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Bentley's first EV will be an SUV arriving in 2025 on Audi Project Artemis platform

The first electric Bentley is going to be an SUV, and it will arrive in 2025, according to a report recently published by Car Magazine. It will also be an Audi collaboration, but this second bit of news comes as very little surprise given the companies live under the same roof in the VW Group. When Car questioned Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark concerning the body style the first EV would take, Hallmark replied, “If you're not in SUVs, you're nowhere.” ThatÂ’s a pretty telling suggestion, and considering the BentaygaÂ’s success, Bentley is smart for heading down the crossover/SUV path first. The next question we have concerns the vitals of the car. What will underpin BentleyÂ’s first big, electric effort? It appears as though Project Artemis is the answer. WeÂ’ve seen rumors and reports flying around about this Audi-led project previously. ItÂ’s been suggested that both Bentley and Porsche would be taking a bite, and these previous reports are ringing true. “With our current cars, we had to get into the engineering largely after they [the platforms] had been done,” Hallmark told Car. “The difference now is that with Artemis we're right in there at the beginning, helping define it. We're not leading it, but we're going to be a beneficiary of it” Audi has previously said the Artemis project/platform would be ready for prime time by 2024, so Bentley clearly already has its foot in the door if it intends to release a car in 2025 on the same chassis.  “Looking forward to electrification, we're going to have closer synergies with Audi,” Hallmark said. “But we will continue to have strong relationships with both brands [Audi and Porsche], and we see this as an opportunity, not a risk. No question – we are electrifying. And we need to find the best way to fast-track that, and to lead the technology charge.” Advanced Level 2 autonomous tech is expected to land with this platform, and we suspect there will be many other enhancements made even above and beyond what is currently possible with the PPE platform (underpinning both the Taycan and E-Tron GT). Artemis is also a project designed to yield much larger electric vehicles than what the VW Group currently has to offer. That fits BentleyÂ’s vision of a flagship SUV, and itÂ’ll also work nicely with a giant Audi offering.

2022 Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid has pure electric range, near-V8 performance

Bentley is adding the new 2022 Flying Spur Hybrid as a third powertrain option in the Flying Spur family that already includes a W12 and V8 model. It’s BentleyÂ’s second hybrid vehicle, joining the Bentayga Hybrid in the companyÂ’s rollout of slightly greener vehicles. This Flying Spur PHEV is the result of borrowing powertrain components from Porsche for its powertrain components. A 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 and electric motor combine for a total system output of 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. The horsepower is slightly down from the Panamera 4S E-Hybrid, but its 553 pound-feet of torque is identical to the Porsche from which its powertrain is derived from. This motivates the Flying Spur Hybrid from 0-60 mph in just 4.1 seconds, which is just 0.1 second slower than the V8. Top speed is an impressive 177 mph. ThereÂ’s nothing slow about it. As for the electrics, Bentley is using a 14.1 kWh battery pack. Tested on the optimistic WLTP test cycle, Bentley predicts itÂ’ll have a range rating greater than 25 miles. The Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid with the same size battery pack (2020 model, because the 2021 Panamera got a bigger battery pack) is EPA-rated for 14 miles on a full charge, so we suspect the Flying Spur will be closer to this total when it receives its EPA rating. YouÂ’ll be able to choose between pure EV mode, Hybrid Mode or Hold Mode (retains current battery charge) depending on how you wish to utilize the battery charge on your drive. A new dedicated button on the interior facilitates these mode changes, and besides the necessary hybrid-specific infotainment software and cluster layout, is the only physical change to the interior. Hybrid models will be recognizable via their small “Hybrid” badge on the front fender. TheyÂ’ll also have new quad oval tailpipes and a charging port on the left rear fender. Fuel economy figures are not yet available from Bentley, but if the Panamera it shares powertrains with is any indication, we may not see massive gains by going from the V8 to the V6 hybrid. Porsche gains only 1 mpg going from the Turbo to a 4S E-Hybrid, so a similar 1- or 2-mpg bump from the V8Â’s 17 mpg combined figure seems likely. A total driving range of 435 miles is expected with this Hybrid model, which Bentley claims is the best in its lineup. Pricing isnÂ’t out yet, but Bentley says youÂ’ll be able to place an order for a Flying Spur Hybrid this summer. The first customer deliveries are scheduled for the end of 2021.

For a pot of gold, you could have this Bentley Mulliner Bacalar

You’re looking at the winning entry in an online competition Bentley held recently for colleagues and their families to design their own Mulliner Bacalar, a two-seat roadster of which only 12 will be built. No, there are no plans to build this one, and the rainbow motif on the livery is a nod to the symbol of hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, itÂ’s fun to imagine the head-turning you could do driving it. WeÂ’re told only that the winning design comes from someone named Eleanor, and Bentley adds the disclaimer that “anyone is able to imagine their dream specification from BentleyÂ’s unrivaled spectrum of interior and exterior colours,” so technically, we guess itÂ’s possible that one of the customers whoÂ’ve signed up for one could order this for production. There are also lots of other ways to customize the topless car, inside and out. The colors in the rainbow include Dragon Red II, which features on the launch of the Continental GT V8 back in 2012, and the Orange Flame used to introduce the Bentayga Speed more recently. Bentley used Yellow Flame to launch the Bacalar.  Bentley also held a contest for interior design but hasn't yet shared that winning entry.  The competition was judged by design boss Stefan Sielaff, who previously told Autoblog about how the Bacalar coachbuilding project grew out of requests from well-heeled customers for an ultra-exclusive, customizable product and arrived in just nine months. Inspired by the EXP 100 GT electric concept, the Bacalar uses a 650-horsepower 6.0-liter W12 engine. All 12 are already spoken for at a reported starting price of a cool $2 million. Related Video: