Bentley’s latest projects show how craftsmanship and history can be combined in the most personal way. In just two days, Crewe and Prague unveiled two very different but deeply connected tributes to courage and shared heritage.
Over in Prague, the brand’s first Mulliner collection for the Czech market honors the legacy of four Royal Air Force squadrons made up of Czech pilots during World War II. The Czech Squadron Collection, presented in Bentley Prague’s new showroom, includes: four One-off orders: a Bentayga, a Flying Spur, a Continental GT and a Continental GT Convertible. Each is inspired by a different RAF squadron, 310, 311, 312 and 313, whose Czech airmen fought under the British flag.
The Continental GT Convertible’s ‘Thunder’ livery is a nod to Spitfire camouflage, while the door sill panels bear laser-etched outlines of the Merlin-powered fighters once built in Crewe’s own factory. The Bentayga’s “Cypress Green” finish reflects 311 Squadron’s bomber livery, complete with mottos such as “Be considerate of their numbers.” Each model also features bespoke fender badges, tweed inserts and rotating displays with red, black and yellow accents highlighting the squadron badges.
Bentley Prague worked directly with the British Ministry of Defense to obtain approval for the official insignia and motto. Mulliner even developed a new laser etching process for the headrest designs, marking a technical first for the coachbuilder. The collection also served as the centerpiece of the opening of Bentley Prague’s new showroom, signaling the brand’s growing Central European presence.
The Bentley factory in Crewe, which today produces some of the world’s most sophisticated luxury cars, began life in 1938 as a shadow factory building Rolls-Royce Merlin engines for Hurricanes and Spitfires. The same engines powered the Czech squadrons celebrated in Prague.
The following day, Bentley also paid tribute at home, unveiling a one-of-a-kind Bentayga EWB Azure, designed in honor of the 17 Crewe colleagues who lost their lives when a German bomb hit the factory in 1940. Finished in semi-gloss Artica white, with cascading red poppies and gold initials representing each victim, the memorial car is both a work of art and a memorial.
The project was launched through Bentley’s BeReady network, one of five Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging groups supporting veterans and reservists, and is in line with Bentley’s Silver status in the UK Armed Forces Covenant. The grille also features the number 85 to mark the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. After serving as a racing car in the Race of Remembrance in Anglesey, it will travel across the UK, culminating in the Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire Awards.
Both projects share a common message: Bentley’s legacy is based not only on performance and luxury, but also on gratitude, and these commissions connect the brand’s present with its past and its role in the war effort.
Images: Bentley Motors
