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Bentley EXP 100 GT could become an ultra-exclusive topless two-seater

By most standards, Bentleys are already pretty expensive, but as the global economy funnels more and more wealth to the very top, the luxury automaker plans to cater to an ever-richer clientele with ultra-exclusive, even-more-expensive models. Britain's Autocar reports that one such proposed model is an open-topped two-seater that borrows heavily from the EXP 100 GT concept (pictured), which, if approved, would sell for 1.5 million pounds ($1.9 million) or more. Although the EXP 100 GT concept, which debuted this past summer in celebration of the brand's 100th anniversary, had a configurable two- or four-seat interior and a mostly glass roof, the proposed model is a two-seater with no roof whatsoever — practicality, evidently, not being much of a consideration for the ultra rich. Exclusivity, however, is very important, and it's said that only 12 examples would be built, with Bentley's in-house coachbuilder Mulliner tasked with the construction. Whereas the concept was an EV, the Mulliner-built car would ditch that idea in favor of a traditional Bentley W12 borrowed from the Continental GT — which currently makes 626 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. From the concept, the new model borrows its styling, as well as some of it exotic materials, which included 5,000-year-old wood salvaged from peat bogs and infused with copper, synthetic leather created from wine-making byproducts, and crystal trim elements. If approved, the two-seat barchetta could arrive as soon as 2021. Bentley Convertible Luxury

Audi spearheads development of an ultra-luxurious EV code-named Landjet

The rumors claiming Audi wants to release a model positioned above the A8, and the reports of an ongoing electric car development program called Artemis internally, have seemingly converged. Citing sources inside the carmaker, a German media outlet reported the firm is busily creating a super-luxurious EV code-named Landjet. Audi is leading the development process, but sister companies Bentley and Porsche will reportedly receive their own version of the Landjet. All three models will likely take the form of three-row SUVs with generous dimensions. They'll be so big that none of Audi's production facilities will be able to manufacture them, according to an anonymous insider who spoke with German newspaper Handelsblatt. Luckily, Volkswagen makes vans, too. It's too early to tell what will power the Landjets. Audi assigned some of its most brilliant engineers to Project Artemis, and the technology they develop will permeate the three EVs before trickling down into cheaper models in the group. Expect high performance, a high driving range, and semi-automated driving technology. If the report is accurate, the Landjet vehicles will enter production in Hanover, Germany, by the end of 2024. The facility currently makes the Volkswagen Transporter, which is a direct descendant of the rear-engined Bus sold for decades, and it will start manufacturing the production version of the ID.Buzz concept in the coming years. Volkswagen hasn't commented on the report, and car companies rarely address speculation, but its Commercial Vehicles division released a statement in November 2020 that confirms the Hanover site will begin building SUVs about halfway through the 2020s. It's a major shift for a factory normally tasked with manufacturing vans. "Our main plant in Hanover is becoming the production site for three completely new premium electric vehicles in the Group. These D-SUVs are genuine flagship projects: premium, 100% electric, and highly automated," said Carsten Intra, the head of Volkswagen's Commercial Vehicles division, in a statement. He added the firm will invest about 680 million euros (about $807 million) to build a new assembly line, among other upgrades.

Bentley's next Mulliner-developed model will celebrate the W12 engine

Bentley demonstrated what Mulliner, its in-house coachbuilding division, is capable of when it unveiled the limited-edition Bacalar in 2020. The convertible was well received, so the British firm is reportedly planning a follow-up model to celebrate (and send off) the W12 engine. Citing an anonymous inside source, British magazine Autocar wrote that Mulliner's next car will arrive as a coupe based on the Continental GT. That doesn't mean it will look like the Continental GT; the Bacalar is an evolution of the convertible Continental yet it wears a different design. Instead, the model will allegedly borrow styling cues from the EXP 100 GT concept (pictured) that Bentley introduced in 2019. While the EXP 100 GT was electric, Mulliner's next car will receive the same 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged W12 that powers the Bacalar. The mighty engine will be tuned to send about 650 horsepower and 667 pound-feet of torque to the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, and it will pelt the coupe from 0-60 mph in well under four seconds and on to a top speed of over 200 mph. Several improvements, like a firmer suspension system and huge carbon ceramic brakes, will let drivers make the most of the W12's power. Hand-built, the coupe will carry a base price of at least $2 million before buyers begin personalizing it; nearly every visual part of the car, including the upholstery and the paint, will be customizable. That figure will make it the most expensive car Bentley has ever released. The report adds that production will be limited to 25 units, and we wouldn't be surprised if the full batch is spoken for before the model is unveiled — even if, like the Bacalar, it's only granted "show and display" status in America. If the rumor is accurate, we'll learn more about the car in 2022 and deliveries will begin the following year. This project could move fast; it took Bentley nine months to make the Bacalar a reality. Few-off projects serve several purposes: they generate profit and they help luxury carmakers elevate and solidify their image. This coupe will also represent Bentley's way of sending off the venerable W12 engine and give the world of a preview of the firm's next design language. Related Video: