Showing posts with label Bentley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bentley. Show all posts
Friday, April 8, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Amari Design Crafts Supercharged Bentley Continental GT with 760-Horsepower
A new company in the tuning scene called Amari Design has presented its take on the Bentley Continental GT through the release of two teaser photos. The UK-based firm’s upgrade package includes a body kit, interior revisions and a variety of modifications under the hood.
By adding a supercharger, a sports exhaust system and a new ECU, Amani Design says output is lifted to 750-horsepower. The car also rides on beefier alloy wheels and tires, though the tuner has not yet released specific details.
Read more »Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Bentley Continental Flying Spur - What Can I Say…It’s a Bentley
Not that I’m implying you can’t afford a Bentley if you wanted one, of course. It’s just that the Bentley Continental Flying Spur operates in a very rarefied segment of the market, and the folks who are thinking about buying one are familiar enough with ’em already.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that I’m going to pass up my chance to see what the fuss is all about. The Continental Flying Spur fits into Bentley’s lineup as the "entry-level" sedan, assuming you can use that term to define a $194,000 car. It’s less pricey than the products from Bentley’s traditional competition over at Rolls-Royce and Maybach (the Bentley Arnage is the high-dollar sedan that does battle with those storied nameplates). The Continental Flying Spur brings Bentley’s hand-built magnificence and luxury-sporting heritage to the upper-echelon sports sedan market.
This same paradox of a more affordable, super-premium car has served Bentley well. The Continental GT hit the streets in 2004 and has since become one of the brand’s most recognizable products. Designed at the same time as the coupe version, the Continental Flying Spur is effectively a four-door version of that coupe, and shares the Continental GT’s distinctive look. Flush-mounted quad headlights and chrome crosshatch grille give the bumper-less front end a modern, streamlined face; the high waistline emphasizes the car’s size and solidity. The heavy C-pillar is streamlined and inspired by classic Bentleys. 19" wheels are standard, and look just right under the massive body.
The smooth and modern exterior contrasts with the interior, which strongly resembles that of classic Bentleys. Atmosphere is everything, of course; thick wood trim and chrome-ringed individual gauges are part of the Bentley atmosphere. Most of the Continental Flying Spur’ amenities - leather, navigation system, rain-sensing wipers, power trunk lid, heated and cooled seats, even the indirect LED "mood" lighting - can be found in other luxury cars. What gives this car a right to its six-figure price tag is the way it feels. The Continental Flying Spur is built by hand, and it feels like a finely tuned piece of equipment. The leather is hand-stitched, and the wood can be hand-selected should you choose to lay down your cash for one. The Continental Flying Spur is designed to be a high-speed, rolling boardroom, and it feels the part. The big Barcalounger-like seats and doors are upholstered in old-school pleated leather, and the glass is double-paned for maximum isolation from the outside world. On the road it’s preternaturally quiet. Five-passenger seating is standard; there’s also a four-passenger version with a large console and ancillary controls in the center. Our Continental Flying Spur even featured a champagne refrigerator between the rear seats.
Bentleys have always been performance cars, and in spite of its size, the Continental Flying Spur is definitely that. There’s a 6.0 liter, twin-turbocharged twelve-cylinder engine under the hood, twisting out 552 effortless horsepower. Four-cam, 48-valve construction and variable valve timing ensure relatively efficient operation and boost power delivery. Bentley’s signature quality is torque, and the Continental Flying Spur produces it in a single, massive wave that never seems to end. Where other cars - even many performance cars - run out of steam, somewhere in triple digits, the 6.0 W12 is still pulling, and pulling hard. Attempting to reach the Continental Flying Spur’s limits on public roads is suicidal.
It feels solid on the road, like a three-ton car should. The Continental Flying Spur is massive without being ponderous. It’s also geared to launch like a cannon. The six-speed automatic transmission can be shifted manually with paddles on the steering wheel and is tough enough to handle having 479 foot-pounds of torque dumped into it, and shifts smoothly. It’s top-end biased, with stronger acceleration in the higher gears than down low. All-wheel drive is standard as well, and makes for stable acceleration as well as excellent bad-weather stability. Not that you’d take your Continental Flying Spur out in bad weather.
