Black 2001 Bentley Azure, Excellent Condition, Convertible, Fully Loaded on 2040-cars

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Bentley EXP 9 F to be redesigned, renamed Falcon?

In concept form, the Bentley EXP 9 F had neither the styling nor the name to impress us when we first saw it earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, and while we already knew some sort of design change was imminent, we're unsurprisingly now hearing that a name change is also in the cards. Automobile Magazine is reporting that the eventual production Bentley SUV will get a complete redesign from what we saw in the EXP 9 F, and it will wear a new name as well: Falcon.
The article says that Luc Donckerwolke, Bentley's newly appointed director of design, is giving the SUV a complete redesign from the concept vehicle, which goes against what we last heard of the vehicle in August that a "radical redesign" was not in the cards. Donckerwolke has been on the design team at various Volkswagen Group automakers since 1992, helping to pen such memorable designs as the Lamborghini Gallardo and Murciélago, but now he is tasked with giving Bentley an SUV worthy of its lineup. Last we heard, the model could go into production in 2015, but there is no indication whether the Falcon will get three-row seating or a plug-in hybrid version as has been previously rumored.

Bentley producing Grand Convertible in grandiose exclusivity

The Googology wiki that celebrates numbers has entries for 42, 151, SpongeBob's Number, and Three Hundred Billion Gazillion. The wiki has no entry for the number 19, which means it doesn't commemorate Steely Dan's "Hey Nineteen," Paul Hardcastle's song "19," or the official production run of the Bentley Grand Convertible. That's right, the abundant and abundantly luxurious Mulsanne-based Grand Convertible will arrive on public roads in 2019. However, Bentley plans just 19 examples of the droptops, and none of them will come to America; only Europe, the Middle East, and Russia have deemed the Grand Convertible roadworthy. Retail price for the Grand Convertible, as if you could buy one in the store, is said to start at $3.5 million - roughly ten times more than the recently-facelifted Mulsanne Speed donor vehicle. ( YouTube gearhead Shmee150 captured the new production look in video taken this month at the Bentley showroom in Dubai.) Actual prices will surely run much higher since Bentley's Mulliner division will oversee the builds. That means custom two-tone colors, shape-shifting diamond quilting inside, Beluga leather, color-matched contrast stitching, and a Burr Walnut tonneau that's the largest veneer ever used on a Bentley. All of that comes before appending every fanciful option an owner consents to fund. Why the wee production run, when Bentley could certainly sell more than 19 specimens? Walter Owen Bentley founded his car company in August, 1919. Even though Walter's first Bentley 3-Litre didn't arrive until 1921, the 19 Grand Convertibles honor the centenary of the company's official founding. Bentley foreshadowed the minuscule production last year, though in a different guise: in March 2016, when Bentley CEO Wolfgang Duerheimer suggested the return of the Azure convertible, the boss said a potential Azure "would be built in [a batch of] 20 units and sold to absolute connoisseurs at a very high price." Give or take a digit, sounds like promises kept. Related Video:

2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 returns with less weight, equipment than W12

Following up on the launch of the W12 version, the 2021 Bentley Flying Spur is once again getting an "entry-level" variant with a V8. It's not as powerful as the W12, and a couple fancy features aren't included. But it's lighter, more fuel efficient, and we expect it will be cheaper. Like past V8 Spurs, this new model has a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. It's more powerful than its predecessors, though, making 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. The previous-generation V8 S made 521 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. The W12's 626 horsepower still towers over the V8, but the V8 boasts a weight savings of 220 pounds. Combined with cylinder deactivation, Bentley claims a 16% improvement in fuel economy, though doesn't give specific numbers. Applying that increase to the W12's combined fuel economy number, we'd expect around 17 mpg for the V8 versus 15 for the W12. There's one other key mechanical change to the Flying Spur V8, and that's the lack of standard electronic adjustable anti-roll bars and four-wheel steering. Both features are part of an option package now, whereas they're included on the W12. The adjustable anti-roll bars are automatically controlled to optimize ride quality while reducing body roll, and the steering allows the Flying Spur to more easily negotiate tight corners and spaces. Otherwise, the V8 Flying Spur is nearly identical to the W12 version, save for the standard 20-inch wheels and quad exhaust tips. It's available in either four- or five-seat configurations. First Edition and Blackline trims are available that include extra options and unique visual tweaks. And among some of the more opulent upgrades are the rear-seat refrigerator, illuminated Flying B hood ornament and rotating center stack display. Pricing for the Flying Spur V8 starts at $200,725 with destination, a healthy discount to the W12's nearly $215,000 price tag. It's also more affordable than the the Continental GT V8's price of around $204,000. The V8 Flying Spur will be available early next year. Related Video: