EPA Rates 2013 Bentley Continental GT V-8 at 15/24 MPG City/Highway

With upcoming CAFE standards looming, all automakers are scrambling to reduce their fleet’s average fuel economy. The upcoming 2013 Bentley Continental GT V-8 should definitely help out the British brand thanks to its EPA rating of 15 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

By comparison, the W-12-powerd Conti is rated at 12/19 mpg city/highway, which is on par with the four-wheel drive Cadillac Escalade SUV (13/18). The Conti V-8’s fuel efficiency is even more impressive when you consider that it tips the scales at 5059 pounds, almost 300 pounds more than the 500-hp Porsche Cayenne Turbo that’s rated at 15/22 mpg city/highway.

For a more apples to apples comparison, the V-8-powered Continental GT is more efficient than the Aston Martin Vantage V-8 (14/21) and bests the Jaguar XKR-S on the highway by two miles (15/22). It’s also on par with the much lighter -- by 1109 pounds! -- 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550 (16/24).

The relatively economical 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 was co-developed with Audi and is similar to the one slated for the upcoming 2013 Audi S8 sedan. Fuel-saving features include direct injection, cylinder deactivation, and a new eight-speed automatic that sends power to all four wheels. It’s also very fast, with a factory-estimated 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds, just two tenths of a second behind the W-12.

Will fuel economy be enough to sway buyers from the Conti W-12? Well, the V-8 weighs just 55 pounds less and is expected to be priced 10 percent cheaper. With bragging rights being important at this price point, just to be able to say that you have a W-12 may be worth the sacrifice.

Source: EPA

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Five Minutes With: Bentley CEO Wolfgang Schreiber

Bentley CEO Wolfgang Schreiber has been on the job for less than a year but faces critical decisions. He must determine the future of the Continental line and, along with new head designer Luc Donckerwolke, has to fix the disastrous EXP 9F crossover. We sat down with him at the Detroit auto show, where Bentley is showing the GT Speed convertible, to discuss what lies ahead for the brand.

On the Bentley SUV:

“Luc Donckerwolke is a professional. He can easily adapt what is now necessary to improve for Bentley. He is already very concentrated working on the SUV.

“We’re working on it. Not only the stylists but also all development guys and purchasing guys. We are concentrating, to do steps we would do if we had the final release. We are very confident we’ll get that final release within the next weeks or months. We also see a strong business case. We collected 2000 preorders from customers for such a car, without having seen the final styling.”

On the changes from the concept

“If you would see it now, you would see definitely differences. It is more refined. The exterior and interior is still a work in progress, but it is different from the Geneva car.

“It is still an SUV, I can tell you that. From the dimensional point of view, it is not completely different.”

On weight:

“To be honest our customers do not complain about the weight of our car. We all know that our cars are not lightweights. But on the other hand, it is always a question of feeling. And our cars have enough power [and] enough torque to accelerate effortlessly. Therefore, weight is more a thing for us from the engineering point of view.

“For sure, we’ll do everything to reduce the weight in the future, with our midterm successor of the Continental. But to reduce the weight by 1 ton or so would give a completely different car, and you’ve got different customers. The current customers would not be happy.”

On future sales:

We think and absolutely believe we can have a double-digit growth this year. [Bentley sold 8510 vehicles in 2012, a 22 percent improvement from the year before]. Double digit begins with ten [laughs]. 2018, our long-term volume goal is 15,000, but there’s something we should mention: volume is not the main issue for us.  We know we need that volume, but first of all we try to fulfill all the requirements of our customer perfectly, and then we want to earn money with that approach. We are not a volume brand. [For the SUV] I want to say something about 3000 or 4000 a year.”

On whether the next Continental will ride on the same platform as the Porsche Panamera:

“First of all, we have relatively new cars on the new platform. So our range is more or less new. It is not necessary to get in a hurry and decide things without very deep investigation. Within this year we have to decide whether we go this or that direction.”

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Report: 2013 Bentley Continental GTC Speed Appears Before Debut

We know that the 2013 Bentley Continental GTC Speed wouldn't be too far behind its GT coupe sibling. Now, ahead of its debut at the 2013 Detroit auto show, we've gotten our first glimpse at the faster droptop.

Despite the deep shade of Barney purple, the 2013 GTC Speed still looks quite regal. The big difference between the Speed and lesser GTC models is the powerplant – we can assume that the GTC will use the same turbocharged 6.0-liter W-12 as the coupe good for 616 hp, 590 lb-ft of torque, a 0-to-60-mph run of around four seconds, and a top speed near (if not cresting) the 200-mph mark. An eight-speed automatic transmission will send that furious power to all four wheels.

Aesthetic upgrades to the GTC Speed over the "regular" GTC look to be minimal. Only discerning enthusiasts will be able to tell the Speed apart from the normal W12 model by spotting the chrome surrounds for head- and taillights, W12 fender badging, and different wheels. The coupe also receives unique interior trim, "Speed" sill plates, and optional carbon ceramic brakes, all of which we should show up on the convertible as well.

Pricing for the Continental GT Speed begins at $215,000; expect a price tag somewhere north of that for the GTC Speed when it goes on sale next year. Look for more official details upon the car's unveiling in a few weeks at the Detroit auto show.

Source: Flickr

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New York 2012: The Bentley Boys Defend The EXP 9 F SUV Concept

I just interviewed Christophe Georges, President & COO of Bentley in North and South America, and Darren Day, a longtime Bentley designer, in a private room on the Bentley stand at Javits. Both of these Bentley Boys are steadfast in their defense of the Bentley EXP 9 F sport-utility concept that debuted a month ago at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

"Reaction has been largely positive," claims Georges. "We have started product clinics in the United States and China, and we already did one in Geneva, where the vehicle was well received by potential customers."

To my assertion that the EXP 9 F lacks the grace and proportion of the Mulsanne sedan and the new Continental GT coupe, both Georges and Day point out that neither I nor anyone else ever saw a concept version of those cars before they reached production. "You haven't seen the process by which we develop and refine," says Day. "We didn't show that in the past, because we didn't have concept vehicles." He continues: "Generally, what we like to do is put a car on the show stand and tell our customers, here, you can buy this. But with the SUV, it's such a different market."

"I don't think you should worry about the front of the car or any other design details," asserts Day, who was in charge of the EXP 9 F's interior but has also worked on various Bentley exteriors during his eighteen-year career at the luxury automaker. "I know that, once we go into production, this car will be a fabulous vehicle. We will listen to our customers and to the media and the design will be inherently Bentley."

Bentley President Georges admonishes that the company has to be ahead of design trends, and to anticipate what future customers will like several years from now. "If you love a car concept today," he says, "that doesn't mean you will like a vehicle in 2015."

To that, I would say that, if I don't like a concept SUV in 2012 because its front styling is garish and looks like something done by a knockoff Chinese car company, I most certainly am not going to like it in 2015. Be that as it may, I would say that, despite Bentley's fierce defense of the Geneva concept, the vehicle is likely to undergo enough revisions over the next three years that it will, I hope, look a lot better in production form.

"The concept we've shown is one possible scenario as to how a Bentley SUV can look," assures Day. "It's simply a chance for the press and public to view possible scenarios."

As for the public, they won't get to see the Bentley EXP 9 F at the New York Auto Show, because it's being shown only to a select group of potential customers in private venues. However, Georges denies that the vehicle is missing from Bentley's Javits stand due to any backlash it might have received at Geneva. "Our stand here is simply not big enough to show it," he says, "but it will be seen publicly at several places in America this year, including Pebble Beach in August."

"Of course, some people will like the [SUV concept] less than others," remarks the suave Frenchman Georges. "But I'm very proud of what we've done."

For more on the 2012 New York International Auto Show, including videos, the latest photos, and more information, click here to visit our New York show homepage.

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Bentley Shows Off Mulsanne Convertible Concept at Pebble Beach

At 189.2 inches long, the Bentley Continental GTC isn’t exactly a small convertible by any stretch of the imagination. That said, Bentley hasn’t built a truly large convertible, one based off its large, flagship sedan platform since the Azure T died in late 2010. That may soon change, if this new Mulsanne Convertible Concept is any indication.

According to Bentley, it very may well be. The company describes the Mulsanne Convertible Concept allows its design team to “provide a glimpse into the potential future of the marque’s flagship family.”

Apart from losing two doors and a fixed roof structure, the Mulsanne Convertible Concept differs from its sedan siblings by way of rear sheetmetal. The crisp, tapered tail is familiar, but the rear fender forms appear to be bespoke to the convertible: instead of gently fading into the car’s beltline, they appear to drastically arch downward, much like those on vintage S1-S3 Continental drophead coupes. In Bentley-speak, they “convey a sense of power and movement.”

Speaking of which, the Mulsanne Convertible Concept likely utilizes the exact same powertrain as its Mulsanne sedan sibling. For the time being, that means we’d wager on finding Bentley’s 6.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8, which produces 505 hp at 4200 rpm and a whopping 752 lb-ft at 17500 rpm. We don’t expect the Mulsanne Convertible to be much lighter than the 5700-lb sedan, but perhaps enough to whittle some time off the sedan’s 5.1-second 0-60 mph time.

So, is this truly a concept, or should we see yet another convertible grace the Bentley portfolio in the near future? Seeing as Bentley spent this past weekend privately showing the car to clientele at the Pebble Beach Concours, it’s a safe bet the Mulsanne Convertible is headed to production – especially since Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer proclaims the Convertible as a means to “extend the appeal of the Mulsanne family while enhancing the profile of the brand in new and emerging markets.”

Source: Bentley.

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Top 10 Heaviest 2013 Coupes

The two-door coupe is traditionally the body style associated with sporty and exotic cars. While that's still mostly true today, entries like the two-door Mini Paceman and giant luxury cars from Rolls-Royce blur the lines a little bit. As a result, not every new coupe is a featherweight sports car -- some weigh more than SUVs or pickup trucks. Here are the ten heaviest coupes on sale today.

1. 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed / GT W-12 -- 6063 pounds

Price (including destination): $215,000 / $193,250

The Bentley Continental GT Speed has a lot of big numbers on its specifications sheet: 616 hp, a top speed of 205 mph, and a curb weight of 6063 pound. It's the latter number that earns the Bentley Continental range the top spot on our list of portly coupes. Much of the Speed's weight comes from its beefy engine, a 6.0-liter W-12 with two turbochargers. The Continental GT W-12 tips the scales at the same lofty 6063-pound figure, as it uses the same twin-turbo W-12 engine but in a lower state of tune. There is, however, a much skinnier model: the new Continental GT V-8 uses a smaller, lighter twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 that keeps the car's mass to just 5060 pounds. Why are the cars so heavy? Primarily because they have eight-speed automatic transmissions and all-wheel drive, and because they're filled to the brim with luxury appointments like wood and leather trim. Bentley also offers convertible versions of the Continental GT, called the GTC, which are even heavier.

2. 2013 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé -- 5688 pounds

Price: $433,895

Even though it stretches 220.8 inches long and spans 78.2 inches wide, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé isn't the heaviest coupe on sale today -- but it's pretty close. The massive, majestic two-door body contains a 6.7-liter V-12 engine good for 453 hp and 531 lb-ft, channeled through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Ornate details abound: the hood and windshield frame are made from exposed stainless steel, the rear-hinged doors can be closed with the touch of a button, and there's even an optional headliner with twinkling LEDs meant to mimic starlight. Despite a lightweight aluminum body, filling the interior with hand-prepared wood, leather, and chrome keeps the Phantom Coupé’s mass high. And even with all that mass to move around, the V-12 engine still propels the Rolls to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 155 mph. Given the fact the car is built by hand and offers that much capability, it's no wonder the Phantom Coupé is the most expensive entry on this list.

3. 2013 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG -- 5027 pounds

Price: $214,105

The Mercedes CL-Class shows, like the previous two entries, that a big twelve-cylinder engine usually leads to a heavy car. In the case of the CL65 AMG, it's a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V-12 that churns out 621 hp and 738 lb-ft. A five-speed automatic transmission directs that power to a pair of 20-inch wheels and tires at the rear axle. Mercedes says 60 mph arrives in just 4.3 seconds, and top speed is limited to 186 mph. This is a seriously fast coupe despite its prodigious weight. There are, of course, three other versions of the CL-Class that are somewhat lighter, but still none are featherweights. The CL550 measures just 4619 pounds, equipped with its 429-hp, twin-turbo 4.7-liter V-8 engine. The CL600 has a 510-hp 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 and weighs 4894 pounds. And finally, the CL63 AMG comes in at 4894 pounds and packs a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 good for 536 hp.

4. 2013 BMW 650i xDrive -- 4387 pounds

Price: $89,395

The heftiest version of the BMW 6-Series coupe is not the boisterous, 560-hp BMW M6 coupe, but the only all-wheel-drive model. The 650i xDrive tips the scales at 4387 pounds, 154 heavier than its rear-wheel-drive version and 386 pounds more than the six-cylinder 640i coupe. The xDrive system accounts for most of the extra mass, although it does make the stylish coupe more appealing to buyers in regions that get snow. Its twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 produces 400 hp and 450 lb-ft, and while the xDrive edition is offered only with an eight-speed automatic, buyers of the rear-wheel-drive 650i can also opt for a six-speed manual transmission.

5. 2013 Cadillac CTS-V automatic -- 4255 pounds

Price: $65,410

Adding the "V" suffix to a Cadillac CTS coupe means installing a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine, hefty performance suspension, Brembo brakes, available Recaro bucket seats, and more aggressive bodywork, all of which bumps the car's mass up to 4255 pounds when fitted with a six-speed automatic transmission, or 4217 when equipped with a six-speed manual. The loud, aggressive V is also offered as a sedan and as a wagon -- the latter incredibly cool because it's the only manual-transmission, 556-hp station wagon we know of. Without all the go-fast goodies, regular versions of the Cadillac CTS coupe are considerably more svelte. Powered by a 318-hp 3.6-liter V-6, the car weighs in at 3898 with rear-wheel drive and 4096 pounds if buyers pay extra for all-wheel drive.

6. 2013 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 automatic -- 4170 pounds

Price: $44,420

Muscle cars are rarely pinnacles of lightweight construction, and the Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 is no exception. When equipped with a five-speed automatic transmission, the SRT8 392 weighs 4170 pounds. Opting for a six-speed manual transmission saves a negligible ten pounds but makes the SRT8 392 more engaging to drive. Fortunately the Challenger counters its mass with a 6.4-liter V-8 with 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to send the big coupe to 60 mph in less than five seconds. The size of the Hemi V-8 engine contributes plenty of pounds to the curb weight, but the Challenger isn't a light car to begin with. Its big footprint -- nearly as long and as wide as the Dodge Grand Caravan minivan -- means that even the lightest versions are still heavy hitters. The Challenger SXT, which has a 3.6-liter V-6 engine with 305 hp, weighs 3834 pounds. The Challenger R/T is the middle child, with a 375-hp 5.7-liter V-8 and curb weight of 4082 pounds.

7. 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 -- 4120 pounds

Price: $55,250

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is big on two things: horsepower and weight. Yet even with the focus on its 580-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, the Camaro ZL1 still manages to perform on twisty roads: the big coupe set a 7:41.27 lap on the grueling Nürburgring in Germany, a time on par with some of the world's best sports cars. The ZL1 wears a long list of aerodynamic components to reduce lift at speed, as well as strong Brembo brakes and two-mode magnetic shock absorbers. Yet all those goodies, along with interior upgrades like leather bucket seats and an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, pile on more weight. A standard Camaro coupe with the 323-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 engine weighs only 3741 to 3780 pounds, depending on trim. The Camaro SS, powered by a 426-hp, 6.2-liter V-8, is 3860 pounds with a six-speed manual transmission and 3913 with a six-speed automatic.

