Founded in the 1920s, Bentley has a reputation for building powerful and expensive automobiles. Beset with financial troubles during the Great Depression, the British company was purchased by Rolls-Royce in 1931. In 1946 the platforms became standardized for both Rolls-Royce and Bentley models—a practice which continued until 1992. In 1998 Bentley was purchased by Volkswagen AG and in 2002 Bentley Motors, Ltd came into being as the 70-year partnership with Rolls-Royce came to an end.
