Bentley Blog
The latest news on Britains now part of VW prestige cars including the Azure, Continental GT and new concept motors.
Geneva 2010: Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible is a belated holiday treatFiled under: Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley, UK, Luxury
2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible - Click above for high-res image gallery
Although Christmas was many months ago, we're guessing that the fine folks at Bentley specified the paint on their Bentley Continental Sports Convertible show car some months ago. How else to explain the scrumptious eggnog metallic finish and interior piping? Perhaps it was the droptop's yuletide bounty of power (621 brake horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque) from its force-fed W12 engine that inspired them. Or the fact that at over 200 mph, this would make for one hell of a sleigh.
Either way, we believe that this flex-fuel droptop will finally complete the automaker's already expansive Continental lineup (we expect to see the next-generation model very soon), but admittedly, we've figured that Bentley's volume car didn't have any more derivatives left in it before, and here we are.
[Source: Bentley]Continue reading Geneva 2010: Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible is a belated holiday treat Geneva 2010: Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible is a belated holiday treat originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsBentley Mulsanne specs finally revealed in detailFiled under: Sedan, Performance, Bentley, Luxury 
2011 Bentley Mulsanne - Click above for high-res image gallery
Bentley just issued a press release, finally detailing all of the specs on their new Mulsanne sedan...and it's a big one. That applies to both the release itself and to the car, which will topple the scales at nearly three tons. The Bentley Mulsanne's curb weight is listed at 5,700 pounds, or roughly three Lotus Elises.
Pulling all of that luxury will be a twin-turbo 6.75-liter V8 producing 505 horsepower at 4200 rpm and a stump-pulling 752 pound-feet of torque at a very low 1750 rpm. There's an 8-speed ZF automatic doing delivery work, helping the Mulsanne glide from 0 to 60 in 5.1 seconds, to 100 in 11.6, and on to a top end of 184 miles per hour. Fuel economy is seldom a concern for owners of such vehicles, but the big Bentley has been rated at 16.7 mpg on the combined EU cycle.
No doubt about it, this is one big sedan. For a similar curb weight the Mulsanne ends up being about seven inches longer than the outgoing Arnage, an inch wider, a tenth of an inch taller, and a half foot more expansive between the axles. That's pushing it almost into Maybach levels, easily distancing it from top sedans from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Audi. Only the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe bests it, with the Phantom Sedan in a whole 'nother league. For those who buy their luxury by the pound, those kind of things matter. Follow the jump to read all of the details, and we do mean all of the details on this 2011 Bentley Mulsanne.
[Source: Bentley]Continue reading Bentley Mulsanne specs finally revealed in detail Bentley Mulsanne specs finally revealed in detail originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsGeneva 2010: Touring Superleggera Flying Star is our kind of coachbuilt wunder carFiled under: Performance, Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Bentley, Luxury 
Touring Superleggera Flying Star - Click above for high-res image gallery
The majority of auto journalists are car freaks by nature. One of the many defining characteristics of a car freak is an undying, unadulterated love of any sort of shooting brake. If you're not a car freak, or just don't know the term, a shooting brake is a two-door station wagon. Why is this bodystyle so beloved? Many reasons, but let's just chalk it up to the impracticality of a sports car mixed well with the practicality of a station wagon. What can we say, it's a boat floater.
For Geneva, Italian car maker Touring Superleggera showed us freaks their new, stunning Flying Star. Built at the request of a customer and with the full cooperation of Bentley, the Flying Star is a shooting brake built from the Bentley Continental GTC. Honestly, there's not all that much to tell. Underneath the new skin sits... a Bentley Continental GTC, complete with its 560-horsepower, 479-pound-feet-of-torque twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12. Or, if you insist, Touring Superleggera will build you a GTC Speed-based Flying Star with 610 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. Oh, and there's a support structure between the rear shocks that acts as both a hard structure for the new roofline and an integrated roll bar.
The real story, however, is being told by your eyeballs. Many of us have never been all that enthused by the shape of the Continental. But the Flying Star, well, it completes the design. How good? Four of us Autobloggers were gathered around a single laptop gasping at admiring Touring Superleggera's handicraft work. So yes, we think this is a very wonderful looking car. 100-percent picture perfect? No, as the tailgate's not quite... something. But let's not be petty, the Flying Star is fantastic looking.
Useful, too, as you can fit four golf bags in the rear. You might be wondering why a two-seat vehicle would need to carry four golf bags, but if you look closely you'll notice two additional seats in back. They of course fold down, allowing the Flying Star to swallow even more golf bags (no official word on exactly how many).
Besides the Flying Star's overall shooting brakeness, our favorite part has to be the woven leather "boot carpet," i.e. a beautiful material that covers the rear cargo area, the back of the rear seats and the rear floormats. Have we ever been excited about carpet before? No, never. And we doubt we ever will be again. That said, we doubt we'll be seeing any coachbuilt cars that get us as excited as the Flying Star. Now word on price (think: expensive!) but Touring Superleggera will be building just under 20 examples per year. Go car freaks, go. Full press release after the jump.
Live Photos: Jonny Lieberman / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Touring Superleggera]Continue reading Geneva 2010: Touring Superleggera Flying Star is our kind of coachbuilt wunder car Geneva 2010: Touring Superleggera Flying Star is our kind of coachbuilt wunder car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: MT pits GT-R against Bentley Continental SupersportsFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Bentley, Nissan, Luxury 
GT-R vs. Continental Supersports - Click above to watch video after the jump
Motor Trend's infatuation with the Nissan GT-R (who can blame 'em?) continues, this team manifesting itself in a quarter-mile shoot out comparison between Godzilla and the Bentley Continental Supersports. Sound like a strange pairing? Well it is and it isn't. Though the Bentley does weigh over 1,000 lbs more than the Nissan (4,993 lb vs 3,885 lb), its twin-turbo W12 engine puts out a lot more horsepower (621 vs 485). Combine those two stats and you get the same power-to-weight ratio of 8 lb/hp for both vehicles. At that point, it's up to traction, transmissions and the god given nature of each engine to claim a winner. We won't spoil it for you, though. Check out the vid in full after the jump.
[Source: Motor Trend]Continue reading Video: MT pits GT-R against Bentley Continental Supersports Video: MT pits GT-R against Bentley Continental Supersports originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsGeneva Preview: 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports ConvertibleFiled under: Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley, Luxury 
2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible - Click above for high-res image gallery
Bentley has dropped the details on its newest creation ahead of its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, and claims that it's produced the world's fastest four-seat convertible and the quickest drop-top Bentley in the automaker's history.
The 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible is the soft-top sibling to the marque's latest coupe, packing the same twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 as the hard-top and putting out 621 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Also like the fixed roof variant, the Supersports Convertible can run on either gasoline or E85, returning a 0-60 mph run of 3.9 seconds and a top speed on 202 mph no matter what fuel you choose to top up with.
Other carryovers include the all-wheel drive system and ZF-sourced six-speed automatic that sends power to four, 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels shod in high-performance Pirelli rubber (275/35Z R20). However, unlike the hard-top, the rear seats remain, along with carbon fiber buckets and matching trim, Alcantara and a host of interior amenities.
Bentley hasn't released pricing on the Supersports Convertible yet, but considering the coupe starts around $270,000, you and three friends can share the $300k tab when it goes on sale this summer. Press release after the jump.
Continue reading Geneva Preview: 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible Geneva Preview: 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsOnyx gives the Bentley Continental the Platinum GTO treatmentFiled under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Bentley, Luxury
Onyx Bentley Continental Platinum GTO - Click above for high-res images
GTOs come, and GTOs go. Although the Pontiac GTO may be long gone, Ferrari is working on a new 599 GTO. Now Irish tuning house Onyx Concept - which previously worked up the Range Rover Sport and Vogue - is releasing a GTO of its own.
Based, as you can see, on the Bentley Continental GT, the Onyx Continental Platinum GTO packs a host of visual and performance modifications in an effort to take what is widely known as the "Camry for rich folks" to GTO levels of performance. That includes boosting the power from the W12 engine from 553 horsepower to beyond 640, although Onyx hasn't disclosed exactly how that's been done. The suspension has also been dropped to the ground like the pants on an American Idol contestant. 22-inch matte black alloys compliment a body kit comprising of a new front bumper with LED daytime running lights, wider wheel arches and carbon fiber splitter, decklid spoiler and rear diffuser.
Onyx says the Platinum GTO will be available beginning next month. Along with the pair of images (which we've posted to the gallery below), those are all the details available at this point in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Onyx Concept]Continue reading Onyx gives the Bentley Continental the Platinum GTO treatment Onyx gives the Bentley Continental the Platinum GTO treatment originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsCoachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera to launch Bentley Continental shooting brake in GenevaFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Bentley, Specialty, Luxury 
Earlier this month, we heard rumors that coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera planned to introduce a new bespoke version of the Bentley Continental GT. Now we've got confirmation that the firm will indeed introduce an shooting brake based on the GT at the Geneva Motor Show early next month.
Only 20 three-door estates are planned, and they'll reportedly be built atop the buyer's choice of a regular Continental GT or an uplevel Continental GT Speed. This will be the company's first product based on a vehicle from Bentley, though past models included the likes of Ferrari, Aston Martin and Lamborghini.
We don't have many details other than the teaser sketch above and that the GT will have two rear seats that fold independently, making for what we can only assume will be the World's Most Luxurious Six-Foot Luggage Parcel. An electrically operated folding tailgate is also on the menu.
[Source: Classic Driver]Coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera to launch Bentley Continental shooting brake in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsWrite Hand Redux: Bentley Mulsanne pen by TibaldiFiled under: Etc., Bentley, Luxury 
Tibaldi for Bentley Mulsanne pen - Click above for high-res image gallery
Their pricing might be different (by order of magnitude), and their vehicles might be radically different as well, but Bugatti and Bentley largely cater to the same cadre of elite clientele. The two auto marques - both subsidiaries of the Volkswagen Group and both managed by the same CEO - share a common branding approach as well, so it should hardly come as any great surprise that, following Bugatti's collaboration with Italian pensmiths Ferrari da Varese, Bentley's gone a similar route with Tibaldi.
Fact of the matter is, like the timepiece collaboration with Breitling, Bentley and Tibaldi have been working together for several years already. We reported on one of their previous collaborations a few years ago, and now the Italian pen-maker has released their latest in honor of the new Bentley Mulsanne.
The Tibaldi for Bentley Mulsanne pen series includes roller-balls and fountain pens crafted in sterling silver and 18-karat rose gold. They feature knurled metal grips and wood trim in any of Bentley's three veneers: dark stained vavona, burr oak or burr walnut. With a clip reminiscent of Bentley switchgear and an emblem styled after the car's starter button, you can bet the Mulsanne pens have a feel to them as weighty as the car they're designed to compliment. And just to gild the lily, each comes in a specially crafted wooden box to match. Have a look for yourself in the gallery below and read the details in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Tibaldi]Continue reading Write Hand Redux: Bentley Mulsanne pen by Tibaldi Write Hand Redux: Bentley Mulsanne pen by Tibaldi originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Feb 2010 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsAutoblog Weekender: IRL, Making Mulsannes, a Russian Hummer Tractor Thingy, IRL, the Alfabeast ... and more IRLFiled under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Bentley, Ford, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Motorcycle, Russia
The Autoblog Weekender - Click above to find out what you missed
In February's first Weekender, NASCAR already has its Car of Tomorrow and now Indycar is planning its car of 2012. Dallara has designed three sample chassis, and while they might not make IRL any more fun to watch, they could make it far more interesting to look at. In other lands, the Alfabeast is what you get when you cross a 2.5-liter V6 and a hardtail motorcycle, Ford says "No" to manatees and monkeys, Bentley shows you how to make a Mulsanne, the new Porsche Cayenne interior looks hot as cayenne, and did you hear the one about the guy who ate a bowl of chili and crashed into a house? Yeah, neither had we. Follow the jump for all those stories and more...Continue reading Autoblog Weekender: IRL, Making Mulsannes, a Russian Hummer Tractor Thingy, IRL, the Alfabeast ... and more IRL Autoblog Weekender: IRL, Making Mulsannes, a Russian Hummer Tractor Thingy, IRL, the Alfabeast ... and more IRL originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsCarrozzeria Touring reportedly to unveil coachbuilt Bentley Continental GTC in GenevaFiled under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley, Specialty, Design/Style, Luxury
Bentley Continental GTZ by Zagato - Click above for high-res image gallery
If you were enticed by Zagato's take on the Bentley Continental GT (pictured above), rumor has it Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera has a version of its own in the works.
Anticipated to be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in two months' time, Touring's coachbuilt Bentley is slated to be based on the convertible Continental GTC, and could borrow its underpinnings from the upcoming GTC SuperSports.
Like Zagato's Continental GTZ, the second coachbuilt Continental reportedly received support from Crewe. Since its revival, the Carrozzeria gave us such Maserati-based creations as the A8 GCS and Quattroporte Bellagio Fastback, and was recently rumored to be working on a custom Ferrari design as well.
[Source: Autoblog.nl]Carrozzeria Touring reportedly to unveil coachbuilt Bentley Continental GTC in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsRCA design students collaborate with Bentley on the Flying B of the futureFiled under: Coupe, Bentley, UK, Design/Style, Luxury 
Royal College of Art design students work with Bentley - Click above or below for high-res image gallery
Seems like everybody and their cousin wants to design cars. But even with the right training, it can still be tough for an aspiring auto stylist to break into the field. Bentley, however, is giving a handful of transportation design students a crack at working in its design department.
 The program is being held in conjunction with the graduate Vehicle Design Course at the Royal College of Art in London. Eighteen students spent the last few months under the tutelage of Crewe's lead exterior designer Raul Pires, with the four top candidates - Marten Wallgren (Sweden), Mikka Heikkinen (Finland), David Seesing (Germany) and Bora Kim (South Korea) - shortlisted for further collaboration.
Each has penned a novel, futuristic take on the Bentley design ethos, and from among them one will be selected for a job in Bentley's design studio. Click on the thumbnails below to view their designs, and follow the jump for details in the press release.
[Source: Bentley]Continue reading RCA design students collaborate with Bentley on the Flying B of the future RCA design students collaborate with Bentley on the Flying B of the future originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsFirst Drive: Bentley Continental Supersports is a whiter lighter shade of pale awesomeFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Bentley, Reviews, Luxury 
2010 Bentley Continental Supersports - Click above for high-res image gallery
In the superluxe world, we're used to this maneuver: add a few horsepower, shave a tenth or two, sew in a few extra threads, name your exclusive new interior color something like "Algerian Beet" and voilà, a 50-percent price premium for three-percent more car. On the surface, the Bentley Continental Supersports is a GTC Speed that has gone on The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover, and Alter Eco. But you know what they say about the proof and the pudding, so the question is whether the Supersports is a nameplate special or a genuinely higher evolution of the baller's favorite steed. We spent a day in the wilds of New Jersey and upstate New York, along with a few hours at Monticello Raceway to find out. Ladies and gentlemen, allow us to introduce you to the first Continental you can feel.
Photos by Jonathon Ramsey / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading First Drive: Bentley Continental Supersports is a whiter lighter shade of pale awesome First Drive: Bentley Continental Supersports is a whiter lighter shade of pale awesome originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsDetroit 2010: Bentley Series 51 Continental GTCFiled under: Detroit Auto Show, Convertible, Coupe, Bentley 
Bentley Continental Series 51 Continental GTC - Click above for high-res image gallery
Bentley was the only ultra-luxury marque to have a stand-alone display at the Detroit Auto Show and the British brand came strong with its upcoming Mulsanne flagship in the flesh and this special edition Continental to pique our interests. The Continental is already a stunner in its "base" trim, but not everybody is content with an "ordinary" Bentley.
The ultra-exclusive Continental adds a new Series 51 trim for 2010, named after Bentley's first official styling department in the 1950s. Series 51 trim will be available for the entire Continental lineup and offer exclusive exterior design cues and a unique color palette. We're talking three-tone leather with contrasting piping and stitching here, folks. Check the Series 51 box and you'll also get 14-spoke, 20-inch wheels and a Series 51 badge on the front wings.
The new trim, which will be available throughout the Continental lineup, starts at $192,750 for the GT coupe. Click below to peruse our high resolution gallery of the Series 51 Continental GTC and hit the jump to read over the Bentley press release.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading Detroit 2010: Bentley Series 51 Continental GTC Detroit 2010: Bentley Series 51 Continental GTC originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsSpy Shots: Inevitable Bentley Continental GTC Supersports spottedFiled under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Bentley, Luxury  Really, it was only a matter of time before spy photos of the Bentley Continental GTC Supersports made the rounds. After all, there was never any doubt that the German-owned maker of high-end luxury cars would eventually cut the top off its latest sportster -- in this case powered by the most powerful production version of the automaker's 6.0-liter W12 powerplant.