8. 2013 Audi RS5 -- 4009 pounds

Price: $69,795

With its 450-hp 4.2-liter V-8 engine, quick-acting dual-clutch transmission, and torque-vectoring Quattro all-wheel drive, the RS5 is the most exciting version of Audi's A5 coupe to date. It's also the heaviest version, scaling at 4009 pounds -- more than 300 pounds heavier than the regular Audi A5. Yet the weight doesn't hold back the Audi's performance potential. In a recent comparison test, it lapped Michigan's Grattan Raceway quicker than a BMW M3, Porsche Boxster S, and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. The A5 and S5 coupes have less power, but still reward owners with a sporting driving experience wrapped in a sultry design. The A5 and S5 were mildly refreshed for the 2013 model year, with upgrades including new headlights, a new grille, electric power steering, more infotainment toys, and a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 in place of the car's previous 4.2-liter V-8. The base A5 coupe weighs 3681 pounds, while the S5 is 3858 pounds with a six-speed manual transmission and 3924 pounds with its optional seven-speed dual-clutch.

9. 2013 Jaguar XKR / XKR-S -- 3968 pounds

Price: $98,375 / $132,875

Although a regular Jaguar XK coupe weighs only 3770 pounds, the faster XKR and XKR-S coupes tip the scales at 3968 pounds. Compared to the base XK, the performance versions add a supercharger to the 5.0-liter V-8 engine, boosting horsepower to 510 in the XKR coupe and 550 in the XKR-S. The cars also get performance equipment like stiffer suspension, larger brakes, and a rear wing, which adds even more mass to the British two-door, earning the XKR and XKR-S the number-nine spot on our list. Buyers who want a lighter -- but also considerably slower -- Jaguar coupe can opt for the base XK, which is powered by a non-supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 with 305 hp.  It weighs only 3770 pounds.

10. 2013 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG -- 3935 pounds

Price: $63,325

The C63 AMG is the heaviest version of Mercedes' C-Class coupe for one simple reason: it's got a big 6.2-liter V-8 engine under the hood. That engine produces 451 hp in standard guise or 481 hp if buyers opt for the $6050 AMG Development package, and a seven-speed automatic transmission transmits that power to the 18-inch rear wheels. Mercedes claims a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.4 seconds for the standard car and 4.3 seconds for those with the AMG kit. Top speed is normally limited to 155 mph but raised to 174 mph with the AMG package. Other versions of the C-Class coupe are significantly lighter, owing to their smaller engines and brakes, and reduced equipment levels. The C250, which has a 201-hp, 1.8-liter turbo-four engine, weighs 3538 pounds. The 302-hp C350 coupe tips the scales at 3693 lb with rear-wheel drive and 3737 pounds with 4Matic all-wheel drive.

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Top Down, Up North: Audi A5 Cabriolet, Bentley Continental GTC, and BMW 650i Convertible

If you were the proud owner of a luxury convertible and you lived in the snowy Midwest, late January might seem like the perfect time to drive your droptop to Miami, Palm Springs, or some other sun-baked locale.

We're different.

We gathered three all-wheel-drive ragtops -- one of the first 2013 Bentley Continental GTCs, an equally fresh 2012 BMW 650i xDrive convertible, and a gracefully aging 2012 Audi A5 Quattro cabriolet -- so we could drive them four hours north (yes, north) of Ann Arbor to Montmorency County, Michigan, site of Rally America's popular season-opening Sno*Drift race.

Winter tires? Check.
Winter attire? Check.
Heated leather seats? Check.
Crock-Pot full o' chili? Check.

On Friday morning, we pull our three convertibles out of the garage of our rented log home near Mio, Michigan, and lower their tops. If there's such a thing as a perfect winter day for driving a convertible with the top down, this is it. Barely a breeze wisps through the air, the temperature is 34 degrees, and the sun is already brightening the sky. Our many layers of winter gear and the convertibles' supercomfortable heated leather seats, permafrost-solid driving demeanors, and excellent top-down wind management mean that we can fully revel in the curvy, tree-lined country roads on the forty-five-minute drive northwest to Lewiston, where the Sno*Drift Rally will commence.

We pass the shores of East Twin Lake and drive into Lewiston, where sticker-covered rally cars are already noisily blatting through town. Rally America racers must drive on public roads, at posted speeds, to get from one competition stage to another, so they're all street-legal and plated. The Sno*Drift course, which includes 241 transit miles, is made up of twenty-four competition stages encompassing 132 miles and is conducted on gravel roads temporarily closed to regular traffic. The race cars we see are heading to or from the morning's practice stage, which is also where we're going. Fittingly, this stage is a public street called Winding Road.

We've arranged to get a ride in the co-driver's seat of rally veteran Henry Krolikowski's 2000 Subaru Impreza. Krolikowski's Impreza will compete in the top class, known as Open, reserved for highly modified cars that are usually all-wheel drive and turbocharged. (Several other classes pit stock-tuned, two-wheel-drive, and/or normally aspirated cars against one another.) According to the "speed factor," which predetermines cars' starting order in the rally, this is the seventeenth-quickest car in the field. The faster cars must be completely insane, because the 2900-pound, 300-hp Subaru surges away from the starting line with almost as much authority as the 567-hp Bentley would. Then Krolikowski tosses the Subaru sideways into a slippery curve at 65 mph, and I find myself looking over my right shoulder at the road ahead. Awesome. A very tight corner comes up quickly, allowing Krolikowski to show off his car's surprising braking ability, immediately followed by an impressive display of the Impreza's ultrashort gearing (the tachometer reads 3000 rpm at 55 mph in top -- fifth -- gear, and the car maxes out at about 105 mph). At this pace, unfortunately, it doesn't take long for the practice stage's three miles to disappear behind us, but my heart is still racing when I unbuckle my five-point harness and climb out of the tight Recaro racing seat.

While I was crammed into Krolikowski's noisy, gutted race car, rally organizers and drivers were chuckling at the sight of our convertibles sitting on the side of a snow-covered road with their tops down. The threesome of topless foreign exotics attracts even more attention in "downtown" Lewiston, where the Parc Expose car show, which doubles as the opening ceremony of the Sno*Drift race, is held on the main drag. A steady stream of rally cars turns onto the street and parks in formation. Their drivers hop out and amicably chat with anyone who approaches. Formula 1 fans would be amazed by the level of accessibility to both the drivers and the cars. Top seed (and eventual winner) David Higgins signs autographs and facetiously flexes his muscles for our photographer, while other drivers and co-drivers let children sit in their cars for photos that'll be framed for a lifetime.

Some kids get even better souvenirs. Deon Rice, who hasn't missed a Sno*Drift since the inaugural event in 1973, is at Parc Expose with his four young sons and his dad, Jerry. They don't watch from designated spectator areas, instead setting up their own stations along the course. Rally America asks fans to view the event from six designated spectator areas -- five of which have no admission fee -- but with 132 miles of competition roads, it's impossible for rally marshals to stop devoted fans from finding their own spots. "We hide behind trees and stand four feet away from cars going 80 mph," Deon reveals. "While we wait for the cars to come by, we target-shoot BB guns and twenty-twos." He recounts their experience in 2008, when racing superstar Travis Pastrana drilled a deer with just eleven miles remaining in the race, abruptly halting his chance for certain victory:

"When Pastrana hit the deer, we were on the stage waiting for him. We knew something was going on because he hadn't come through. After the wrecker went by with his car, we walked down the stage, found the deer, dragged it back to our campfire. I had a pocketknife, so I processed it right there."

"So, you took the deer home?" I ask.

"No, we ate it right then and there," Deon responds, clearly annoyed to hear such an ignorant question from a downstater. "Cooked it over the fire and went back to shootin' guns and watchin' race cars."

