2015 Bentley Continental Flying Spur W12 on 2040-cars

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Here's our first look at the new Bentley Flying Spur sedan

We've seen a few different versions of the new Bentley Continental GT coupe rolling around Europe, but now we have our first view at the Continental Flying Spur, the car's four-door variant. Just like the coupe, it looks a helluva lot like the outgoing model. Bentley has done just enough to keep the car looking fresh while retaining what are now characteristic traits of the Continental twins. The Flying Spur is really just a stretched version of the Continental GT, though the former no longer carries the Continental prefix. While we don't know exactly how much longer the wheelbase is, expect generous legroom for those in the backseat. Don't expect many changes from the B-pillar forward, including under the hood. Look for both a twin-turbo V8 and a meaty twin-turbo W12, both making copious amounts of horsepower and torque. These spy shots don't give us the best view of the front, but we can see that Bentley has stuck on fake headlights, just like the GT prototypes. The grille appears to be a little more upright than the current model. There looks to be significant differences between the front of the GT and the Flying Spur, but we'll have to wait for another look. The rear has the now requisite oval taillights and exhaust tips. The entire rear looks like a GT with wide hips. There's been no word on when the car will debut, but look for news as soon as this fall or early next spring. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley Flying Spur spy shots Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Bentley Luxury Sedan bentley flying spur bentley continental flying spur

Bentley Bentayga Speed honors Russian ballet with creative colors

Bentley has become the first major automaker to release a series of cars dedicated to Russian ballet — sorry, Lada. It's planning to build a series of six Bentayga Speed models inspired by a different motion performed by ballet dancers in Russia. Each SUV in the series wears a specific livery; three feature a single-tone paint job while the rest get a two-tone look. As of writing, only one of the limited-edition SUVs has been revealed. It's painted in Silver Storm over Damson, which is Bentley-speak for purple, and it receives a brown and purple leather interior with contrasting Koa wood trim. Some of the other color combinations planned will be more subtle. One will be painted in Windsor Blue over Light Windsor Blue, for example. At the other end of the spectrum, another will be fully finished in purple. Edition-specific contrast stitching and ballet silhouettes added to the seats and to the trim on the dashboard further set the members of this few-off series apart from the regular-production Bentayga Speed. And, each car is named after a unique ballet move; the name appears on the sill plates. Before you get in, keep an eye out for the unique Russian Heritage LED welcome lighting that's exclusive to these six cars. Don't look for ballet-inspired modifications under the hood. Power comes from the regular-production Speed's mighty 6.0-liter W12 engine, which is twin-turbocharged to develop 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. The latter figure is available over a broad range that stretches from 1,500 to 5,000 rpm. The firm quotes an impressive 3.9-second sprint from zero to 62 mph and a top speed of 190 mph. Pricing information hasn't been announced but it's of little interest: all six cars have already been spoken for. They'll be delivered by Bentley dealerships in the Moscow area before the end of 2021. Bentley explained that this is the first chapter in a series of Russian Heritage Edition models developed specifically for the Russian market. It plans to release new Russia-themed limited-edition models annually. Fear not if you're into big, powerful SUVs and head-turning paint colors but aren't on the list to receive a ballet-themed Bentayga. Mulliner (the division that handles Bentley's in-house customization) takes requests; its 1,000th project was a sweet potato-colored Bentayga. Related video: 2019 Bentley Bentayga Exterior Walkaround, Drive Modes, V8 Engine, Front Seats and Rear Seats

2019 Bentley Continental GT First Drive Review | A grand tourer learns to dance

The Austrian Alps are a curious venue to show off that great hunter of the highways, the Bentley Continental GT. With deep green forests and soaring thrusts of exposed rock, the Alps are one of those few places where the natural world still reigns supreme. Humanity isn't going to change this place much. You can forget about six-lane freeways blasted through rock — the only way to get around is on narrow, twin lanes. True to its name, the coupe is perhaps the truest grand touring car on the market — comfort happily married to speed. I once logged a personal best time between New York City and Boston in a base GT, despite a pounding nighttime rain. Even that miserable East Coast route felt easy in the GT, which eats through highway miles in a peculiarly relentless fashion. It was born for distance. This is our first drive of the new, third-generation car, which won't be sold in North America for another year, at a starting price of $214,600. We've been told it is a changed machine — a GT still, but with more nimbleness. And now we're about to find out, having left behind quaint Austrian villages for a steep mountain road that switchbacks up toward the clouds. It's everything you hope and dream when you fantasize about the Alps. Before me is a straightaway interrupted by a quick left-right bend and an uphill switchback. A small twist of hands on the nicely weighted steering wheel and the Bentley jukes through the left-right fluidly; no need to brush the brakes until we're right up to the hairpin. Then a firm push on the stoppers and a full lock of the steering wheel and — listen to that! — tire noise from the 21-inch Pirellis as we get back on the gas early. The car stays remarkably flat despite the camber of the turn. I snap open my hands and flat-foot the accelerator. Another hairpin beckons just beyond. And so it goes, the Conti welcoming a full-throated uphill attack. We get to the top and begin the fall back down the mountain, which is even more illuminating. This is the model with the W12 — the only one available at launch, notorious for carrying too much weight in its nose. Take a previous generation on a tight downhill route and you wrestle the grille through the turns, giving up entry speed to mitigate inevitable front-end push. It was a point-and-shoot car, relying on good brakes and ample power to make up lost time through the turns. This new generation is a momentum machine. There is a newfound rhythm and flow. It is deft and it is nimble.