The Bentley played an important role during the vintage years (1920s to early 1930s) of British sports cars. It won four consecutive Le Mans 24H races from 1927, achieving a total of five wins, including its 1924 victory. The Bentley 4 1/2-Litre, which won the 1928 Le Mans 24H races, was the most popular model; and it was with vintage Bentleys such as this that the cars achieved distinction in many ways. For travel over long distances at high speeds, much attention was focused on durability and reliability; but in contrast to other racers of that time, the Bentley featured a big body with a large-displacement engine.