• Three bespoke Bentaygas inspired by the ‘Bentley Girls’ of the 1920s
• Mary Petre Bruce, Dorothy Paget and Diana Barnato Walker each played an extraordinary part in building the Bentley story
• Details taken from Mary Bruce’s 4½ Litre, Dorothy Paget’s supercharged Blower and Diana Barnato Walker’s Spitfire aircraft
• Designs incorporated into one-of-one Bentayga S, Azure and EWB specifications
• Unique materials and details honour the stories of these powerful women
• Bentley celebrates project with female ideation, designers and implementation throughout pushing ‘Extraordinary Women’ program further
(Crewe, 8 March 2024) In honour of International Women’s Day and the wider Women’s History Month, Bentley Motors is excited to announce three special Bentayga specifications to celebrate the famous ‘Bentley Girls’: Mary Petre Bruce, Dorothy Paget and Diana Barnato Walker.
Two bespoke designers – Emma Carruthers and Georgia Gough – commissioned three unique interpretations inspired by the amazing women that held defining roles in the brand’s 105-year history. While the Bentley Boys may have set the pace, the Bentley Girls refused to take a back seat, making their mark in inimitable Bentley style. Now, their lives and achievements are celebrated in three one-off Bentayga specifications, with the Bentayga’s go-anywhere luxury a perfect match for the incredible lifestyles they led.
Each unique specification incorporates special design cues from the storied past of each Bentley Girl defining a modern interpretation of their vehicle of choice today.
Mary Petre Bruce: Born For Speed
The Bentayga Azure celebrating Mary Petre Bruce is inspired by the 4½ Litre Bentley she drove at Montlhéry, France for 24 hours on 6 June 1929, to capture the world record for single-handed driving, averaging more than 89 miles per hour. The Mary Petre Bruce Bentayga Azure features Parson Green Pearlescent Paint over matching heritage hide, both a direct connection to her 4½ Litre. The interior features 24-karat gold organ stops, aligning with her winning mentality and lavish lifestyle. Mother of pearl crossbanded veneer is also included – a nod to a celebrated quote from Mary: “I was never keen on overalls or slacks, but always drove in a blouse, tailored skirt and a string of pearls”. Further inspiration from her 4½ Litre includes vertical fluted quilting seat uppers and doorcards as well as Mother of Pearl Marquetry reading ‘YV 7263’ – the number plate of the car she drove. A finishing touch is a chequered flag D pillar badge alongside Blackline Specification, reflecting the sporting minimalism of the 4½ Litre’s design and as a tribute to Mary’s racing past.
Dorothy Paget and the Blower Bentley
Dorothy Paget played a vital role in the creation of one of the most iconic Bentleys; the 4½ Litre Supercharged, commonly known as the Blower Bentley. The Dorothy Paget Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) Mulliner features solid Blower Green Exterior paint over minimal color split interior hide of Cumbrian and Blower Green – colour-matched to Team Car #2 itself. The EWB Mulliner – the pinnacle of the Bentayga range – was chosen to express and showcase Dorothy’s extraordinary lifestyle. There are further inspirations from the Bentley Blower which she helped create, including Nickel Painted Self Levelling Wheel Accent Bezels and Painted Nickel Veneer Carriers to the interior – both a reference to the Blower’s radiator. To the inside, engine spin aluminum fascias echo the dashboard of the Blower.
Diana Barnato: Bentley’s Flying Lady
Daughter of three-time Le Mans winner Woolf Barnato, Diana Barnato Walker inherited her father’s flair and courageous spirit. She was an accomplished horsewoman and keen motorist, driving a Dove Grey Bentley 4¼ Litre Park Ward saloon. The Diana Barnato Bentayga S is inspired by her favorite aircraft – the Spitfire – and so features a Smoke Green exterior and the interior hide split of green and saddle, referencing the Spitfire Mk9’s cockpit. Additionally, the car features a bespoke D Pillar badge with the Spitfire emblem and Signal Yellow accents replicating the colour of the wing’s leading edge.
Extraordinary Women
Bentley Motors’ Extraordinary Women initiative is a global mentoring programme that is committed to inspiring and developing the next generation of young female leaders, specifically female students in the fields of engineering, design, technology and business. The project supports Bentley’s Beyond100 strategy, including the aim for Bentley to become the most diverse luxury car company with colleagues as individual as its cars.