For those that like to keep track of such things, this would be the eighth derivative of the Continental platform - the others being the GT coupe, GTC cabrio, Flying Spur sedan, Speed versions of each and the Supersports coupe. If it does indeed see the light of day, expect the GTC Supersports to boast a similar weight reduction as the coupe (243 pounds, although it's sure to gain a few when the top comes off) along with carbon ceramic brakes and the deletion of the rear seats. Oh, and flex-fuel capability... at some point.
[Source: ThumbSnap]Spy Shots: Inevitable Bentley Continental GTC Supersports spotted originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBentley and Zai launch Supersport skisFiled under: Bentley, Design/Style 
Zai for Bentley 'Zai Supersports' skis -- Click above for high-res image gallery
Swiss firm Zai makes high-zoot skis. When the company teamed up with Bentley, the result was an even higher-zoot ski kit called Zai Supersports, composed of handmade skis and poles, and a ski bag.
The skis themselves feature a special carbon fiber material called "Zaiìra" on top, with a natural rubber core, chromium-steel-infused carbon fiber for the twisty bits, and Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites to round out your lust for exotic materials. The poles use the ExoGrid tech usually associated with the world of golf clubs.
There will only be 250 pairs made, and because you knew they wouldn't be cheap you won't be surprised by the $9,800 purchase price. Get all the facts in the press release after the jump, and pretty pictures in the high-res gallery below.
[Source: Zai]Continue reading Bentley and Zai launch Supersport skis Bentley and Zai launch Supersport skis originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Dec 2009 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsWhat Price One-Upmanship? 2011 Bentley Mulsanne available from $285,000Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Performance, Bentley, Luxury 
2011 Bentley Muslanne - Click above for high-res image gallery
With a starting price of $285,000, Bentley's newest flagship model won't come cheap. Nor should it, with its 505-horsepower, 725 lb-ft, gasoline-fed 6.75-liter V8 engine sitting behind the automaker's trademark mesh grille and four round lights.
Also included in that price will be an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission, 16.54-inch front and 15.5-inch rear carbon ceramic brakes and 20-inch wheels. And lest we forget, it will also come with a 2,200-watt stereo and the brand's new Driver Dynamics Control system, which comes with "Bentley," "Sport," "Comfort" and user-definable "Custom" modes.
Want one? Production is slated to begin at the Crewe factory in England in the second quarter of 2010, and the first deliveries will make it to America later than year in the fall. Get yours in one of 114 available paint colors, 21 carpet shades, nine wood veneers and 24 interior leather hides, but get your order in fast - Bentley reports that early customer interest has already exceeded 2010 production targets. Click past the break for the official press release.
[Source: Bentley]Continue reading What Price One-Upmanship? 2011 Bentley Mulsanne available from $285,000 What Price One-Upmanship? 2011 Bentley Mulsanne available from $285,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsBentley does a double-decker bus for charityFiled under: Etc., Bentley, Specialty 
Luke, a London Routemaster bus retrofitted by Bentley for St Luke's hospice - Click above for high-res image gallery
We haven't met anyone who works in the Bentley factory. (At least, this writer hasn't.) But we like them already. Because while workers at other assembly plants go on strike or to Eminem concerts when they've got no more work, the crew from Crewe puts their energy and considerable talents into charitable endeavors. A couple of weeks ago we brought you a collection of artwork created by Bentley craftsmen, scheduled to be auctioned off to benefit cancer research. Now they've completed work on a bus for a hospice.
The decommissioned London Routemaster double-decker city bus affectionately named Luke was acquired by St Luke's hospice - a care facility for the terminally ill in Winsford, Cheshire - earlier this year. The goal was to use it as a sort of "community charity bus" to be used for fundraising, public awareness and as a "traveling shop" for college campuses. We don't know exactly what that entails, but the results, billed as the world's most luxurious charity bus, are impressive.
Very different in nature from rival Aston Martin's bus project, 59 Bentley workers from the woodshop, tool-room and maintenance departments volunteered some 2,000 man-hours to transform Luke from a mode of public transportation into what looks like an impeccably well-crafted vehicle for charitable work. See for yourself in the gallery below, and follow the jump for the full press release.
