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2022 Bentley Flying Spur Odyssean Edition launches the hybrid in style

The 2022 Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid will be the second plug-in hybrid in the company's lineup. And the brand is bestowing it with a special model called the Odyssean Edition to kick it off. It has some unique interior features that Bentley claims are more sustainable, but we would argue they don't do much to make the big sedan particularly green, at least not beyond its hybrid nature. Set that aside, though, and the Odyssean Edition is still a nice machine. The interior is the highlight of the Odyssean Edition, and in particular, the contrast stitching used on the seats. They've been dyed so that they start dark on the outer edges and fade to a lighter tone in the center. Bentley says this is the first time this stitching design has been used on a production car, with it originally appearing on the EXP 100 GT concept car. The rest of the interior is covered in natural leather (supposedly for its longevity), natural finish Koa wood (supposedly for less lacquer use) and some 100% wool spun into tweed panels on the backs of the front seats. You can get other Bentleys with leather and natural-finish wood, so they aren't really an extra step toward sustainability. On the outside, the Odyssean Edition is distinguished by champagne-colored accents on the 21-inch wheels, as well as the lower chrome and headlight and taillight surrounds. A badge also appears on the rear pillar. Bentley recommends six paint colors to match the accents, but if you really want to, you can pick from anything in the Bentley color range. Customers can also add options to the Odyssean Edition. We're a little surprised that some of those options include fairly common features such as ambient lighting, puddle lights, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and a head-up display. But less common options include a leather headliner, light-up hideaway hood ornament, 3D diamond upholstery on door panels (shown in the gallery), revolving center display, wool carpeting and night vision. Availability and pricing were not announced. We would expect it to go on sale by the end of the year like regular Flying Spur Hybrids. And like those standard cars, the Odyssean Edition gets the same twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 hybrid making 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. Range from its 14.1-kWh battery is estimated at more than 25 miles. Related Video: Byron plays rich in the 2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 | Autoblog

New Bentley Continental GT debuts next month with hybrid power

Bentley has a new Continental GT coming next month, but it won’t arrive with the gas-only 8- or 12-cylinder engines seen in years past. The fourth-generation car will get BentleyÂ’s new Ultra Hybrid Performance powertrain, a plug-in hybrid system that delivers big power from a V8 combined with an electric motor. The automaker claims 771 horsepower and around 738 pound-feet of torque from the electrified powertrain, saying that it will make the new GT “the most powerful and most dynamically capable Bentley road car in the companyÂ’s 105-year history.” For reference, the current GTÂ’s W12 engine produces 650 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, propelling the car to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The current V8 makes 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. Bentley didnÂ’t give acceleration numbers for the new model, but with more than 100 additional horsepower and more than 70 extra pound-feet of torque over the W12, it should be noticeably quicker. Bentley also claims the Continental GT will have 50 miles of electric-only range and carbon dioxide emissions of under 50 grams per kilometer. Power will continue to go through all four wheels along with torque vectoring and an electronic limited-slip differential. Bentley will also include more trick features such as four-wheel steering and its 48-volt electronic active anti-roll control. The automaker may continue offering a gas V8 as an entry point to the line, but hasn't confirmed it either way. The Continental GT comprises a third of BentleyÂ’s overall sales, with almost 100,000 units sold in its more than 20-year run on the market. That popularity is reflected in the number of GT variants Bentley offers, though we donÂ’t yet know how and where the hybrid will be positioned in the GT catalog. Prices will likely climb a bit to start around $250,000 and could reach the mid-$300,000 range at the top.  

The next Bentley Mulsanne could go all-electric

How many Bentleys are sold in China, anyway?* That's a question worth asking after the company said it will consider switching the powertrain of its uber-luxe sedan Mulsanne to all-electric from its current gas-guzzling V8 setup. Such a switch would be in the name of adhering to stricter greenhouse-gas emissions limits, especially in countries like China. Bentley executive Hans Holzgartner told Autocar that the company may soon have problems selling a V8-powered Mulsanne in China because government regulators are attempting to push for more zero-emissions vehicles to combat smog problems in the country's largest cities. Oddly, Holzgartner said an electric powertrain is "better suited" to heavier luxury cars than lighter sports cars because of an electric motor's smooth, instant delivery of torque. With the Mulsanne already priced north of $300,000 in the US, passing on the costs of such a huge battery pack will probably be less of an issue than for more typically-priced models. Of course, there would be a ton (almost literally) of battery cells involved. The Mulsanne tips the scales at almost 6,000 pounds, or almost twice the weight of a Nissan Leaf and about 25 percent more than a Tesla Model S. For those curious how the one-percenters live, take a look at Autoblog's recent drive of a Mulsanne Speed. Since this is just being studied at this point, it's possible the next Mulsanne could get a battery-electric or plug-in hybrid version for certain markets, while others would retain a gas engine or offer a choice. Assuming it keeps the gas option, the next Mulsanne will reportedly to switch to a twelve-cylinder engine, likely a version of the Volkswagen Group's W12. As for green cred, let's just say the Mulsanne's couldn't be much worse. Earlier this year, the Mulsanne showed up on the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) annual list of "meanest" vehicles when it came to environmental sustainability. The Bentley was rated the fourth-meanest vehicle sold in the US, following the Mercedes-Benz G65 AMG, the Chevrolet G2500 Express/GMC Savana, and the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG. The EPA rates the Mulsanne's fuel efficiency at an absolutely gasoline-swilling 13 miles per gallon combined. * If you're curious, Bentley sold 1,615 cars in China last year. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Bentley Mulsanne: First Drive View 24 Photos News Source: Autocar via Hybrid CarsImage Credit: Drew Phillips Green Bentley Electric