The self-levelling air suspension can be adjusted for height and stiffness. The Continental Flying Spur rides like a luxury car should, using a four-link independent front suspension with a trapezoidal multi-link rear. Unsprung weight is reduced by the use of aluminum subframes and suspension components. There’s a bit of tautness to the ride, courtesy of the low-profile 275/40 R19 tires. There’s stiffness from the suspension, but not a hint of noise. The suspension’s reflexes are up to the task of making this massive sedan (it’s only a couple of inches shorter than a Chevrolet Suburban) feel like it’s riding on rails. Even at high speeds, the Continental Flying Spur responds quickly to commands. Since it’s capable of ludicrous speeds, it’s blessed with equally impressive brakes as well. The front brakes are among the biggest on any car, anywhere. This means that it’s not hard to haul the big Bentley to a stop after you’ve been going twice the speed limit.
At this price range, a vehicle must necessarily be more than the sum of its parts. There’s only so much that a car can do, from an objective standpoint. The Bentley succeeds, though - it’s clearly a special vehicle in the eyes of everyone who sees it, and while on paper its amenities look to be the same as what you’d find in a Mercedes S Class or Lexus LS 460, the Continental Flying Spur’s hand-built feel and unique interior appointments clearly set it apart. The shattering performance doesn’t hurt, either. The base price of $169,990 truly doesn’t feel wasted. Even with the Mulliner driving specification and additional options in my test car - champagne cooler, heated steering wheels, special stitching and more - the final sticker of $194,185 still seems to be reasonable. And to make a six-figure price tag seem "reasonable," you’re talking about a special piece of machinery indeed.
Bentley Continental GT - The Car 007 Should Have Been Driving
That’s right…the very traditional British marque Bentley that we often associate with limousines and English country gentlemen is undergoing a remarkable transition. The Continental GT deftly retains the Bentley image yet presents it in a gorgeously elegant, high performance package.
The Continental GT is a 2+2 Grand Touring motorcar. The styling of the GT is modern, elegant, chic, bold and something to be coveted. The considerable color palette presents the many faces of the GT. In a sky blue paint scheme, the GT comes across as daring. In silver, it looks as if it were machined from a solid block of aluminum and highly polished in a techno-chic way. The deep green that is so dark you’d swear it was black, appeals to the British motorcar traditionalist. In any of its colors or hues, the GT is impressive. I have yet to see one that I have not wanted, regardless of its color.
As modern as the exterior is, the interior comes across as very traditional in its look and feel. There’s lots of technology there, but it’s hidden below the surface. The first impression is that you’ve entered a British automotive wood and leather paradise. The array of colors, hides and woods for trim are very impressive. It is easy to personalize your vehicle. There are 16 exterior colors, 16 interior colors, 7 types of wood and multiple other buyer selectable choices. The number of possible option combinations exceeds the total production of the vehicle. According to the company, no two Bentleys are exactly alike. The wood used in the interior is hand matched. The hides for the seats are also hand selected and matched in both grain and quality. As an example of the care and attention to detail lavished on the GT, the steering wheel alone takes a craftsman 18 hours to hand assemble, carefully preparing the wood and hand stitching the leather so that it’s just perfect. Bentley spends more time making a steering wheel than some auto manufacturers take to assemble an entire compact car! Should the standard suite of choices be insufficient, the Mulliner packages provide additional opportunities to personalize your Bentley.
In addition to being a study in class and elegance, the interior is very comfortable. This is a true 2+2 vehicle which means that it actually does have room-for-adults rear seating. Correspondingly, the trunk can hold sufficient luggage for a serious weekend with friends. All 4 side windows roll all the way down and are pillarless to enhance a feeling of openness in the cockpit.
The engineering of the vehicle is not left wanting. Historically, Bentley has been the racing twin of the Rolls Royce/Bentley family. In a Rolls you’re the passenger, but you’ll want to drive the Bentley. Because of Bentley’s recent association with VW, Audi and Porsche car companies, it benefits from some of their performance hardware. The propulsion in the GT is a twin turbo 12 cylinder W12 engine. The high flying W12 outputs 552 horsepower and 479 ft.-lbs. of torque at an ultra low 1,600 rpm. All this push is routed through a wonderful 6 speed automatic with Porsche-like Tiptronic shift controls. Power is delivered to all 4 tires thanks to a full time all wheel drive system very similar to Audi’s Quattro technology. Notwithstanding the GT’s considerable heft, 5,320 lbs., the car is bulleted to 60 miles an hour in 4.7 seconds and has a top speed of 198 (not a typo) miles an hour! Not only is the GT lightning fast, but the manner that the power is offered up is similarly impressive.
This is an easy car to drive fast and equally easy to get speeding tickets in. You have little sensation of speed, even at high velocity. The progressive air suspension and muted interior, allow the car to do a remarkable job of filtering out the din of the road. You always feel in control of the GT and it responds instantly to input but the unnecessary and unwanted bits of driving in traffic or of tired road surfaces is eliminated. The Continental GT is one of the most comfortable and relaxing vehicles that we have ever tested. Undulating road surfaces, sweeping bends, freeway sprints, rain soaked back roads; nothing fazed the GT or threw if off balance.
The Bentley Continental GT is a rare and beautiful thing. Being the “entry” model in the Bentley line, its $155,000 asking price also makes it the value leader compared with the $300,000 plus Arnage models. It’s a stunning vehicle that does everything well. It’s like rare and expensive jewelry that rewards everyone: the driver, the passengers and all onlookers.
Bentley Continental Supersports - The 204 Mile Per Hour Bentley
• The Continental Supersports is the fastest, most powerful Bentley ever with 630PS (621 bhp) 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds) and a 204 mph (329 km/h) top speed.
• The Supersports reaffirms Bentley’s environmental commitment with the launch of its first FlexFuel performance car.
• The Supersports combines the looks of the iconic GT with a distinctive style that reflects its supercar character.
• The Supersports is the extreme Bentley delivering a highly focused driving experience – a muscular two-seater that is 110 kg lighter than the Continental GT Speed.
Introduction - The Continental Supersports is the fastest and most powerful Bentley ever. It is the extreme Bentley, a muscular two-seater that delivers supercar performance and a highly focused driving experience.
The Supersports is also the first Bentley capable of running on both petrol (gasoline) and biofuel, pioneering the use of FlexFuel technology in the luxury sector. This represents stage one of the company’s commitment to make its complete model range compatible with renewable fuels by 2012.
Available worldwide from autumn 2009, the Continental Supersports will be FlexFuel compatible in the majority of markets from launch with North American cars offering the capability by summer 2010, following regulatory approval.
The Continental Supersports began as an ‘under the radar’ project exploring the possibilities of weight reduction on the Continental GT but with more power and torque. A largely experimental process crystallised over a period of 24 months into an official new car programme, driven by the passion and enthusiasm of a small group of Bentley engineers and designers.
The results are dramatic. With 630PS (621 bhp) and new ‘Quickshift’ transmission that halves shift times, the Supersports sets new performance benchmarks for Bentley. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds) onto a top speed of 204 mph (329 km/h).
Supercar performance is complemented by an array of chassis enhancements including retuned steering and suspension, utilising lighter weight components, retuned dampers and anti-roll bars.
Agility is further sharpened by the 40:60 rear-biased torque split for the all-wheel drive system, a wider rear track, bespoke lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels and a unique electronic stability programme.
Carbon ceramic brakes are standard fitment, benefiting steering response, grip and ride comfort, while saving weight. Overall, the engineering team have achieved a weight reduction of 110 kg (243 lb) compared with the Continental GT Speed.
