Bentley Motors is celebrating the 70^th anniversary of the founding of its own design department at Crewe.

When it was founded in 1951, the design department's key responsibility was to communicate ideas and design proposals and share their vision with other areas of the business. This was achieved by capturing design sketches as watercolour artworks, painted by hand - beautifully crafted yet with no opportunity to click an 'undo' button if a mistake was made.

The watercolour renders were then reproduced in scale or full size technical drawings depicting side, front, rear, plan elevations and sectional views along the body to describe to the model makers the form of the new car.

Today, measuring arms and scanning equipment enable quicker assessment of three-dimensional models, with accuracy down to hundredths of a millimetre, and provide data as either numeric print outs or cloud data uploaded directly within the design studio for instant virtual reference.

Looking to the future of battery electric vehicles, design is anticipated to play a key aspect for customers more than ever before, due to similarities offered from electric motors and other similar components. It will not just play a part in customers vehicles but with enhanced technology they will be intertwined with their lifestyle too.