her 4½ Litre, along with the fluted seat uppers, and the vehicle also has a checkered flag badge on the D-pillar that reference her racing triumphs.
The Dorothy Paget Bentley Bentayga EWB Mulliner is appropriately finished in Blower Green, with a Cumbrian Green and Blower Green interior that matches the #2 racing car. Turned aluminum fascias in the interior also give a historical reference to the dashboard of the Blower racing car.
The Diana Barnato Bentley Bentayga S is inspired by the Spitfire, with a Smoke Green exterior, and a green and saddle interior that references the Spitfire’s cockpit. A D-pillar badge features the Spitfire logo, and Signal Yellow accents reference the leading edge of the aircraft’s wings. These incredible bespoke Bentleys celebrate the stories of women who helped shape the history of the amazing Bentley brand we know today, and they make for a perfect celebration of International Women’s Day.
Image Source: Bentley