The Rice family also found Pastrana's carbon-fiber light bar -- basically four stadium lights mounted to his Subaru's hood to supplement the headlamps. "Later, we saw Pastrana's team in town," Deon says. "They really wanted that light bar, but we wanted to keep it as a souvenir. I finally ended up trading it for the front bumper of the car. Took it back to Sno*Drift the next year and Travis signed it for my sons. It's hanging on our living-room wall."

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Feature Flick: Watch a Bentley Continental GT V8 Show its Stuff in Spain

Our colleagues at Motor Trend recently spent some time with the Bentley Continental GT at Spain’s Circuito de Navarra race track, where technical director Frank Markus tested the car’s new twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 engine option. In this latest episode of Ignition¸ Markus covers the performance specs of the heavy two-door, noting that he prefers the V-8 model instead of the pricier W-12 model.

After introducing the car with architect Frank Gehry’s wild Marqués de Riscal hotel as a backdrop, Markus embarks on the one-hour journey to the recently constructed Formula 1 circuit. On the way, we learn that the V-8 model gets 40-percent better fuel economy than the W-12 while achieving the same performance, Bentley claims. Though the Continental GT V8 costs about 10 percent less than the range-topping W-12 model, Markus says he would actually pay more to hear that full-bodied twin-turbo V-8’s sound.

Once at the track, Markus puts the Continental GT’s 500 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque to the test, accelerating to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. In the 60-0 mph braking test, the V-8-powered Continental GT stops in a solid 106 feet, thanks to its beefy carbon-ceramic brakes wide 21-inch wheels and tires. After completing tests, Markus gives his take on where the Bentley stands in its segment. Find out what he says in the episode below.

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Luc Donckerwolke Named Chief Designer at Bentley

Luc Donckerwolke, the man responsible for creating one of the most iconic cars of the 2000s--the Lamborghini Murcielago--is taking his talents to another company famous for V-12 coupes: Bentley.

Donckerwolke has been in the VW Group family since he started at Audi Design in 1992. Since then he's worked for companies as varied as Skoda, Seat, Audi, and Lamborghini. After taking the design reins in 1998 Donckerwolke headed the design team that created the Lamborghini Murcielago in 2002 and Lamborghini Gallardo in 2004. He also teamed up with Walter de'Silva (who is now head of VW Group design) in 2006 for the retro Lamborghini Miura concept.

If big V-12 cars aren't exactly your thing, know also that Donckerwolke was responsible for the slow-selling but important Audi A2, which used futuristic design and lightweight components to return up to 78 mpg without any electric or alternative fuel systems. He was also responsible for the 2008 Seat Ibiza, the VW Polo-sized supermini sold in Europe. Donckerwolke was most recently head of advanced design for the VW Group.

Now that he's made the move to Bentley, Donckerwolke will oversee a brand with some models that have received acclaim (the Continental and Mulsanne) and an ill-received concept car, the EXP 9 F. We've heard that the EXP will receive some changes before it finally goes on sale, so here's hoping Donckerwolke's extensive experience will help out the project.

Source: VW Group

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Feature Flick: Bentley Mulsanne Battles Mercedes-Benz S65 on Head 2 Head

On this week's episode of Head 2 Head, Motor Trend senior features editor Jonny Lieberman lines up the 2012 Bentley Mulsanne up with the 2013 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG to see which uber luxury sedan.

To be fair, the Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG wasn't Lieberman's first choice for this Head 2 Head; he originally wanted to put the Bentley Mulsanne up against the new Rolls-Royce Phantom II. Rolls didn't want to play though. As Lieberman puts it, Bentley’s British rival was scared. So he got the next best thing, the Teutonic cruise missile that is the S65 AMG.

Aside from the $100,000 price difference between the two contenders, this is actually a pretty fair fight. Both are similarly equipped, and more importantly, pack similar power under the hood. The Bentley is powered by a 6.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 that produces 505 hp and a staggering 752 lb-ft of torque. The Mercedes on the other hand has a 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12 under the hood, making 621 hp and a whopping 738 lb-ft of torque.

So which car will earn a first-world – and first-place -- finish? Find out by watching the latest episode of Head 2 Head below.

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2012 Bentley Continental GT

During the weekend I had the Continental GT, I used it as a grocery getter, to haul myself and two friends to a Rufus Wainwright concert at the Ann Arbor Summer Festival, to take the visiting father of one of our young Web editors for a triple-digit ride, and as my chariot to a dinner party. The hostess of the dinner expressed her belief that the Continental might be challenging to drive. "Oh, no," I replied. "It's as easy to drive as a Buick." And, indeed, it is, although I've never driven a Buick powered by a twelve-cylinder engine producing 567 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. There's simply no learning curve to driving the Conti GT; you just put your foot on the brake, slide the gear lever into Drive, and go. This is one reason, I imagine, it has been so popular. Ferraris and Lamborghinis can be off-putting to a lot of people because of their perceived complexity. The only thing that might be off-putting about driving the Continental is the knowledge that it costs as much as a modest house. I say, just think Buick, and you'll be fine.

You could drive the Continental for many miles before you might notice one particularly interesting aspect of its exterior design. Stand directly behind it, and perhaps view it from a slightly elevated position, such as a berm against which it is parked. A single piece of aluminum bodywork comprises the A-pillars, the roof, the C-pillars, AND the rear fenders of the car. This is a HUGE stamping, and it's pretty incredible to contemplate the manufacturing process that produces it. I asked Bentley for clarification, and their spokesperson responded: "The GT features superforming (same as the Mulsanne sedan), a process by which aluminum is heated to 500 degrees C, so the aluminum turns to liquid, and then the aluminum is molded via pressurized air, into the crisp form you see. There aren't invisible welds on the Conti as with the Mulsanne (which has invisibly welded C-pillars). The Conti GT has additional superformed pieces (that's what enables the floating headlights and taillamps), but the panel you describe is the biggest single piece on the GT." I'll leave it to others to describe in more detail the Continental's cabin, which is exquisite in design, craftsmanship, and materials. I appreciated the air-conditioned seats when the temperatures were in the 90s, but the fans that blow the air through the seat cushions are quite noisy on their highest setting. I guess that's what the Naim stereo is for, to muffle the whine.

Joe DeMatio, Deputy Editor

Although the Mulsanne is Bentley's flagship vehicle, the Continental GT is what most people will think of when they hear the name "Bentley." As Joe DeMatio said, the Continental is so easy to drive, it's relatively easy to forget the purchase price and just enjoy the car. The relatively unassuming sheetmetal also means it doesn't draw as much unwanted attention as a Lamborghini. The big winged B logo hardly flies under the radar, but there's a feeling of understated elegance in the Continental that gives the impression the owner isn't relying on his or her car to make a statement.

My favorite part of the Continental range is the W-12 engine. No matter how fast you are going, there's plenty of power in reserve. There's no reason for a car this big to be this fast, just like there's no reason for a car to cost this much, other than because it can. Driving a Continental is a fabulous experience that all automotive enthusiasts should have at some point in their lives, even if it means owning a well-worn example during a midlife crisis.

The most amazing aspect of the interior is the fact that this isn't the nicest Bentley interior. A Mulsanne is even more luxurious than a Continental, but that's not to say the GT is Spartan. Each material used in the Continental is nicer than one would find in an average home. Not only does everything feel luxurious, it all looks interesting, too. This may be one of the cheaper Bentley models, but it's certainly one of the best cars on the road. Even if most people won't see or experience a Mulsanne, the Continental does a fine job of flying the Bentley brand flag for the masses of people who will see them in major metropolitan areas.

Phil Floraday, Senior Web Editor

Once you've taken delivery of a $200,000 press vehicle, there inevitably comes a point where paranoia seeps into the corner of your mind. In my case, it came once I glanced at the Monroney, and calculated both how many years salary this figure represents, or just how close it comes to the price of my house. As such, I used the Continental GT only to ferry myself to the office the next morning -- which as far as I can tell, is overkill akin to using a Boeing Business Jet on a flight that could be accomplished by a Cessna 172.

