Bentley’s Logo: A Simplistic Design That’s Rife in Meaning and Heritage
It’s almost impossible to picture a successful company that operates without a logo. Not only does it represent a brand’s visual identity, it can also be an instrumental factor in lead generation. In fact, companies like Bentley attribute a huge part of their astronomical success to their creatively-designed logos.
But what does Bentley logo look like and how many times has the emblem changed?
About Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited, more commonly known simply as Bentley, is a British manufacturer of luxury cars and SUVs.
They were founded on January 19, 1919, in Cricklewood, North London, by brothers Walter Owen Bentley and Horace Millner Bentley. The company is currently headquartered in Crewe, England, and avails its luxury automobiles worldwide.
Bentley changed ownership several times since its establishment over a century ago. In 1931, the company was acquired by Rolls-Royce Limited. Rolls-Royce sold Bentley to Vickers PLC in 1980. And 18 years later, the luxury automaker was acquired by the Volkswagen Group.
Bentley Logo Appearance
Logo Shape
Bentley uses a fairly simplistic logo compared to many automobile manufacturers. However, the emblem is still elegant and attractive enough to draw instant attention to the brand. Besides, it’s rich in meaning and heritage.
The official Bentley logo features a set of a bird’s wings designed to resemble the badge of an aircraft pilot. A capital “B” is emblazoned at the center of the badge. The letter is executed in white and set inside a solid black circle, which seems to contain a double boundary.
The black circle containing the letter “B” sits right in the middle of a larger white circle which also appears to have a double frame. Now, the two wings connect right at the center of the outer circle, nearly cutting the circle in two halves. There’s also a small section of the wings that protrude from the bottom of the logo.
Another noticeable element of Bentley’s logo is the company’s wordmark. The wordmark typically appears underneath the graphic design. It’s usually CAPITALIZED and can be black or white, depending on the background color where it appears. However, note that not all versions of Bentley’s logo feature the company’s lettering.
Logo Colors
At first glance, Bentley’s logo seems to utilize a monochromatic color scheme. But if examined up-close, the emblem actually uses three colors – black, white, and silver.
White is used for the capital letter “B” emblazoned at the center of the wing-like design. White is also the background color. However, the logo may appear on a transparent background or even utilize a different background color, such as black. It all depends on the surface it’s printed on.
Black is the color for the inner circle where the initial “B” is printed. Black is also used to outline the various elements of the logo, including the two circles and the two wings.
NOTE: For versions of Bentley’s logo that appear with the wordmark, the lettering is usually white on a black background or black on a white/transparent background. Lastly, silver is the color used for the wings.
Logo Font
The font used for the “Bentley” wordmark on the company’s logo is unique and not based on any official typefaces. The closest you can get to this font is ITC Blair Pro Bold.
ITC Blair Pro Bold is a font created by a designer named Jim Spiece. The typeface is generally marketed as free for non-commercial usage. Therefore, you may need to contact the designer or publisher if planning to use it for business purposes.
A number of websites let you download this font for free. Examples include Fonts Logo and Hyperpix.
Bentley Logo Symbolism
Symbolism of the Wing-like Design
The image of flying wings on Bentley’s logo pays homage to the brand’s origins.
Before Bentley ventured into the automotive industry, the company had already enjoyed moderate success in the aviation sector. Bentley was extensively involved in the design and manufacture of aircraft engines for the British forces during the First World War.
Thanks to Bentley’s resourceful services during World War I, one of its founders – Walter Owen Bentley – was named to the MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 1919.
Along with that recognition, Walter received £8,000 from the Commission of Awards to Inventors. He used the monetary award to launch his lifelong dream of starting an automotive company.
And when the time came to give his automobile startup a visual identity, Walter settled on the image of a bird’s wings as the central theme for the company’s logo. This was a direct tribute to his earlier endeavors in the aviation industry.
The two wings on Bentley’s logo also represent power and speed. Bentley adopted the flying wings design to portray its vehicles as having enough horsepower for maximum speed and strength.
Last but not least, the flying wings add extra charm to the logo. The design not only portrays Bentley automobiles as fast and powerful, but also elegant and stylish.
Symbolism of the Initial “B”
The capital “B” emblazoned at the center of Bentley’s logo simply stands for ‘Bentley.’ The letter serves the crucial purpose of representing the company’s name, especially on logo versions that do not feature the wordmark.
Symbolism of the Colors
Black is the color of power, elegance, sophistication, and mystery. On the other hand, silver stands for luxury and class. These qualities are undoubtedly synonymous with Bentley’s cars.
Lastly, white connotes innocence and purity. But this color seems to have been used on Bentley’s logo for balancing effects rather than for its deeper symbolism.
Symbolism of the Wordmark
The full company lettering that appears on some versions of Bentley’s logo serves the same purpose as the initial “B” – representing the brand name while also paying tribute to its founders.
Bentley Logo History
Bentley’s logo was created by a professional designer named Frederick Gordon Cosby. The very first logo depicted the initial ‘B,’ crowed with a laurel wreath. But after experimenting with this design for a short duration, Cosby replaced the wreath with the two wings. The logo hasn’t changed its fundamental design since.
Perhaps the color scheme and number of feathers on the two wings are the only elements of Bentley’s logo that have changed from time to time. For instance, vintage cars feature 13 hackles on the left and 14 on the right, whereas Derby cars have 10 hackles on the left and 11 on the right.
As for the colors, you’ll realize that the oval between the two wings appears green in racing cars and red on some exclusive cars. These variances make it easy to identify the style of Bentley car in question.
Final Word
When Walter Owen Bentley co-founded Bentley Motors Limited in 1919, his vision was to produce “a fast car and the best of its kind.” It seems that vision has long been achieved. Perhaps even surpassed, if you consider the striking image the company’s logo has on automobile enthusiasts.