Bentley Motors vs Ferrari: Founders, CEOs and History
Bentley Motors was founded in 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley (W.O. Bentley), H.M. Bentley and is led by Frank-Steffen Walliser. Ferrari was founded in 1947 by Enzo Ferrari and is led by Benedetto Vigna.
Company facts
Bentley Motors
- Founded
- 1919
- Headquarters
- Crewe, Cheshire, United Kingdom
- Current CEO
- Frank-Steffen Walliser
- Employees
- 4,000
Ferrari
- Founded
- 1947
- Headquarters
- Maranello, Italy
- Current CEO
- Benedetto Vigna
Founders
Bentley Motors
Walter Owen Bentley (W.O. Bentley)
W.O. Bentley founded Bentley Motors on 10 July 1919 with the brief he set himself: to build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class.
H.M. Bentley
Horace Milner Bentley, known as H.M., was W.O. Bentley's elder brother and his business partner.
Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari, famously known as 'Il Commendatore', was a complex, notoriously abrasive, and effective figure. He didn't care about selling road cars; his only passion was winning races.
CEOs and their tenures
Bentley Motors
- Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen2002–2011
Chairman & CEO (2002-2011)
Turned Bentley from a maker of a few hundred hand-built saloons into a volume luxury brand built around the Continental GT.
Source - Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber2012–2014
Chairman & CEO (2012-2014)
Carried the Bentayga programme through its development phase after the EXP 9 F concept was redesigned.
Source - Wolfgang Dürheimer2014–2018
Chairman & CEO (2011-2012, 2014-2018)
Signed off the Bentayga, which has been Bentley's best-selling model since launch and accounted for 44 per cent of sales in 2023.
Source - Adrian Hallmark2018–2024
Chairman & CEO (2018-2024)
Took Bentley to a record operating profit of ~$800 million (708 million euros) on revenue of ~$3.82 billion (3.38 billion euros) in 2022 and ~$666 million (589 million euros) in 2023, then left in 2024 to become chief executive of Aston Martin.
Source - Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser2024–present
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer
Oversaw the switch from the W12 to the 782 PS Ultra Performance V8 hybrid across the Continental GT and Flying Spur, the reveal of the electric Torcal in September 2026, and the Crewe rebuild that includes the Design Centre opened in July 2025, the A1 electric…
Source
Ferrari
- Sergio Marchionne2014–2018
Former Chairman and CEO
Marchionne transformed Ferrari from a specialized division within a mass-market automaker into one of the most valuable, capitalized luxury brands in the world.
Source - John Elkann2018–present
Executive Chairman
Represents Ferrari's largest shareholder, Exor, on the board and oversees long-term strategy.
Source - Benedetto Vigna2021–present
Chief Executive Officer
Vigna's leadership marks a profound shift for Ferrari, emphasizing digital innovation and sustainable performance over pure internal combustion heritage.
Source
Timeline: Bentley Motors and Ferrari side by side
1919Bentley Motors
Bentley Motors founded in London: W.O. Bentley founded the company on 10 July 1919 and had Bentley Motors established by October that year; the first production car was delivered to Noel van Raalte in…
1924Bentley Motors
First win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: John Duff and Frank Clement won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Bentley 3 Litre, the first of five wins for the marque in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930.
1931Bentley Motors
Rolls-Royce buys Bentley out of receivership: Financial trouble forced Bentley into receivership and Rolls-Royce bought the company for 125,275 pounds; production moved to Derby, where the 3.5 litre S…
1946Bentley Motors
Car production starts at Pyms Lane, Crewe: Bentley moved car production to the Pyms Lane factory in Crewe, built in 1938 to make Merlin aero engines, and the Mark VI was the first model built there as…
1947Ferrari
Company Founded
Enzo Ferrari founded the company.
1952Bentley Motors
R-Type Continental debuts: The Mulliner-bodied R-Type Continental arrived with a top speed just under 120 mph, making it the fastest four-seater in the world and the design ancestor of the modern Cont…
1969Ferrari
Fiat Acquisition
Fiat acquired a 50% stake.
