Pebble Beach Prepares for a British Invasion: Bentley Will Rule the Concours Competition Field this Year

News provided by

Jun 04, 2019, 08:00 ET

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif., June 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In its centennial year, Bentley takes center stage at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, as one glance at the event poster makes clear. Painted by renowned modern impressionist Alfredo De la Maria of Argentina, it features a magnificent 1931 Bentley 8 Litre making its way past the crowd on Concours Sunday.

The 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance poster, painted by renowned impressionist Alfredo De la Maria, features what is likely the world's most coveted Bentley 8 Litre. Ordered by pioneering Welsh aviator and Brooklands racer Captain Vivian Hewitt, it was the ultimate sporting machine, pairing a short chassis with a lightweight body, massive power (witness the enormous side exhaust) and large Le Mans–style fuel tank and gauges. Now owned by Daniel Sielecki, it remains an unrestored original.

Bentleys will constitute about a quarter of this year's concours competitors, filling six complete classes with several special groupings. Offerings range from the earliest surviving 3 Litre to a multitude of racing greats and superlative postwar cars.

The car featured on the poster is probably the most coveted 8 Litre in the world. Ordered by pioneering Welsh aviator and Brooklands racer Captain Vivian Hewitt, it is the ultimate sporting machine, pairing a short chassis, lightweight body and massive power.

"I can confidently say the Bentleys headed our way on this occasion promise to surpass past displays," said Concours Chairman Sandra Button.

Walter Owen Bentley, who preferred the simple moniker "W.O.," founded his namesake company on July 10, 1919. The brilliant engineer, who pioneered the use of alloy metals in automotive and aircraft engines, served at its helm just a dozen years before the financial stress of the Great Depression forced the company's sale to rival Rolls-Royce. But in that short time, Bentley forged a legacy that survives to this day—as does the Bentley marque, now part of the Volkswagen Group.

"W.O. made an indelible mark on history," said Peter Hageman, Concours Selection Committee member. "He created heroic cars that were driven to glory by heroic men and women. Their stories fueled the imaginations and desires of a host of early automotive enthusiasts, and they continue to inspire us today."

The Bentleys driving onto the 18^th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links on August 18 will meet a place marking a centennial of its own. As W.O. was creating his company in England, Pebble Beach Resorts was being carved into the West Coast of the United States under the guidance of Samuel F. B. Morse. For a century now, it has served as home to major competitions and great champions.

Bentley last claimed the Best of Show trophy at the Pebble Beach Concours in 1965. Will it win again this year?

SOURCE Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance