Currently, separate entities under different ownership, Rolls-Royce’s strongest competitor without a doubt, is Bentley, but that was not always the case.  Before competitors, both companies had a shared history. In 1931, Rolls-Royce purchased Bentley Motors during a period of financial difficulty for Bentley.  For decades, Bentley and Rolls-Royce shared chassis and components, with Bentley in the later years often being positioned as the sportier, more performance-oriented brand within the larger Rolls-Royce family.  However, in the 1950s and 1960s, the beautiful interiors from only the finest materials, hand-stitched leather, rare wood veneers, and custom trims were found in both Bentley and Rolls-Royce.  All Bentleys produced in these years used inherited or shared Rolls-Royce chassis, as well as adapted Rolls-Royce engines. Because of identical bodywork and the same engine, Bentley and Rolls-Royce models shared many similarities.  As a result, Bentleys were essentially, with some cosmetic differences, like the grille and badging, a Rolls-Royce in disguise.  The two brands were separated again in 1998. This separation marked the beginning of distinct paths for the two brands