Reaching global fame in the 1920s and 1930s for their unbridled passion for racing, here are just five of the original Bentley Boys and Girls who embodied the spirit still alive in Bentley today.

WALTER OWEN BENTLEY

On 10 July 1919, W.O. Bentley founded the company that has carried his last name for the past 107 years. It was during his time as a Captain in the Royal Naval Air Service that the first Bentley Rotary engine was created, providing more powerful and reliable engines for many fighter aircrafts. Once home from the war, W.O. Bentley built his first automobiles for the marque: the Bentley 3 Litre, Speed Six and 4 ½ Litre. From there, he went on to dominate the front pages as a peerless racer, taking five Le Mans wins over the course of seven years, a feat few could fathom at the time.

SIR HENRY ‘TIM’ BIRKIN

Recognizable by his trademark silk polka dot scarf, Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin had a widely acknowledged passion for anything that could race at speed. Funded by a Bentley Girl, heiress Dorothy Paget, Birkin led a team of engineers to create the supercharged 4 ½ Litre Bentleys, later known as the notorious ‘Blowers’. In 1929 Birkin tasted victory as co-driver to W.O. Bentley in the Speed Six, but he was most formidable on the sprint circuit, setting an astonishing record of 137.96mph at Brooklands in 1932.

SAMMY DAVIS

Famed for his work as sports editor of The Autocar in 1927, Sammy Davis became a true racing legend. Behind the wheel of his 3 Litre Bentley – ‘Old Number Seven’ – at Le Mans, Davis skidded into a large pileup at White House. His chassis twisted and the rest of his race looked uncertain, but through clever manoeuvring he managed to escape unscathed and go on to win the race.

MARY PETRE BRUCE

The first woman to be fined for speeding in the UK at just 15, Mary Petre Bruce was the ultimate racer. Entering the Monte Carlo Rally in 1927, Petre Bruce covered 1,700 miles over 72 hours without any sleep and finished sixth overall, winning the prestigious Coupé des Dames. As one of the original Bentley Girls, her fierce commitment to pushing the boundaries of speed and performance have endured for years, inspiring the creation of the daring Supersports model of today.

DIANA BARNATO WALKER

The daughter of Woolf Barnato, another of the Bentley Boys, Diana Barnato Walker inherited her father’s courage, drive and flair for style. A keen motorist herself, Barnato Walker could easily be recognized behind the wheel of her signature silver-grey Bentley 4 ¼ Litre Park Ward saloon, a gift from her father for her 21st birthday. Flying was her ultimate passion, and in 1962 she was awarded the Jean Lennox Bird Trophy for achievements in aviation. A true Bentley Girl throughout her life, at the Team Bentley Le Mans celebration dinner in 2003, 85-year-old Barnato Walker jumped into the cockpit of the winning Speed 8 in an impromptu ‘pit stop’ challenge.