OLDE ENGLISH

The Bentley 6.75-litre V8 bows out after 61 years

- TUHIN GUHA

Any way you cut it, 61 years is a long time. That’s enough time for you to have lived a full life, found a life partner, seen your child grow upand then left your mark on the world. Through which you’ll most likely face some challenges and put in quite a bit of work towards keeping yourself relevant.

So for an engine, an inanimate object that exists to serve a single purpose, to have kept itself relevant for so long is genuinely astonishing. In fact, the 6 ¾ Litre V8, better known as the Great Eight, was a defining element in bringing to not just Bentley but even RollsRoyce, that sense of stately, relentless performance that has become a deep part of their luxury billing.

By the time this engine came about, the heady pre-war days of W.O. Bentley and the Bentley Boys had long gone. The Bentley Boys were a group of rich, young entrepreneurs and social figures who were patrons of Bentley cars and developed Bentley’s image as an aspirational brand through their exploits at Le Mans and their elaborate 1920’s lifestyle. The Bentley of this era reflected this, they were powerful sportscars, with power outputs rarely seen before. The 6 ½ Litre Speed Six that won Le Mans in 1929 and 1930 and the well-remembered 4 ½ Litre ‘Blower’ Bentley are some examples.