Bentley/Audi

[White Van Man]

Autosport report that Bentley are planning to enter Le Mans 2001. With Audi already committed, why are VW going this route ? Are Audi likely to pull out in 2002 once Bentley are up to speed ?

[TimD]

Just a thought, Audi have a pretty well sorted marketing base. VW are still trying to work out what they are going to do with the Bentley marque. What is for sure is that there is a new, medium to large sporting saloon to be launched with a Bentley badge, designed to take on Jaguar. It's due for release in 2003. Just in time for a Bentley endurance racing campaign to be up to speed, pushing the marque to a new set of potential customers.

Just a possibility.

Can't say I'm too worried about analysing it myself. Bentley are back. And I'm already trying to source a large green flag for Le Mans next year.

[White Van Man]

You consider it a real Bentley ?

Le Mans ? Could be fun, I reckon Would be nice to meet up with some of you 10 Tenths regulars. Anyone else going ?

[TimD]

You'd be more than welcome. I think there's going to be quite a cluster of us there next year.

If nothing else, the forums are going to be REEEAAAL quiet while we're all away.


Now then, as to the Bentley. No, it's not a "W.O." Bentley - no car will ever come close to those. But amongst the diehard fans, there may be sadness that the marque is in foreign ownership, but at least it's no longer beholden to that lot over at Rolls-Royce.

Bentley Motors was effectively being bankrolled by Woolf Barnato, one of the Le Mans drivers, up until the recession in 1931. When the money ran out, Rolls-Royce bought the company effectively to stifle it, because Bentley were the opposition they most feared in the luxury car market.

Ever since, Rolls-Bentleys have become more and more corpulent and overweight, and less and less the endurance sports racer that they were first planned to be.

The fact that a car flying the "Winged B" is to once again take to the tracks, freed from the Royce grip, is reason enough to celebrate in my book.

You sure you want to come to Le Mans with us? If they do at all well, I may get a little embarrassing...

[Liz]

Sarah and my cousin Linda and I are going to have pitlane passes for Le Mans and will be helping the Panoz pilots all we can. So far I think I have heard from about fifteen of the 10-Tenthers who plan to go this year.

Tim, will you be in the pitlane for Bentley or are you sticking with General Admission? Any chance we could meet up for a midnight run up to Mulsanne/Arnage?

[Truckosaurus]

I saw the 'spy' photos of the Bentley GTP in yesterday's Autosport magazine, I was a little disappointed that it looks so similar to the 1999 Audi-UK car. Although there's plenty of time for some styling changes...

As for Bentley being foreign owned, wasn't Woolf Barnato a South African?

See you all at La Sarthe...

Hopefully going to the pre-qualifying weekend as well (6th May).