You might think that overkill would be the overarching theme of a vehicle like this. Just look at the numbers: 562 hp; $220,905 as tested; 5115-pound curb weight; et cetera. Yet for a car this extravagant and extraordinary, the Continental GT is surprisingly subdued. Unless you insist upon ordering a retina-searing shade of purple or lime green exterior paint, the Continental GT's exterior is easy on the eyes, especially where its roofline seamlessly flows into its chiseled haunches. The driving experience is equally as elegant. The car is no slouch (impressive, considering its heft), but the sense of speed is largely a visual perception alone. Wind and road noise are virtually nonexistent, and even the W-12's note under full throttle is a hushed baritone snort. Ride quality is impeccable, as imperfections in the road surface are muted to a faint "thump" in the background.

I find this elegant -- and almost understated -- manner refreshing for an ultra-luxury sports coupe. There are a number of expensive rivals on the market, but I'm not sure the Continental GT has a direct competitor of any sort. Few cars can blend power, panache, and prestige in a package that doesn't look completely ostentatious. Bentley can.

Evan McCausland, Associate Web Editor

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Rusty Blackwell: 2012 Year In Review

Best day of work: Saturday January 28, 2012

I don’t get out of the office as much as some other folks, but on this day I was the stuntdriver for an off-the-wall comparison test that road test editor Christopher Nelson and I concocted. We took three fancy, all-wheel-drive German convertibles—an Audi A5, a Bentley Continental, and a BMW 6-series—to middle-of-nowhere northern Michigan during the annual Sno*Drift rally race. For a few hours, I cycled through one car after the other practicing my drifting skills down a barely trafficked, ice-and-snow-covered back road, all for the benefit of videographer Sandon Voelker and photographer A. J. Mueller. Clearly I’m no Tanner Foust behind the wheel or in front of the camera, but it was incredibly fun anyway. I didn’t even mind when—on our way to making a very grand entry in the parking lot of the special stage—some jealous fellow yelled to me, “Nice Bentley, douche bag!” After leaving the special stage—testing, photography, and videotaping complete—I drove the BMW 650i (still top-down, of course, but now with my brother-in-law bundled up and living it up in the passenger’s seat) to a huge rental cabin, parked the car safely in the heated garage, and proceeded to drink a bunch of beer and eat goulash with a dozen of my closest friends. Great times.

Saddest test-drive: 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR

I sincerely hope that another generation of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution will reach American customers someday. I had a bad feeling, though, when I took a quick drive in a 2013 Evo test car in early December. It was a stickshift, too, which is notable because all of the Evos that I’ve seen come through our office over the past five years have been automatics. Except for one very memorable car that I drove on March 12, 2008. That one didn’t feel quite as nimble as the Evo VIII and IX, but it put a gigantic smile on my face nonetheless—as did this most recent GSR. Now I can’t help but worry that Mitsubishi will follow Suzuki and bail on the American car market. Please don’t leave us, Mitsubishi Evo!

Most torturous drive: I-75 through much of Ohio and Kentucky

I don’t want to rush my kids’ childhood, but I really hope that they can very soon handle wearing the wireless headphones that occupy many of the fancy, DVD-player-equipped family cars that pass through the magazine’s fleet of test cars. Instead of listening to one of the many wonderful SiriusXM radio stations available in the Four Seasons Infiniti JX35, my wife and I had to listen to the audio of the same #$%*&@Doc McStuffins DVD for about six hours while driving to Tennessee with our two young daughters in the car. We were so happy when the kids finally fell asleep and we could listen to something—anything—else.

Favorite library to shelve: Automobile Magazine’s

Since spearheading the relocation of our extensive library last summer, I now know a lot more about the collection I’ve grown so attached to in my eight years here (during most of which I’ve been the primary fact-checker). I discovered works like eight volumes of Floyd Clymer's Historical Motor Scrapbook, Dante Giacosa’s Forty Years of Design with Fiat,and hundreds of other gems. Taking up more than 200 linear feet of shelf space, our collection is pretty impressive. And now that we have a long hallway to house it instead of a small conference room, it’s a lot more accessible and visually appealing.

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First Look: Bentley EXP 9 F Concept

We've already heard quite a bit about Bentley's SUV project. Bentley chairman and CEO Wolfgang Durheimer has excitedly talked up the luxury SUV for some time now, shedding light on various details regarding the new project. At the annual Volkswagen Group Night extravaganza before the start of the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Durheimer finally gets to show off his new baby in the form of a concept version of a possible new SUV, the Bentley EXP 9 F Concept.

One of the areas Durheimer hinted at was the uber-SUV's potential powertrain options. Initial speculation centered on a turbodiesel V-12, followed by rumors of the new 6.3-liter W-12 found in the 2012 Audi A8L. Although Durheimer was coy about down-and-dirty details, he did confirm a 12-cylinder would be used as the main engine. Fittingly, the EXP 9 F uses a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W-12 good for about 600 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque paired to an eight-speed automatic. Bentley says other powertrain options remain under consideration for the production model, including a diesel V-8 and the just-launched 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8. Durheimer has also confirmed that if built (the production model still needs to be confirmed by the VW Group board, a decision is expected by the end of the year) the SUV would be offered with Bentley's first-ever vehicle plug-in hybrid powertrain, the details of which are still under wraps. We hear that the plug-in's engine would be a supercharged V-6.

Another clue Durheimer revealed was that the SUV "will contain all the necessary items a Bentley has." We wouldn't expect anything less from the upscale automaker. Bentley styling cues are splayed all over the EXP 9 F's sheetmetal, with razor-sharp side character lines flowing from the top of the headlights to the muscular rear wheel wells.

The front end starts with Bentley's signature matrix grille. Look closer, however, and you'll see that the daytime running lights double as intakes for the big W-12's intercooler. Inspired by the "visual engineering" found in the famous Blower Bentleys, the lights outline a mesh-covered turbine fan design. The turbine theme carries over to the massive 23-inch alloys, which are a nod to the historic Bentley LeMans racers from the 1920s as well as the more modern Speed 8's high-tech racing alloys.

At the rear, unique rectangular taillights are designed to mimic the glow of a fighter jet's exhaust. They sit on the bottom section of the EXP 9 F's split tailgate, which doubles as a bench or a picnic table equipped with all the fixings needed for a fancy feast alfresco. Plates, silverware, and cocktail glasses are packed in bespoke picnic hampers that fit neatly into the cargo area. There's also space for a pair of umbrellas, and Bentley has even included an awning that extends over the tailgate.

In true Bentley fashion, the interior is spectacular. The usual assortment of handcrafted luxury appointments are found throughout, including the wood trim decorating the dash, center console, steering wheel and door panels. These bits of lumber are separated by polished metal trim that also provides an element of contrast. Top-shelf leather seats wear the signature Crewe diamond-quilted design. Given that the SUV could theoretically go off-road, its floormats are a clever touch. They're silk on top, but flip them over and you have a set of ribbed saddle leather mats.

As for tech bits, a touch screen deploys from the metal trim on the dash and affixes itself atop the glass surface of the center console, just above the dials. On-road, the screen displays 3D navigation, but once off-road (three driving modes include Comfort, Sport, Off-Road), the screen switches to a "sump cam" that shows all the nooks and crannies ahead when the estate's back roads get bumpy.

Of course, rear passengers (the concept is a four-passenger setup) are also treated to high-tech bits and sumptuous luxury touches. In "business mode," a fold-down keyboard reveals an iPad or other tablet. When pleasure is preferred, rear passengers can recline and relish a powered footrest, drinks table, and movies played on an infotainment screen. Champagne bottles and glasses will stay chilled thanks to a cooled compartment in the rear armrest. Should rear passengers choose to enjoy scenery over infotainment, they can see the sky via the sweeping panoramic sunroof. As expected in a Bentley, legroom is vast.

As for the EXP 9 F's underpinnings, Durheimer had previously spilled some of the beans on the Flying B SUV's architecture, saying that it would not use an all-new platform. No doubt the concept borrows elements from the VW Group's large SUV architecture that underpins vehicles like the Q7 and Cayenne. Any production model would likely use an updated and heavily modified version of that platform.

We're betting the EXP 9 F is pretty close to what we'll see from the upcoming production model if it's built, and given that Bentley's top markets are SUV-loving America and China (in the latter, SUV sales increased by 25 percent last year), odds are Bentley will sell every one it can make at whatever the price, which will no doubt reach well into the $150,000-plus bracket. If the green light is indeed given, we expect the production version by 2016.

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Paris 2012: Bentley Reveals Continental GT3 Concept Race Car

Good news: Bentley is returning to racing next year. Barring a brief flirtation with ice racing, it’ll mark the brand’s first foray into the realm of motorsports since it won Le Mans in 2003 – but instead of fielding a new prototype racer, Bentley plans on racing with something very close to this Continental GT3 concept.

Based on the 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed, the GT3 was allegedly “tailored for race specification.” That’s a bit vague, though we do know the GT3 ditches the stock all-wheel-drive system in favor of rear-wheel-drive, and adopts an audacious aerodynamic package. Thanks to deep air dams, large rocker extensions, and a huge rear wing, the GT3 looks like a cartoonish interpretation of the regular Continental GT coupe. Gaping vents in the hood and behind both front and rear fenders help to extract heat and, while giving the GT3 a wide, aggressive stance.

"The Continental GT3 is set to show the world what the Continental GT is capable of in its most extreme form, and establishes a solid foundation for Bentley's long-term motorsports plans," Bentley chairman and CEO Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber said in a prepared statement.

Bentley has yet to detail any of powertrain modifications for the GT3, but for reference, the stock Continental GT Speed mates an utilizes a 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged W-12 that’s good for 616 hp, 590 lb-ft of torque, and a 250-mph top speed.

The new Continental GT3 concept has already been approved by the FIA for race use and Bentley plans on spending the next few months to complete its shakedown of the racer. The automaker currently plans to return to racing toward the end of 2013, and says the GT3 will be eligible for numerous events including 24-hour endurance races. Could the GT3 signal a return of Bentley to the Le Mans podium? Only time will tell.

Source: Bentley

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Bentley Bringing "Distinctive and Sporting" Mulsanne Mulliner to Geneva

One of the most expensive new vehicles on display at next month's Geneva Motor Show will be the Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner, a "distinctive and sporting" take on the company's super-luxurious sedan. Bentley also will use the Geneva show to unveil two new option packages for the glitzy Mulsanne.

Upgrades for the Mulliner Driving Specification begin with new lightweight, 21-inch aluminum alloy wheels fastened with special titanium bolts. In addition, the Driving Dynamic Control system receives a new "Sport" setting to place the suspension and steering in a sportier driving setup. It may seem strange to call a car like the Mulsanne "sporty", given that it measures 219.5 inches long and weighs 5700 pounds, but Bentley does claim the ultra-luxury sedan will rocket to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds.

The Mulsanne also receives special polished stainless-steel fender vents bearing the name "Mulliner", unique Diamond Quilted leather upholstery for the seats and door panels, and special "knurled and coined" finishes for the car's switchgear. Finally, the Bentley receives special drilled-alloy sports pedals -- on which each raised grip is individually polished to help enable "confident, spirited driving."

As is the case with all of its models, Bentley notes that buyers can customize their Mulsanne in any number of ways with different leathers, paint colors, wood trims, and so on.

Also new for the Bentley Mulsanne are two option packages. The first is a large sunroof, which has a powered Alcantara shade to keep the sun out if necessary. Bentley says the option permits "additional ventilation while avoiding the security risk of open windows."

Also available is a new bottle cooler with unique hand-cut champagne flutes. The cooler fits in between the two rear seats and has a frosted glass door with LED accent lighting. Inside are the three champagne flutes, each hand cut and uniquely designed for Bentley by British designer David Redman. The unique shape of the flutes is even styled to mimic the five-spoke 21-inch wheels on the Mulsanne Mulliner.

Source: Bentley

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2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed Has 616 HP, 205-MPH Top Speed

Having shown off its new, twin-turbocharged Continental GT at the Detroit auto show, Bentley has now revealed the 2013 Continental GT Speed. The new model is the fastest production Bentley yet, and improves on the previous GT Speed's maximum velocity by 3 mph.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed continues to use a twin-turbo, 6.0-liter W-12 engine; the regular Continental GT can be equipped either with a weaker version of that W-12 engine or a new twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine. In the case of the GT Speed, the W-12 has been upgraded to produce 616 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, enabling a claimed top speed of 205 mph. Bentley says the coupe will complete the 0-to-60-mph run in four seconds flat.

By contrast, the previous version of the Bentley Continental GT Speed was rated at 600 hp and 553 lb-ft. Bentley said the car required 4.3 seconds to reach 60 mph, and could reach 202 mph. That performance was nothing to scoff at, but the 2013 model is even faster.

Like the 2013 Bentley Continental GT and GTC, the new Speed model switches from a six-speed automatic transmission to a close-ratio, ZF-built eight-speed unit. Bentley says that helps improve acceleration and fuel economy; the 2012 GT Speed was rated at 10/17 mpg (city/highway).

Aside from the engine, the Bentley Continental GT Speed also benefits from sportier steering and suspension tuning, as well as a lower ride height. Unique 21-inch wheels are shod in Pirelli PZero performance tires. The Bentley wears black mesh grilles out front, and features the high-end Mulliner Driving Specification interior trim as standard.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed will make its public debut June 29 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Bentley is taking orders for the car now, with deliveries to start in October.

Source: Bentley

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2014 Bentley Mulsanne Adds Pillows, Privacy Curtains, and Wi-Fi

Pity the poor suckers who already own a Bentley Mulsanne: the 2014 version of the ultra-luxury sedan will be drastically more comfortable and filled with even more opulent amenities than ever before. Scheduled to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the 2014 Bentley Mulsanne adds such important upgrades as larger headrests and extra-fluffy cushions.

The first update for the Bentley Mulsanne is a new Comfort Specification package that ensures owners who prefer to be driven will be even more comfortable in the back seats. Revised "super-soft" headrests are larger and extend lower to better cosset the skulls of well-heeled passengers. New footrests, which extend from the front seats, are adorned in carpeting and leather matching the rest of the car's interior. On top of that, the Comfort treatment includes two loose cushions filled with duck-down, which are finished in the same leather as the rear seats.

Privacy curtains are another new option, offered in black or ivory fabric. Operated with a switch alongside the window controls, the soft fabric curtains automatically cover the rear windows and rear windshield, affording chauffeured passengers more privacy from nosy paparazzi.There are also new standard storage compartments in the rear doors, again lined with leather, and sized to hold cell phones or the Bluetooth headphones necessary for the rear-seat DVD players.

A new Entertainment Specification pack adds electrically folding picnic tables to the front seats, which include special slots to fit Apple iPads and wireless keyboards. With this option and the new-for-2014 Wi-Fi hotspot, Mulsanne passengers can ostensibly work from wherever their chauffer drives them. The Wi-Fi hotspot can connect up to eight devices and uses an antenna in the trunklid to connect to the internet via cellular networks.

The package also includes a pair of eight-inch LCD screens in the front-seat headrests, allowing backseat passengers to watch DVDs. There's also a special Naim for Bentley high-end sound system, plus Bluetooth headphones so Jeeves isn't distracted from driving duties.

