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Bentley planning new Le Mans prototype for LMP2 class

Word has it that Bentley is planning a new Le Mans prototype racer. Speaking with Bentley chief Wolfgang Durheimer, Autocar reports that a new LMP2 project is underway at Crewe. The program would be run in-house instead of outsourced to a partner racing team. But while the prototype would likely use the company's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, the chassis by necessity would have to be outsourced: the three major sanctioning bodies recently got together to approve Dallara, Oreca, Riley-Multimatic, and Onroak exclusively to supply LMP2 chassis, so Bentley would have to base its design around one of theirs. The British automaker might have a number of reasons for restricting itself to the LMP2 class. Chief among them is likely the presence of both Porsche and Audi in the top-tier LMP1 category, and parent company Volkswagen's likely reluctance to send another one of its brands into the same fight. Another is budget: developing and fielding a competitive LMP1 program can be as costly as running an F1 team, whereas the prospect of sourcing and adapting an LMP2 chassis from an approved supplier would cost Bentley far less. But another factor not to be discounted is that Bentley may be choosing its battles carefully. Where the LMP1 prototypes are constricted largely to Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship of which it is part, there are several series that top out at LMP2 – most notable the IMSA SportsCar Championship where Bentley is tipped to focus first, but also in the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series. In fact [SPOILER ALERT] an LMP2 entry just won the 24 Hours of Daytona for the first time, beating out the Daytona Prototypes against which they compete. Those are bragging rights that Bentley could be keen to capture, and if it plays its cards right, it could sit out the LMP2 class at Le Mans and in the WEC altogether, rather than compete for second-tier victory behind its big brothers in LMP1. That would make this program radically different from the last time Bentley built a Le Mans prototype. In the early 2000s, Bentley fielded successive versions of the Speed 8 (pictured above) with a little help from Audi, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright in 2003. The company then shut down the program, only to return to racing with the Continental GT3, developed with longtime Ford rally partner M-Sport and offered to privateer teams.

Bentley Azure could return for limited edition

Once upon a time, Bentley had two convertibles in its lineup – there was the Continental GTC, which you can still enjoy today, and the Azure, which you can't. The bigger offering, based on the Arnage sedan, went out of production several years back, much to the disappointment of those with ostentatious tastes and bottomless pockets. But if Wolfgang Durheimer has his way, the 20-plus-year-old nameplate could return in a limited run based on the Mulsanne. The last Azure demanded ridiculous wealth to purchase, but this new model would be on an entirely different level. According to Car and Driver, Durheimer said a reborn Azure "would be built in [a batch of] 20 units and sold to absolute connoisseurs at a very high price." He stopped short of actually confirming the vehicle or its cost, but that hasn't stopped Car and Driver from suggesting a price of $1 to $1.5 million per vehicle. The timing here is fascinating, largely because Bentley's arch-rival, Rolls-Royce, is preparing to phase out its Phantom Drophead Coupe – the Mulsanne Convertible's most natural rival – due to slow sales. Whatever this limited-edition vehicle is called, it'd be all on its own. This is not the first time this particular rumor has cropped up. In his first tour as Bentley CEO, Durheimer brought a full-size convertible, called the Mulsanne Vision (shown above) to Pebble Beach in 2012. The idea was shelved by his successor, Wolfgang Schreiber, in 2013. But with Durheimer back in his old position in Crewe (and heading up efforts at Bugatti, too), it wasn't long before Bentley was back in the convertible Mulsanne game with the Grand Convertible, a Speed-based droptop. When the Grand Convertible debuted, we said the company is "watching customer reaction to the car." And the press release says the luxury droptop was "developed to signify Bentley's intentions for the future." Consider this most recent story a reinforcement of that report, then. News Source: Car and DriverImage Credit: Bentley Bentley Convertible Luxury Performance wolfgang durheimer bentley azure bentley grand convertible

2024 Bentley Bentayga runs the luxury meter to its 'Ludicrous' setting

The 2024 Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) Mulliner leads the SUV's way into the coming model year. The rest of the range is ready to follow, bringing new standard and optional equipment and tech, a new trim, and the most discrete cosmetic changes. Starting from the bottom of the trim ladder, the rank goes Bentayga, new Bentayga A, Bentayga Azure, Bentayga S, and Bentayga EWB. The new A trim will be limited to certain markets that Bentley hasn't identified yet. For cosmetics, re-profiled grilles bring the front fascia into line with changes made to the Flying Spur range. The exterior paint menu grows with eight new satin colors, taking the total menu of standard colors to 112 choices, and new 21-inch wheel designs come in three finishes. Inside, and slightly more than cosmetic, the Bentayga A and Azure feature deep-pile carpeted mats created using more sustainable wool treatment processes. Beneath them, the cabin carpet is now 100% recycled nylon instead of virgin nylon. The A goes with a straight-vaned grille above black lower intakes, as well as "A" badging and 21-inch black-and-bright machined wheels. At the top, the EWB gains access to a Mulliner Design Specification that appends a large rear spoiler to the top of the hatch, plus copious carbon fiber accents around the body. A new electrical architecture enables features like adaptive cruise control, surround-view cameras, and lane departure warning, as well as some app-based remote features like Intelligent Park Assist. And there's a new option in sound with a Bang & Olufsen Beosonic audio system alongside Bentley's traditional Naim partnership. Among the equipment changes, rear-wheel steering trickles down from the EWB as standard equipment on the Azure and S trims, optional for the rest, shrinking the turning circle by about three feet. Another EWB feature descends from the heights, too: The Airline Seat Specification with Postural Adjust and Seat Auto Climate is an option on all the regular Bentaygas. These seats not only recline, they can be set to one of seven temperature zones and then measure the seat occupant's temperature and humidity to know whether to add more heat or ventilation. They also possess a massage function that cycles through 177 pressure points over three hours so that no part of a body suffers static fatigue. Or, put another way, the seat tosses and turns for you — and always keeps the cool side up — so that you don't have to.