2008 Bentley Continental Gt 2dr Conv on 2040-cars

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Bentley forging ahead with SUV development

Bentley has a whole mess of new models in the pipeline, including a completely new coupe, two-door and high-performance versions of the Mulsanne and an even more hard-core version of the Continental GT3-R. But the most vital product under development at Crewe is its upcoming new SUV, and that's what our spy photographers have caught undergoing testing.
This prototype appears to be the same one we spotted a couple of months ago, although this time the NewBentley.com stickers appear to have been taped over (presumably to call less attention to itself) and the whole thing is riding lower to the ground to better test its brakes and cooling systems.
While the form clearly shares much with the EXP 9 F concept that previewed its development at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, the design has clearly been worked over with a front end and tailgate that are easier on the eyes and more in keeping with the company's styling language.

Bentley Mulliner Batur celebrates the W12, previews EV style

Bentley has revealed its second special Mulliner coach-built model, and it represents a crossroads for the brand. It's called the Bentley Mulliner Batur, and it's a sendoff for the core engine for Bentley, the twin-turbo W12. It's also a sign of things to come. The styling you see here will be adapted for Bentley's future electric cars. The car is clearly Bentley right from the get-go. It has the long front end, the prominent, rounded rectangular grille, rearward placed cabin and wide, flowing rear fenders. But it has a more aggressive look than some recent Bentleys. The grille looks as though it's leaning more forward. Instead of round headlights, it has sweptback units that look like eagle eyes. The rear glass, instead of kicking up, stays low along the belt line. The tail has almost a boattail look and has slender taillights. It's Bentley, but it's also new. The inside is clearly closely related to the Continental GT, which is no bad thing. But it can be set apart with special materials. Buyers of the Batur will have the ability to customize almost every aspect of the car with different leathers from different locations, different interior trimmings and upholstery designs. Bentley is offering some very unique materials, too. Metal pieces such as the organ stop vent switches can be made from titanium or even 3D-printed 18-karat gold. Some of the interior trim can be made from a natural fiber composite, which is like carbon fiber, but made from naturally occurring fibers rather than synthetically created carbon. The natural fiber can be used for the front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser as well. And of course the exterior can be customized with just about any paint and graphics imaginable. Bentley says that the Batur is powered by the most powerful iteration of the twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 yet. It makes 730 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. It's paired with adaptive air suspension, active anti-roll bars, all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, an electronic limited-slip differential and torque vectoring to help it handle as well as it can go in a straight line. Stopping it are a set of carbon silicon carbide brakes with 10-piston front brake calipers and four-piston rears. Only 18 Baturs will be built, and they're all spoken for. Pricing started at 1.65 million British pounds, or $1.95 million. Though there will only be a few of these Baturs, keep an eye out for its design to show up in the Bentley EVs that are coming starting in 2025.

Bentley Bentayga Field Sports by Mulliner is the perfect SUV for rich hunters

Though it's primarily used for wagon versions of two-door cars now, the term " shooting brake" originally referred to a vehicle that was used for people to go out hunting and shooting. As such, the new Bentley Bentayga Field Sports by Mulliner is a literal shooting brake, as it's been customized for hunters. Bentley and Mulliner received assistance from ultra-custom gun manufacturer Purdey to help design this Bentayga to be useful for hunters. The results are centered around additional storage. In the cargo area, there's now a large sliding storage unit that contains several compartments that can house all variety of supplies from first-aid kits to additional rounds of ammunition. Of course since this is a Bentley, there is plenty of focus on luxury as well, hence the quilted leather interior, and the space for champagne flutes and your choice of high-class alcohol. In addition to the main storage, there's an additional locking case for a pair of guns. This case is also leather-covered, and it fits in a space between the rear seats. It seems that this special Bentley is currently just a one-off. But we suspect that if there's enough demand, Bentley might consider offering these options. If Bentley does go through with creating hunting variants for customers, we'd like to make a few suggestions to improve on the design. First off, Bentley has prominently featured a hunting dog in the promotional photos. Anyone with dogs knows that when they're outside, they're at risk for tracking in dirt and mud. That's not something you'd want in your leather-clad six-figure Bentley. So perhaps Bentley should consider some kind of cover, like what came with the Honda Element Dog Friendly Edition but fancier, or even custom rear seat storage for the dog. It could even feature a hose and drier for cleaning up your dog, similar to the Nissan Rogue Dogue. And, though the storage solution that Bentley, Mulliner and Purdey came up with is quite nice, they could go a step further, such as with Bentley's own Bentayga for falconry, or the Holland & Holland Range Rover. The former featured beautiful cork chests in the back for storage, and a custom wood inlay dash. The latter also came with a lovely wood cabinet for guns and liquor, but on top of that, buyers would get free refills on liquor. Those are seriously luxurious features, and would be perfect for a hunter's Bentayga. Feel free to use these ideas, Bentley.