ABSTRACT
This chapter is the curious story of how an enormous expenditure on fast cars and fast living proved a hugely profitable investment in brand image that did not begin to pay a real dividend many decades later. It is also the story of a unique dimension of automobile heritage, the value of which transcends that of the market for collectible vehicles but is deeply embedded in the modern mainstream automotive marketplace. Bentley’s heritage is not only the tangible collection of vintage Bentleys that have survived from this era but also the intangible connotations the name built up. Without the intangible heritage of the sportsman/hobbyist Bentley Boys and the Blower Bentleys, a heritage whose roots now extend back nearly a century, Bentley would not be the high-end “Bentley” of today. It would be unknown to any but a few avid hobbyists.
