Rolls-Royce Motors, the car division comprising the Rolls-Royce and Bentley brands, separated from Rolls-Royce Limited in 1973. The company (now called Bentley Motors Limited) was acquired by Volkswagen in 1998, with the Rolls-Royce brand separately licensed (by Rolls-Royce plc) to BMW to establish a new car company (Rolls-Royce Motor Cars)