Of course, to achieve this level of quality, it not only takes dedicated craftsmen like Dave and Noel, it also requires leadership from people who understand exactly what the brand stands for, and how best to maintain the standards to which its customers have become accustomed.
One such man is Christophe Georges, who is the President and C.O.O. of Bentley Motors in North America, and who kindly agreed to a video interview with me.
Now forgive me here, but I really have to explain how exactly that came about.
You see, it was rather late in the day and I was wondering if Dave and Noel might be available for a video interview the following day. On my travels around the show, I happened upon a man wearing a Bentley lapel pin. As casually as you like, and in the manner that only yours truly could, I walked over to him and said, "Excuse me, but you work for Bentley don't you?".
As soon as he said yes, I excitedly launched into how I'd met Dave and Noel, and that they had worked on my car all those years ago, and how I really wanted to interview them etc etc. I honestly didn't allow the man to get a word in edgeways; he just stood there and smiled at me.
Once I'd finished, he handed me his card and said yes, Dave and Noel would be there tomorrow, and that he too would be happy to sit and talk Bentley with me, if I wished.
It was then, as I walked away that I actually read the business card and realized to whom I'd been speaking.
Now you can imagine how busy the President of any automobile company is nowadays, and interviews, if ever allowed, are usually pre-scheduled well in advance.
Realizing what I'd just done, I rushed over to the Bentley stand to personally apologize for being so forward, and for not recognizing him. He just smiled and said, "No problem Kevin, I'll see you tomorrow".
That is the kind of friendly manner he has, and something which appears to be a trait in most Bentley employees today. It all boils down to real enthusiasm within the Bentley brand, and a true pride in the vehicles which the company produces.
Please, watch the video, and see for yourself the enthusiasm that abounds from Christophe as he explains the world of Bentley today. You'll also get the chance to meet Dave and Noel, two of the most gifted craftsmen you'll ever likely to come across.
So there you have it, my reason for liking this year's Detroit auto show so much.
Of course, I now have another ambition to add to my list, and that is to one day take a tour of the Bentley factory, and who knows, maybe I'll get another chance to chat with my friends Dave and Noel, on their tea-break of course!
As a Personal Footnote:
In my mind, the best thing that ever happened to Bentley was the separation from Rolls Royce. For many years the two companies were almost forced to share the same platforms for their vehicles, which in some ways held both companies back. Today, with BMW owning Rolls Royce, and Bentley in the hands of the VW group, they can each pursue their particular markets as they see fit. This means that the Bentley brand may once again be allowed to soar and perhaps inject a bit more Fast into its products. After all, if you read the history books, you'll see the Flying B logo alongside many, many Le Mans wins.
With models like the sporty Continental GT, good and fast once again go hand in hand at Bentley, and from what I have seen, W.O.'s legacy clearly lives on in vehicles that truly are "the best in class"!
photo:Philippe Champoux
One such man is Christophe Georges, who is the President and C.O.O. of Bentley Motors in North America, and who kindly agreed to a video interview with me.
Now forgive me here, but I really have to explain how exactly that came about.
 |
You see, it was rather late in the day and I was wondering if Dave and Noel might be available for a video interview the following day. On my travels around the show, I happened upon a man wearing a Bentley lapel pin. As casually as you like, and in the manner that only yours truly could, I walked over to him and said, "Excuse me, but you work for Bentley don't you?".
As soon as he said yes, I excitedly launched into how I'd met Dave and Noel, and that they had worked on my car all those years ago, and how I really wanted to interview them etc etc. I honestly didn't allow the man to get a word in edgeways; he just stood there and smiled at me.
Once I'd finished, he handed me his card and said yes, Dave and Noel would be there tomorrow, and that he too would be happy to sit and talk Bentley with me, if I wished.
It was then, as I walked away that I actually read the business card and realized to whom I'd been speaking.
Now you can imagine how busy the President of any automobile company is nowadays, and interviews, if ever allowed, are usually pre-scheduled well in advance.
Realizing what I'd just done, I rushed over to the Bentley stand to personally apologize for being so forward, and for not recognizing him. He just smiled and said, "No problem Kevin, I'll see you tomorrow".
That is the kind of friendly manner he has, and something which appears to be a trait in most Bentley employees today. It all boils down to real enthusiasm within the Bentley brand, and a true pride in the vehicles which the company produces.
Please, watch the video, and see for yourself the enthusiasm that abounds from Christophe as he explains the world of Bentley today. You'll also get the chance to meet Dave and Noel, two of the most gifted craftsmen you'll ever likely to come across.
So there you have it, my reason for liking this year's Detroit auto show so much.
Of course, I now have another ambition to add to my list, and that is to one day take a tour of the Bentley factory, and who knows, maybe I'll get another chance to chat with my friends Dave and Noel, on their tea-break of course!
 |
As a Personal Footnote:
In my mind, the best thing that ever happened to Bentley was the separation from Rolls Royce. For many years the two companies were almost forced to share the same platforms for their vehicles, which in some ways held both companies back. Today, with BMW owning Rolls Royce, and Bentley in the hands of the VW group, they can each pursue their particular markets as they see fit. This means that the Bentley brand may once again be allowed to soar and perhaps inject a bit more Fast into its products. After all, if you read the history books, you'll see the Flying B logo alongside many, many Le Mans wins.
With models like the sporty Continental GT, good and fast once again go hand in hand at Bentley, and from what I have seen, W.O.'s legacy clearly lives on in vehicles that truly are "the best in class"!
photo:Philippe Champoux
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