• Three bespoke Bentaygas inspired by the ‘Bentley Girls’ of the 1920s
• Mary Petre Bruce, Dorothy Paget and Diana Barnato Walker each played an extraordinary part in building the Bentley story
• Details taken from Mary Bruce’s 4½ Litre, Dorothy Paget’s supercharged Blower and Diana Barnato Walker’s Spitfire aircraft
• Designs incorporated into one-of-one Bentayga S, Azure and EWB specifications
• Unique materials and details honour the stories of these powerful women
• Bentley celebrates project with female ideation, designers and implementation throughout pushing ‘Extraordinary Women’ program further
(Crewe, 8 March 2024) In honour of International Women’s Day and the wider Women’s History Month, Bentley Motors is excited to announce three special Bentayga specifications to celebrate the famous ‘Bentley Girls’: Mary Petre Bruce, Dorothy Paget and Diana Barnato Walker.
Two bespoke designers - Emma Carruthers and Georgia Gough - commissioned three unique interpretations inspired by the amazing women that held defining roles in the brand’s 105-year history. While the Bentley Boys may have set the pace, the Bentley Girls refused to take a back seat, making their mark in inimitable Bentley style. Now, their lives and achievements are celebrated in three one-off Bentayga specifications, with the Bentayga’s go-anywhere luxury a perfect match for the incredible lifestyles they led.
Each unique specification incorporates special design cues from the storied past of each Bentley Girl defining a modern interpretation of their vehicle of choice today.
Mary Petre Bruce: Born For Speed
The Bentayga Azure celebrating Mary Petre Bruce is inspired by the 4½ Litre Bentley she drove at Montlhéry, France for 24 hours on 6 June 1929, to capture the world record for single-handed driving, averaging more than 89 miles per hour. The Mary Petre Bruce Bentayga Azure features Parson Green Pearlescent Paint over matching heritage hide, both a direct connection to her 4½ Litre. The interior features 24-karat gold organ stops, aligning with her winning mentality and lavish lifestyle. Mother of pearl crossbanded veneer is also included – a nod to a celebrated quote from Mary: “I was never keen on overalls or slacks, but always drove in a blouse, tailored skirt and a string of pearls”. Further inspiration from her 4½ Litre includes vertical fluted quilting seat uppers and doorcards as well as Mother of Pearl Marquetry reading ‘YV 7263’ - the number plate of the car she drove. A finishing touch is a chequered flag D pillar badge alongside Blackline Specification, reflecting the sporting minimalism of the 4½ Litre’s design and as a tribute to Mary’s racing past.
Dorothy Paget and the Blower Bentley
Dorothy Paget played a vital role in the creation of one of the most iconic Bentleys; the 4½ Litre Supercharged, commonly known as the Blower Bentley. The Dorothy Paget Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) Mulliner features solid Blower Green Exterior paint over minimal color split interior hide of Cumbrian and Blower Green – colour-matched to Team Car #2 itself. The EWB Mulliner – the pinnacle of the Bentayga range - was chosen to express and showcase Dorothy’s extraordinary lifestyle. There are further inspirations from the Bentley Blower which she helped create, including Nickel Painted Self Levelling Wheel Accent Bezels and Painted Nickel Veneer Carriers to the interior – both a reference to the Blower’s radiator. To the inside, engine spin aluminum fascias echo the dashboard of the Blower.
Diana Barnato: Bentley’s Flying Lady
Daughter of three-time Le Mans winner Woolf Barnato, Diana Barnato Walker inherited her father’s flair and courageous spirit. She was an accomplished horsewoman and keen motorist, driving a Dove Grey Bentley 4¼ Litre Park Ward saloon. The Diana Barnato Bentayga S is inspired by her favorite aircraft - the Spitfire – and so features a Smoke Green exterior and the interior hide split of green and saddle, referencing the Spitfire Mk9’s cockpit. Additionally, the car features a bespoke D Pillar badge with the Spitfire emblem and Signal Yellow accents replicating the colour of the wing’s leading edge.
Extraordinary Women
Bentley Motors’ Extraordinary Women initiative is a global mentoring programme that is committed to inspiring and developing the next generation of young female leaders, specifically female students in the fields of engineering, design, technology and business. The project supports Bentley’s Beyond100 strategy, including the aim for Bentley to become the most diverse luxury car company with colleagues as individual as its cars.
