Bentley was founded in 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley with a vision to innovate, including the use of aluminum pistons. The brand quickly gained a following, notably from the "Bentley Boys," and achieved racing success, winning Le Mans four consecutive times from 1927 to 1930. Despite this, financial troubles led to its acquisition by Rolls-Royce in the early 1930s. Post-WWII, Bentley sold rolling chassis for custom builds until the oil crisis hurt luxury car sales. The brand rebounded in the 1980s with the sporty Mulsanne. In 1997, Volkswagen acquired Bentley, revitalizing the brand with heavy investment and launching the successful Continental GT. After peaking in 2007, sales declined but returned to profitability in 2011.