Other updates include the addition of three new exterior paint choices, Dark Cashmere, Portofino, and Damson, as well as three new leathers, Damson, Saffron, and Brunel. Bentley also will offer new luggage designed specifically to fit into the Mulsanne's trunk. Handcrafted by Italian company Sedoni, the six-piece luggage set comprises two large suitcases, two smaller suitcases, and two garment bags.

The updated Mulsanne goes on sale in April after its debut in Geneva. The 2013 Bentley Mulsanne starts at $302,245 after destination charges.

Source: Bentley

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First Drive: 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed

When the V-8-powered Bentley Continental GT rolled out earlier this year, critics pointed out that the V-8's smooth brutishness rendered the W-12 sort of superfluous. The secret sauce is the transmission, since the 500-horsepower V-8 uses the new ZF eight-speed while the 567-horsepower W-12 is bolted to an older six-speed. Nonetheless, rationality is apparently not a huge factor in dream-car purchase decisions, since so far this year 70 percent of Continental GT buyers have gone for the W-12. Even allowing for a head start (the V-8 wasn't immediately available earlier in the year), it appears the V-8 might be seen as too close a relative to proletarian machinery like the Audi S8. I guess when you're spending Bentley GT money, you want the price to include that signature off-kilter W-12 thrum that seems to emanate from grinding tectonic plates on some distant fault line.

If only that thrum included a bit more actual performance. Well, guess what? It can! Imagine, if you will, that Bentley both increased the horsepower, to 616, while also bolting on the manifestly excellent eight-speed transmission. That would be the hot combo. And it is. The Continental GT Speed clocks a 0-60 time of 4.0 seconds and runs out to a 205-mph top speed. Last year, the Speed was the top-selling Continental model, and this one looks ready to pick up where the old one left off.

Bentley introduced the Speed in Germany, one of the few places where you might legally attain 200 mph if given enough road. But even on the famed autobahn, you're never going to find enough open space to run any great distance at top speed. Nonetheless, the Speed is built for the possibility that everyone in Germany is busy doing something else (say, there's a Knight Rider marathon on TV) and you've got a lot of open road all to yourself.

In testing, the 6.0-liter W-12 underwent four 100-hour stints at full throttle, which is the equivalent of driving 20,000 miles at top speed. The cooling system is robust enough that you can do 205 mph all day long even when ambient outside temperature is 104 degrees. The 275/35 ZR21 Pirelli P-Zero tires have been tested up to 218 mph. The new wheels are 15 percent lighter but 79 percent stiffer than the old wheels. What, you didn't know that they measure wheel stiffness? Well, they do.

As your speed increases, the car starts subtly adjusting itself to keep you planted on the firmament. Since lift affects the front end more than the rear, the suspension actively drops the front end in two phases, turning the entire vehicle into something of a flying wedge. The front end lowers by 15 millimeters at 180 km/h, and another 6 mm at 255 km/h. To translate that for our metric-addled minds, the GT Speed's front end drops about 0.8 inch by 158 mph. And the active dampers don't care if you're in comfort mode -- they'll stiffen up as speed increases, basically attaining their most granite-like setting by the time you reach V-Max.

The carbon ceramic brakes are a $13,500 option, but one I'd definitely recommend. The front rotors, the largest on any passenger car, measure 16.5 inches in diameter. The 14-inch rears aren't small either. Bentley says that a hard stop from full speed would turn 10 megajoules of energy into heat. To get some context for that number, I Googled "10 megajoules" and found that the Navy has tested an experimental rail gun that uses roughly that amount of energy. And, according to the Navy, an eight-megajoule projectile would pack the energy equivalent of a Ford Taurus doing 380 mph (I assume they're talking about an older, lighter Taurus). Thus I can conclude that if anyone ever builds a Taurus that goes 380 mph, it would be prudent to equip it with brakes from a Bentley GT Speed.

Also, the rotors should last the life of the car, thus sparing you untold hours thumbing through Better Homes and Gardens in the Meineke waiting room.

The Speed's base price is $215,000, but the car I drove had some goodies that jacked the price to $246,695. Options included the aforementioned carbon brakes, a little eyeglasses case that snaps into the center console ($470) and trunk carpeting color-matched to the interior ($390). Envision, if it's not too painful, the torment of driving along and knowing that your trunk carpet is a different color than your seats. Nobody should have to endure such a thing, and in a GT Speed, they don't.

Relative to the prior Speed, the new one only makes 14 more horsepower, which is basically a rounding error at this level. The big difference comes from the new transmission. Sure, adding a couple gears isn't as sexy as jacking up the horsepower, but it accomplishes the same thing while simultaneously juicing the returns on fuel economy, to the tune of a 13 percent improvement (the EPA combined figure is still only 15 mpg). You wouldn't think that a 6-liter W-12 needed any advantages, but the new transmission keeps the big double-VR6 on the boil in a way the old six-speed didn't.

Out on the autobahn When the overhead electronic signs on the autobahn flash their wonderful message -- a "120" with a slash through it, indicating no speed limit whatsoever -- the big Bentley responds to full throttle by instantly dropping down three or four gears and summarily hurtling itself down the left lane with an urgency that makes lesser traffic (those schlubs doing a mere 140 or 150 mph) slide to the right with snappy deference. You know the car is up to a lot of tricks as you gain speed, the rear spoiler deploying and the suspension firming and snugging to the road, but it's all quite transparent. You're just aware that you're cruising at autobahn alpha-dog speeds with so little drama that when you eventually slow to 100 mph it feels preposterously slow and boring. How does anyone get anywhere, driving like that? Then you see the magic 120-slash sign and you're sizzling off toward the horizon again -- or at least you are until a straggler pulls out and forces you to scrub a few megajoules with those massive brakes.

I didn't hit 205 mph, but I did make it to about 190. I say "about" because the digital speedometer stopped reading after 286 km/h (178 mph), instead flashing a warning about tire pressure getting too high for the speed. But a photo snapped over my shoulder by our brave photographer shows that the analog needle is out of sight, down somewhere past 188 mph. Fun fact: If we had an autobahn from Boston to New York, this car could make the trip in a little more than an hour. And it would be comfortable, quiet and probably less dramatic than it should be, considering that you're streaking along in the kinetic-energy equivalent to a rail-gun shell.

Over the years, many a car has been saddled with an overreaching misnomer (the Chrysler Imperial, Chevy Celebrity and Hyundai Excel spring to mind). But, by blimey, the Bentley Speed is worthy of the name.

Base price: $215,000
Price as tested: $246,695
On sale: November
Engine: 6.0-liter W-12, 616 hp, 590 lb-ft
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Drive: 4-wheel
Fuel mileage: 13/20/15 mpg (city/highway/combined)

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Bentley Mulsanne Now Available with Two iPads and Champagne Cooler

You’ve got to feel a little bad for the Bentley designers responsible for the Mulsanne – when you already offer a car with everything in it, how can you possibly improve on it? Turns out there’s a fairly simple answer: iPads and booze. Or more specifically two iPads, a “luxury bottle cooler,” and even bespoke champagne flutes. Bentley will be offering this (and more) in its new “Theater” and iPad” packages, available as part of the Mulsanne’s Executive Interior line. Designed for the executive on the go, the Theater and iPad packages offer a variety of different amenities. Those who opt for the iPad package will get two iPads. The iPads are docked in the electrically-operated fold-down picnic tables. When not in use, the iPads hide away underneath the wooden surface of the tables. With the tables folded out and the iPads in use, backseat passengers can surf the web, play Angry Birds, or do other important things using the standard Bluetooth keyboard. Far and away the more opulent package, Mulsanne buyers who opt for the Theater package get just about every conceivable tech and luxury item wedged in back. Mulsannes with the Theater package will get a flip-down 15.6-inch HD LED screen, as well as 8-inch screens mounted in the headrests of the front seats. The screens are controlled by a trunk-mounted Mac Mini, with USB ports located in the center console. The entire system is then controlled by a center console-docked iPod Touch using a unique Bentley app. All of this is of course in addition to the iPad package. The Mulsanne’s Theater package also gains a “luxury bottle cooler” built into the rear armrest. The cooler includes space for two full-size champagne bottles, and will hold them in an angled position, so an open bottle can safely be stored for future consumption. The cooler also conceals three hand-blown lead crystal champagne flutes. The cooler is sealed from the rest of the cabin by a frosted glass door, operated by the touch of a button. Source: Bentley  

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Bulletproof Bentley: British Marque Contemplates Armored Cars

When riding in a modern Bentley, passengers can expect protection from road noise, howling wind, and harsh bumps. But what about bullets? Bentley currently doesn’t offer bulletproof cars, but recognizes a budding market does exist for armored vehicles.