[Source: Bentley]Continue reading Bentley does a double-decker bus for charity Bentley does a double-decker bus for charity originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsBentley working on new sub-Continental shooting brake and crossover?Filed under: Wagon, Crossover, Hatchback, Bentley, Luxury 
Bentley Continental Supersports - Click above for high-res image gallery
Bentley has just supplanted the Jurassic-era Arnage with the new Mulsanne, which in turn will breed replacements for the Brooklands and Azure. A new Continental range is on the way as well. But according to a new report from Automobile Magazine, the crew from Crewe isn't content simply replacing existing models: they want to branch out. And when their heads are already scraping the sky, Bentley is reportedly looking at going downmarket with two new niche models.
Tentatively known as the New Compact Bentley (NCB) project, the luxury automaker hopes to cover new territory in the $110-130,000 range in two forms: a three-door shooting brake and a segment-busting crossover. The latter would be more of a tall wagon than a sport-ute, as Automobile notes that Bentley chief Franz-Josef Paefgen was responsible for the original Audi Allroad but opposed the Q7.
Platform underpinnings for both would reportedly be based loosely on the next-gen Audi A6/A7 flexible architecture and powered by an Audi-based 4.5-liter twin-turbo V8 driving somewhere in the neighborhood of 550 horsepower through all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Production would reportedly be pegged around 7500 units annually, but Bentley might find it doesn't have the market all to itself, as Rolls-Royce is said to be working on a Ghost-based crossover of its own known as the "Short High Rugged International Metropolitan Project" - or SHRIMP for short.
[Source: Automobile Magazine]Bentley working on new sub-Continental shooting brake and crossover? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsREPORT: Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini not attending LA Auto ShowFiled under: LA Auto Show, Performance, Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Spyker, Fisker, Luxury 
The closest we'll get to the Ferrari 458 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Here's an unsurprising stat for you: 60 percent of all vehicles sold in the U.S. that cost over $100,000 find homes in New York, Florida and California. The majority of which are parked in garages in Manhattan, Miami and Los Angeles, respectively. So the revelation that Bentley, Ferrari and Lamborghini won't be attending next month's LA Auto Show is -- at the very least -- surprising.
According to a spokesperson speaking with The Detroit Bureau, Bentley has decided to skip the So. Cal. show, adding that the automaker is looking for "a better use of our resources." Ferrari and its sister marque Maserati are out as well, with an unnamed source telling the industry pub, "It's just the economy. We're cutting back on a lot of things."
Given the global economic climate and its affect on high-end automotive sales, the choice to scale back isn't such a shock, but for automakers that rely on the Southern California market, it's a disturbing sign of the times. As for the rest of the LA exhibitors, the luxury market's Big Three (Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz) will be in attendance, although it looks like the lower hall will only house Aston Martin, Spyker, Fisker and -- we'd assume -- Rolls-Royce.
[Source: The Detroit Bureau]REPORT: Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini not attending LA Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsThat's Rich: Bentley accessories include self-leveling wheel hubs, ridiculous baby seatFiled under: Etc., Bentley, Luxury 
Bentley Accessories Collection - Click either image for high-res image gallery
If you're riding in a Bentley, you're not about to spec it up with gear off the shelf from the local Pep Boys, now are you? Of course not. That's why Bentley has come out with a line of equipment especially made for Crewe's finest.
 The new range of Bentley accessories includes everything from body kits and wheel hubs to child seats and flashlights. The vented wings for the Continental range replace the panel between the wheel well and the front door with a chrome mesh vent. Crewe's also offering a set of Rolls-style self-leveling wheel badges that - you guessed it - keep themselves perpendicular to the ground at speeds up to 70 mph or when the car's at a standstill, available for the entire Bentley line-up.
There's also a car cover for the Continental Supersports, a diamond-grip LED flashlight and a booster seat so awesomely ridiculous (or ridiculously awesome) that it makes us wish we were kids again (or had kids of our own... and a Bentley). You can check 'em out in the gallery below and the press release after the jump, but remember: the car's not included.
[Source: Bentley]Continue reading That's Rich: Bentley accessories include self-leveling wheel hubs, ridiculous baby seat That's Rich: Bentley accessories include self-leveling wheel hubs, ridiculous baby seat originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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