2010 Bentley Continental Gtc Convertible 2-door 6.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Bentley tests next next-gen Flying Spur on Porsche Panamera Turbo body

At first glance, the prototype in the gallery above looks like a blacked-out version of the new Porsche Panamera Turbo. But this is actually Bentley's tester for the next-gen Flying Spur. And since the upcoming Flying Spur, among other Bentley vehicles, will utilize the same MSB platform as the new Porsche, seeing the British automaker using a Panamera makes a lot of sense. The Flying Spur is essentially a four-door version of the Continental GT, which has design cues from the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. It's safe to assume that the next-gen Flying Spur will get the same treatment as well. Other than the fender flares, the prototype is identical to the Panamera Turbo. So how do we know that this is Bentley's prototype? According to our photographers, the prototype's license plate is registered as a Bentley with the UK's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. With the Flying Spur sharing the same platform as the Panamera, we expect the luxury sedan to get the same choice of engines, including the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine. A concept is anticipated to come out in 2017 with a production variant coming a year later. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley Flying Spur Spy Shots View 10 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Bentley Porsche Luxury Performance Sedan bentley flying spur

Ferrari and Bentley make your living room as luxurious as your car

Short of parking your dream car in your living room, the second best petrolhead thing to do is craft a living room table out of an engine block, or to turn a junkyard luxury car rear seat into a fancy leather couch. Some people also take a racing seat and repurpose it as a desk chair or a gaming setup. But there are automobile manufacturers that want to bypass all that, offering car-related furniture as brand new items instead of putting the seats in cars first. Regarding desk chairs, it's Ferrari this time that wants to cater to a customer's office needs. The famed upholstery house, Poltrona Frau has created interiors for Ferraris since the 1980s, and now there's a specially designed office chair called the "Cockpit", trimmed in Poltrona Frau leather. The modular chair comes in two guises, "President" and "Exclusive", and the former features a high backrest, strongly resembling a racing car seat. The Exclusive version does without the backrest. Ferrari says that the materials, including carbon fiber are the same used to make car seats, and that the seats can be customized according to the customer's needs. The second set on offer is Bentley's new Home collection of furniture. The set has been designed by the architect Carlo Colombo, and it comprises several sofas, a chaise longue, tables, chairs, beds, cabinets and lamps. There are eucalyptus and maple woods used in the furniture pieces' construction, with the quilted leather making an easy mental connection with the similarly detailed interior of, say, the Bentayga. Of course, a Bentley furniture collection would seem out of place without a Bentley in the garage. Related Video: Featured Gallery Ferrari/Bentley furniture View 9 Photos Image Credit: Ferrari, Bentley Home Bentley Ferrari auto accessories

Volkswagen names new chief designer for Bentley

The Volkswagen Group has named one of its own to head up the design department at its Bentley division. The role now falls to Stefan Sielaff, who has been with the group (off and on) since 1990. Sielaff is principally an interior designer, but has been tasked with setting up numerous overall design offices for Volkswagen and Audi over the years. In his new capacity he'll be reporting to the group's chief engineer Rolf Frech (and oddly not to Bentley chief Wolfgang Durheimer), but at the same time, Sielaff will retain his role as head of interior design for the entire VW group, reporting to its chief designer Walter de Silva. Sielaff replaces Luc Donckerwolke, who has headed up Bentley design since 2012 and is leaving the company. We'll be on the lookout to see where Donckerwolke lands next. Crewe/Wolfsburg, 04 June 2015 Stefan Sielaff to head design at the Bentley brand • Sielaff also responsible for Group Interior Design Strategy Stefan Sielaff (53), currently Head of the Volkswagen Design Center in Potsdam, will assume responsibility for design at the Bentley brand effective July 1, 2015 in addition to his present post as Head of Group Interior Design Strategy. As Director of Design at Bentley, Sielaff succeeds Luc Donckerwolke (49), who held this function since 2012. Stefan Sielaff joined the Volkswagen Group in 1990, beginning his career in the interior design department at Audi. From 1995 the design graduate was entrusted with setting up the Group's Design Center Europe in Spain. In 1997 he was placed in charge of the Design Studio in Munich and was appointed Head of Audi Interior Design in the same year. In 2003 Sielaff moved to DaimlerChrysler as Design Director of the Interior Competence Center, returning to the Volkswagen Group in 2006 to become Head of Audi Design before being appointed Head of the Volkswagen Design Center in Potsdam und Head of Group Interior Design Strategy in 2012. In his new function as Director of Design at Bentley, Sielaff reports to Rolf Frech, Board Member for Engineering. In his function as Head of Group Interior Design Strategy he continues to report to Walter de Silva, Head of Group Design. Luc Donckerwolke has decided to leave the company. De Silva said: "Luc Donckerwolke has played a key role in the design of various Group brands. We would like to thank him for his work." Related Video: News Source: Volkswagen Design/Style Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Bentley Volkswagen