1980Bentley Motors
Vickers takes over and revives the Bentley name: Vickers plc acquired Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd, including Bentley, and relaunched the marque as the sporting brand with the 300 horsepower Mulsanne Tu…
1988Ferrari
Death of Enzo
Founder Enzo Ferrari passed away.
1998Bentley Motors
Volkswagen acquires Bentley and Crewe: On 3 July 1998 Volkswagen acquired the Bentley brand, the Crewe factory and the right to use the Rolls-Royce name until the end of 2002, ending 67 years of share…
2002Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari launched
Launched the Enzo model.
2003Bentley Motors
Le Mans win with the Speed 8: Bentley returned to Le Mans and finished first and second with the EXP Speed 8, Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello and Guy Smith taking the marque's sixth win 73 years after…
2003Bentley Motors
Continental GT launched: The Continental GT, with a 552 bhp 6.0-litre twin-turbo W12 and all-wheel drive, became the first car of the modern Bentley era and created the modern luxury grand tourer segm…
2015Bentley Motors
Bentayga creates the luxury SUV class: Bentley launched the Bentayga, its first SUV and fourth model line at the time, which has been the brand's best-selling model ever since.
2015Ferrari
Initial Public Offering
Ferrari completed its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange.
2020Bentley Motors
Beyond100 strategy announced: In its highest-selling year to that point, 11,206 cars, Bentley announced the Beyond100 strategy to be carbon neutral by 2030 and to switch the whole range to battery ele…
2022Bentley Motors
Record financial year: Bentley posted its best results, with operating profit of ~$800 million (708 million euros), up 82 per cent, on turnover of ~$3.82 billion (3.38 billion euros) and a record 15,1…
2024Bentley Motors
Last W12 built at Crewe: Bentley hand-built its final 12-cylinder engine in July 2024, more than 100,000 W12s after the engine's 2003 debut, replacing it with the 782 PS Ultra Performance V8 hybrid.
2024Bentley Motors
Beyond100+ extends the plan to 2035: On 7 November 2024 Bentley extended Beyond100 to Beyond100+, moving the all-electric ambition from 2030 to 2035, keeping plug-in hybrids on sale and confirming its…
2026Bentley Motors
Torcal, the first electric Bentley: Bentley revealed the Torcal in London on 23 September 2026, a fully electric SUV and the fourth model line in the current range, priced from about 173,000 pounds wi…
2026Ferrari
Luce unveiled
First fully electric Ferrari unveiled at about €550,000.
Acquisitions
Bentley Motors
- Bentley brand and the Crewe factory (bought by Volkswagen AG)1998$700M
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd including Bentley (bought by Vickers plc)1980Undisclosed
- H.J. Mulliner & Co. (coachbuilder)1959Undisclosed
- Bentley Motors Limited (bought by Rolls-Royce Limited)1931Undisclosed
Questions about Bentley Motors vs Ferrari
Who is the CEO of Bentley Motors and Ferrari N.V.?
Bentley Motors is led by Frank-Steffen Walliser and Ferrari N.V. is led by Benedetto Vigna. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Bentley Motors founded vs Ferrari N.V.?
Bentley Motors was founded in 1919 — 28 years before Ferrari N.V., which was founded in 1947. Bentley Motors's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Ferrari N.V..
How many employees does Bentley Motors have compared to Ferrari N.V.?
Bentley Motors employs approximately 4,000 people. A verified employee count for Ferrari N.V. is not currently available.
Where are Bentley Motors and Ferrari N.V. headquartered?
Bentley Motors is headquartered in United Kingdom and Ferrari N.V. is headquartered in Italy. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Bentley Motors and Ferrari N.V.?
Bentley Motors was founded by Walter Owen Bentley (W.O. Bentley), H.M. Bentley. Ferrari N.V. was founded by Enzo Ferrari.
Which company has a longer operating history — Bentley Motors or Ferrari N.V.?
Bentley Motors has been operating for approximately 107 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Ferrari N.V. has been in operation for around 79 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Bentley Motors vs Ferrari overview