The Bentley brand of automobile is the quintessential luxury car of today's world. Other brands such as Mercedes and Lexus have challenged for the top spot, but Bentley proves time and again that their take on lavishness is what the consumer wants.

In a world of refined mineral water, Bentley can be viewed as Perrier; pure from the springs. Like any luxury car, however, you can expect to pay a small fortune for the rights to drive your own. Even the lesser popular models have price tags of six-figures.

Bentley's sedans and coupes are famously handmade in Great Britain, by and large, at the state-of-the-art manufacturing site, Crewe factory. The Bentley benchmark is deeply imprinted, and the fine craftsmanship-meets modern day technology approach produces a regularly superior automobile.

Bentley Motors is nearing 100-years-old, and was founded by Walter Owen Bentley in 1919. He quickly put the nose to the grindstone and within two years, Bentley had released the first model, the rapid 3-litre debut. Soon after the first release received public acclaim, Bentley followed up with other impressive models.

The new cars released were larger and earned racing success at Le Mans, cementing Bentley's status among the British racing enthusiasts. In 1929, in the midst of the Great Depression, Bentley's numbers took a huge hit and they were forced to sell the brand to Rolls-Royce in 1931.

Two years later in 1933, the new 3 ½-Litre was introduced from Bentley, based on a Rolls chassis that never went into production. In the decades to come, Bentleys were considered nothing more than repackaged Rolls-Royces, and the company's future was once again in great jeopardy. However, the innovative crew was not about to let that happen.

In the 1980s, Bentley's fortunes finally started to turn. With a new company policy that demanded a more distinctive image, the Mulsanne Turbo sedan was born. Throughout the 80s, Bentley frequently reinvented their take on what it meant to provide a luxury car. Not only were their outer designs standing out as fresh and original, their custom interiors were also one of the car's biggest draws.

The company remained successful throughout the 1990s, as well, and in 1998, Bentley started to receive their engines from BMW. Because BMW supplied Rolls-Royce, too, a conflict of interest spawned and Volkswagen took the auto brands by surprise when they purchased both RR and Bentley.

VW quickly relinquished control of RR to BMW and decided to keep Bentley and the Crewe factory. This has given Bentley plenty of opportunity to expand its range and quality. As of today, Bentley still produces their classic, ultra-elegant models. But as an addition, they also build sporty models with turbocharged engines and sleeker bodies. While some auto manufacturers come and go, Bentley has, and always will be a recognized name in luxury cars.