With this financial security, Bentley has soared. Initial protestations that these cars were now just VWs with Bentley badges have all but disappeared. Bentley has retained both its mystique and desirability. The cars are better and faster than ever, with much of the brand's potential being realized. And against the odds, Bentley has managed to retain the thing most observers thought it would lose as soon as a German owner entered the scene: Britishness.