According to a report from British newspaper The Guardian, over 80 percent of all Bentleys are sold in markets outside of the U.K., including a number of countries in Latin America, where demand for armored vehicles continues to increase.

“For these markets, security is an issue,” Bentley’s finance chief Jan-Henrik Lafrentz told The Guardian. "There is also demand from Russia and the Middle East. We cannot do this for just one country. There are other countries where there is need for this."

The move would no doubt increase sales and help Bentley reach its goal of selling 15,000 cars annually by 2015, almost double the automaker’s current global sales. A number of Bentley’s competitors have long offered bulletproof vehicles, including the Jaguar XJ Sentinel, which provides B7 levels of protection from multiple rounds of 7.62-mm ammunition. Also available is an armored Audi A8 L, which can withstand bullets and hand grenades thanks to 1587 pounds worth of modifications and protection.

What model should Bentley consider bulletproofing? Would you rather see a missile-proof Mulsanne or a combat-ready Continental Flying Spur?

Source: The Guardian

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Coulda Had A Sports Car: Bentley Shelved Sports Coupe For SUV Project

Bentley had designed and built a "pure" sports car that would have slotted below the Continental GT -- but the company instead decided to built an SUV that was previewed by the EXP 9 F concept at the Geneva Motor Show. After becoming CEO in early 2011, Bentley's Wolfgang Durheimer reportedly asked the company two develop several new vehicles. The goal was to expand Bentley's lineup from just the Mulsanne and Continental. Among the many options were an SUV and a smaller sports car -- the latter of which was designed and assembled, and deemed "production feasible." Talking to our colleagues at Motor Trend, Durheimer said designers really wanted to build the sports car, but he decided to go ahead with the SUV that would become the EXP 9 F. "In the end the SUV was a better idea. It sits above all its competition," Durheimer said. "The sports car would have had the Porsche 911 Turbo as opposition." Durheimer used to be the chief of research and development at Porsche, so he understands how challenging it would be for Bentley to take on the 911. However, Bentley hasn't ruled out launching a sports car in the future -- the model previously developed is on display outside the office of company design director Dirk van Braeckel. We're not sure what to make of the Bentley decision; as driving enthusiasts, we would have preferred a sports car to the somewhat ungainly EXP 9 F. Which model do you think would be a better choice to expand the Bentley lineup? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Source: Motor Trend

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Bentley Readying EXP 9F Racers For 2013 Dakar Rally?

Volkswagen has hogged the glory at Dakar for the past three years but, according to a report from Car magazine, another brand under the German auto giant’s umbrella is interested in contesting the famed desert race. The British publication says Bentley is buying back VW’s Race Touaregs from private teams, and plans to enter them in the 2013 race wearing EXP 9F SUV bodywork.

Though the EXP 9F concept has yet to receive the official green light, the controversially styled SUV is all but guaranteed to get approved for production. While a production version may still be several years away, Car suggests Bentley wants to start building off-road credibility for the nameplate before its arrival. And what better way to do that than enter in the Dakar?

The Race Touaregs, which won the Dakar rally consecutively from 2009-2011, were recently sold to private teams after VW withdrew its factory support in order to focus on its World Rally Championship campaign. Bentley is reportedly repurchasing these vehicles, which the automaker will use as the basis for its 2013 entries. The Race Touaregs looked very little like the production cars after which they were named, and it’s hard to say how closely the purpose-built off-road racers will resemble the Bentley EXP 9F originally revealed at the Geneva Motor Show.

UPDATE: A Bentley representative tells us: "We are evaluating all motorsport options but no decision has been made."

For the 2011 Dakar rally, the Race Touareg packed a twin-turbo 2.5-liter diesel I-5 producing just under 300 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. Whether Bentley’s racers will employ the same drivetrain is unknown. The production EXP 9F, however, is expected to get the twin-turbo 6.0-liter W-12 from the Continental, while a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 and supercharged V-6 plug-in hybrid could also be offered.

Source: Car

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2013 Bentley Continental GTC V8

You would be forgiven for forgetting that this is a quarter-million-dollar car because it just doesn't feel special. Yes, the eight-cylinder is a well of seemingly infinite power and every surface that looks like metal, leather, or glass is what is looks, but there is some ephemeral sensation missing. It's as though this Bentley ticks all the boxes on what a ultra-luxury car should have: it has a specialized, high-end audio system designed by Naim and bespoke to the car; it has ornate, cross-hatched metal detailing; and a powerful 500-hp 4.0-liter V-8 engine. But none of those pieces feel as though they are a step above the mainline luxury fray, as should be the case in a car with this price tag. In fact, the engine was co-developed with Audi for use in most of the lesser brand's products.

The fact that the car is festooned inside and out with Flying B emblems is a sign that it's trying too hard to remind occupants that they are in a car from an exclusive marque. Past Bentleys have been more demure in their declaration of the brand and the bits and pieces felt as though they were carefully crafted by an artisan, not turned out in a factory. Nothing is technically wrong with the GTC V8, but there is nothing that would keep me from calling this car an Audi if I were blindfolded.

Donny Nordlicht, Associate Web Editor

I've always been amazed by how effectively Volkswagen Group manages its portfolio of brands. Audis feel like Audis, Lamborghinis feel like Lamborghinis, and Bugattis -- well, I've never driven one but hear they're pretty awesome. This Bentley, however, doesn't feel quite like I'd imagined a Bentley.

Some of it can be blamed on poor execution. The trim surrounding the shifter, for instance, is a large piece of what looks to be metallic painted plastic. Mostly though, the Bentley is a fantastic machine that simply doesn't meet my admittedly subjective, ephemeral expectations for a $230,000 British luxury car. The 4.0-liter V-8 is incredible from a technical standpoint but, as Donny notes, lacks a certain emotional quality. Its somewhat artificial exhaust note, audible only in sport mode, is certainly distinctive but, again, doesn't seem to contribute to a cohesive branded experience. Neither do the bajillion Bentley emblems. Even the most successful aspect of the Continental -- its instantly recognizable, handsome exterior styling -- doesn't quite sit right with me. It looks something like an exaggerated caricature of what a high-end car should be, which probably explains why so many nouveau rich types drive them around South Beach.

David Zenlea, Assistant Editor

Wow, I'm really not picking up on what Donny and David are throwing down. Their vaguely stated issues with the GTC V8 seem to revolve around the fact that it's flashy and expensive. Well, yeah.

I went on the international launch of this car, which was held in Croatia. Naturally, the setting was beautiful, but I thought the car was pretty swell too. Now I've driven it in southeastern Michigan, and although these environs are considerably less fabulous, I find the Continental GTC V8 to be undiminished.

Although some Bentleys of yore may have been more about exclusivity than execution, the Continental GTC does not disappoint. Its interior is richly turned out in the best materials. The thick convertible top effectively blocks out noise. The ride quality is incredibly good even on roads that are incredibly bad.

And then there's the new V-8 engine. Not only does it move this heavy machine with authority, but its deeply sonorous engine note does an excellent imitation of a twelve-cylinder. Choosing the turbo V-8 and foregoing the optional W-12 saves buyers of the Continental GTC some $21,400, which ought to be enough to pay for a nice vacation -- say, to Croatia.

Joe Lorio, Senior Editor

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