Pittsburgh has had a pretty amazing year. Steel City has turned into the East Coast’s version of Hollywood with blockbusters like The Dark Knight Rises and Tom Cruise attending the premiere of Jack Reacher. We’ve had a huge increase in status so it only makes sense for high-end cars to follow. The Bentley of North Hills dealership is set to open its doors fall 2013. No, we’re not making that up. It’s really happening and seems only fitting to offer some knowledge and history on the prestige brand.
While Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, and Lexus spring to mind when we think of class, there is an even smaller pool of brands that set the standard for lavishness even higher. Brands like Rolls-Royce, Maserati, and Bentley have all proven themselves as luxury vehicles, and the Bentley in particular has emerged as a popular choice of car for the rich and famous.
One of the most famous owners of a Bentley – James Bond. He owned several Bentleys in the books, but in the films he usually drove an Aston Martin. While 007 may have been fiction, there are plenty of celebrity owners that have also achieved a degree of fame. Rapper Jay-Z mentions Bentleys in several of his songs and drives them as well. Ludacris owns a platinum Bentley Continental GT. Bigger than rappers though, the most famous owner may be the Queen of England. In 2002, Bentley Motors presented the Queen of England with two Bentley limousines as a present for her Golden Jubilee, a celebration marking her 50th year as Queen. These limousines are now the official state limousine. It only makes sense, seeing as this is their birthplace.
Bentley Motor Company emerged out of England when Walter Owen Bentley built the first Bentley automobile in 1919. Being a race car enthusiast, he wanted to design and produce the world’s best race car. Racing enthusiasts took notice of the car’s superior performance and Bentleys came in first place in races across Europe. A group of race-car drivers known as the Bentley Boys became famous for taking home trophies. Almost 94 years later; Bentley is arguably the definition of status.
A Bentley has lots of specialized equipment and features. Prices range from around $180,000 for a bare-bones vehicle to more than $350,000, depending on the level of customization you want. Every single component fitted in the Bentley car is filed on computer with all minute details, so that it can be tracked back through all the development stages. This makes it easy for the engineer to change the position of a component or modify a component with respect to higher demands during the course of production.
The dedication and work that goes into building a Bentley reflects on it winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans six times. The race is essentially the Grand Prix of luxury vehicles. Held in France since 1823, teams have to balance speed against the car’s ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining mechanical damage to things such as fuel, tires, and braking materials. The endurance of the drivers is equally tested, as drivers frequently spend periods of over two hours behind the wheel before stopping in the pits and allowing a relief driver to take over the driving duties. Today it is mandated that three drivers share each competing vehicle.
A Bentley owner can expect the highest levels of performance without compromising comfort. Veneers are matched with both book and mirror to have symmetry on either side of a Bentley’s centerline, and every piece of glass used in a Bentley car is finished using finely powered pumice that is mainly used to polish optical lenses. Lacquer-spraying robots simulate human sprayers and the steering wheels of all Bentley cars are doubled stitched by hand with the use of two needles simultaneously. Because the process is too complicated for a machine, it takes about 15 hours to create one steering wheel.
This luxury car is a brand known for beauty, elegance, and high performance. The creative designers and skilled engineers work together to build cars that strengthen the unique experience of driving a Bentley car. The combination of beautiful design cues, elegant styling, flawless profile, and unmistakable characteristics are just a few of the reasons why the entire range of Bentley cars are known to show prestige.
The Bentley of North Hills dealership will offer financing options. We encourage you to stop by when the doors are officially open in fall of 2013. You don’t be disappointed.