The evolution of the Supersports’ design is very much a case of ‘form following function’ with new purposeful sculptural forms signalling the engineering changes beneath the skin.
For example, the increased power and torque of the W12 engine necessitated additional airflow to the twin turbocharger intercoolers and cooling system. Bentley’s designers responded with a purposeful and dramatic style that features large vertical intake apertures and twin bonnet vents.
Similarly, new flared rear wings that accommodate the 50 mm (2 inches) wider rear track are designed to emphasise the powerful stance of this ultra-high performance coupe. The resultant Supersports style combines the looks of the iconic Continental GT with a new and distinctive appearance that reflects its more extreme character.
The Supersports is further distinguished from its Continental coupe stable mates by a unique dark-smoked steel finish to all exterior ‘brightware’, including front grilles, lamp bezels, window surrounds and wheels. A complex ‘Physical Vapour Deposition’ process is applied to all stainless steel components to give a lustrous and highly durable finish. A car industry first, this process is normally used as a coating on industrial tools, watches and even hip replacement joints.
Fully embracing the extreme spirit of the Supersports, Bentley’s interior designers have created a unique ambience. The cockpit represents a dramatic re-interpretation of Bentley interior design in which carbon fibre and AlcantaraTM not only convey a sporting and contemporary style but also reduce weight.
The Supersports is a strict two-seater featuring all-new lightweight sports seats with carbon fibre clamshell rear panels. In the rear compartment, the seats are replaced by a stowage deck with a carbon fibre luggage retaining beam.
The new interior also provides a showcase for the skills of Bentley’s craftsmen and women at the company’s factory in Crewe, England. Signature premium grade leather and brightware are complemented by carbon fibre panels, replacing traditional wood veneers.
The Continental Supersports is capable of running on either petrol and E85 biofuel or any combination of the two. E85 biofuel can offer a reduction of up to 70 per cent in CO2 emissions on a ‘well-to-wheel’ basis.
Well-to-wheel is a measurement of a fuel’s net CO2 contribution to the atmosphere, not just tailpipe emissions. It is a way of quantifying how much CO2 a fuel emits from its growth or extraction (well) to its combustion or deployment (wheel). It includes refinement, distillation and transport of the fuel.
The fuel supply system detects the blending ratio of the fuel in the tank and ensures that power and torque remain constant regardless of the ratio of petrol to biofuel. The result is seamless power delivery in the Bentley tradition.
The ‘Supersports’ name is inspired by the original two-seater 3-litre Supersports model introduced in 1925, itself an evolution of the 3-litre Speed. The lightweight, 85 bhp Supersports was the first production Bentley to reach 100 mph and was also renowned for the application of Le Mans-winning race technology.
Commenting on the new Supersports model, Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive said:
“The Continental Supersports reflects the passion and enthusiasm of Bentley’s engineers and designers. This is the fastest, most extreme Bentley ever, dramatically styled to underline its supercar character. Importantly, it also pioneers the use of FlexFuel technology in the luxury sector.”
Bentley Mulsanne - Puttin on the Ritz
If Mother Mary had driven up to the inn with her baby bump in the Mulsanne, Baby Jesus may have been born in a bed with servants attending his every need. A big chrome grille, round headlamps, flowing bodysides, 21” alloys, and yachtlike tail tell the world you are the next thing to the next messiah, prepared to drop serious coin at any spa or galleria. Floating elliptical LED taillamps outshine any deprived sled or guiding star. Its mere presence inspires awe from the stable hands.
Interiors ring to the rafters with exquisite hides, customized to your favorite colors. Mirror-matched wood veneers, hand-finished stainless steel, glass switches, and Wilton-weave wool floormats are of the highest quality. It takes 15 hrs. to hand-stitch each steering wheel, 10 hrs. to finish the brightware, and 2 weeks for wood veneer to become polished panels. You’ll ponder all of that labor while relaxing to the 20-speaker Naim for Bentley audio system. MP3 players connect in a leather-lined drawer, of course.
While all spot welds in the body are performed by hand, aluminum front fenders were formed using aerospace techniques – all drawn down the road by a 505-HP 6.75-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. Able to out-blitz a fleet of reindeer while melting the pee out of a snowdude, Mulsanne rides on a 3-mode suspension that can be dialed for “Bentley”, “Sport”, and “Comfort”.
Stylists were inspired by the 1930 “8-litre” and sought to revive the grand touring Bentley for newbies to the marque and habitual enthusiasts. Built at the old Rolls-Royce factory in Crewe, England, Mulsanne can be chosen in any hue, even matched to your wife’s favorite ornament. Sales begin in mid-2010 with prices wafting by the $300,000 peg.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
2010 Bentley Silver Wings
2010 Bentley Silver Wings
2010 Bentley Silver Wings
2010 Bentley Silver Wings
2010 Bentley Silver Wings
2010 Bentley Silver Wings
2010 Bentley Silver Wings
Friday, March 4, 2011
Bentley Celebrates Ice Speed Record
To be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1, the new Supersports ‘Ice Speed Record’ will be available in a choice of three bespoke paint colours - Beluga, Quartzite and Arctica White. Whatever color you choose, the soft-top is finished in a dark grey 'metallic look'. The special edition also gets new 20-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels with a dark tint finish that are wrapped in Pirelli 275/35ZR20 ultra high performance tires.
Inside, unique features to the ‘Ice Speed Record’ model include the high-gloss carbon fibre in a red weave finish on the dashboard, centre console and roof panel. The same theme continues with the red piping on the seats and doors, and Pillar Box Red contrast stitching to seats, door casings, steering wheel and gearshift paddles.
Furthermore, the front seats and floor mats feature embroidered ‘Supersports’ legends while the signature Breitling dashboard clock also has a red accent.
The new Supersports ‘Ice Speed Record’ special comes fitted with Bentley's 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged bio-fuel W12 engine that runs on both petrol (gasoline) or E85 bio-ethanol or any combination of the two. It produces 640-horses and 800Nm (590lb ft) of torque. Paired with a Quickshift six-speed automatic transmission, it launches the all-wheel drive convertible from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.0s) and reaches 100mph from a standing start in only 9.5 seconds (0-160 km/h in 9.4s).
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Monday, February 28, 2011
Bentley Celebrates Ice Speed Record with New Special Edition Supersports Convertible
To celebrate the 205.5mph (330.7km/h) world ice-speed record that was set two weeks ago by Finland’s four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen in a Continental Supersports convertible, Bentley has unveiled a new special edition version of its drop-top model that will be built in a limited run of 100 units. Read more »
Saturday, February 19, 2011
A Chrysler Sebring-Based Bentley Replica
Today’s entrant is this, dare I say it, rather convincing replica of a 2009 Bentley Continental GT convertible or GTC based on a ’96 Chrysler Sebring Convertible. Fashioned in ghetto / Saudi Arabian sheik white with the typical, so-not-a-Bentley blinger rims that’d make even Lil’ Jon a lil ill, our wanna-B (you see what I did there?) comes complete with 175,000 miles on the clock and a full fibreglass body.
Before it leaves the seller’s hands, he or she claims to be fitting new carpet, a new windscreen, new door mirrors and a custom dual exhaust with genuine Bentley tips. All the buyer needs to do, we are told, is reupholster the seats, install a Bentley dash and centre console and fit a new convertible top, a new sound system and a sat nav system. And et voilà, your very own Bentley - sort of.
You have to admit, US$21,100 (€16,302) isn’t half bad for something that looks this good. You could get a ’96 Sebring for a lot less, but who wants one of those? You certainly can’t pick up a second-hand Bentley for this sort of money, that’s for sure. So, what’s the verdict? Would you or wouldn’t you? Let us know in the comments.
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