2008 Bentley Continental Gt on 2040-cars

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New Bentley interior veneer sourced from American Red Gum trees

Bentley is turning stateside for its newest exclusive wood interior finish, sourcing its first new veneer in five years from American Red Gum trees found in Mississippi wetlands. Bentley calls the new veneer Liquid Amber, a reference to the wood's perfumed scent. The red-hued wood undergoes a weeks-long natural smoking process to deepen its brown luster. Afterward, the veneer is then transported to Bentley's wood shop in Crewe, England, where it's examined alongside the six other types of veneers harvested from China to Canada to determine suitability, based on a high-burr density, minimal sapwood and a lack of bark growth or structural defects. Bentley says it rejects between 30 percent and 70 percent of all veneers offered. Raw veneer is then cut to a precise 0.6-millimeter and tested for stability in UV light and consistency from tree to tree. The whole process takes at least 18 months before the veneer is installed in one of Bentley's vehicles, which start at $189,000 for the Flying Spur sedan. Also known as the Sweetgum tree, the American Red Gum is native to lowland areas of the southeastern United States. It was once used commercially for soaps, adhesives and pharmaceuticals but is valued today primarily for use in furniture, cabinetry and interior finishing. Bentley says it harvests the trees only twice a year due to restricted access to the wetlands where it sources the wood. Bentley also announced it has begun using slate and quartzite stone veneers sourced from select quarries in India. They're split from a larger stone piece, cured using fiberglass and a bespoke resin, and shaped and finished by hand by the Mulliner coach building team in Crewe.Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley wood finish Image Credit: Bentley Bentley Luxury bentley flying spur

The new Continental GT Supersports is the most powerful Bentley ever

The Bentley Continental GT Supersports has finally returned after a hiatus since the 2013 model year. And in that time, it became even meaner. The car packs a tweaked, twin-turbocharged W12 engine that now pumps out 700 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque. That's an extra 79 horsepower and 160 lb-ft of torque over the old model. With output like that, it's no surprise the new Supersports can demolish a 0-60 mph run in 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 209 mph. The convertible also returns, although the soft top does cost a bit of outright speed. It's 0.3 seconds slower to 60 mph with a time of 3.7 seconds. It also has a slower top speed of 205 mph. But the headroom is amazing. View 13 Photos Fortunately, Bentley has equipped the new Supersports with handling and stopping upgrades, too. The suspension is lower and stiffer than normal a Continental GT. Power goes through a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. That all-wheel-drive system also diverts 60 percent of the power to the rear by default, but can adjust the bias as needed. To bring all 5,000+ pounds of the Supersports to a stop, it has massive carbon ceramic brakes at each corner – 16.5 inches up front, and 14 inches in back. The Supersports sports plenty of style changes, too, although whether they're upgrades is up to the beholder. The car has sprouted a wide array of vents, gills, and wings. It also gets some huge 21-inch forged wheels and rifled exhaust tips. An "X Specification" package also gives buyers the option of eight two-tone color schemes along with carbon fiber mirrors and other trim pieces. It also includes a titanium exhaust that saves about 10 pounds of weight. Inside is plenty of leather and Alcantara, along with a new dash trim in a checkered carbon fiber finish. Of course other existing Bentley trims and veneers are also available. Bentley did not give details on pricing or availability of the Supersports. Related Video:

Bentley Bentayga may spawn sportier fastback version

In the past few years, Bentley has shown us two different conceptions about what its future might look like in: the SUV that started life as the EXP 9 F concept and has now entered production as the Bentayga, and the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept that previews a future sports coupe from the stoic British marque. The next step is an SUV that combines a little of each of them. According to Automotive News, engineers and designers in Crewe are currently laying the groundwork for a crossover that would blend the tall form of the Bentayga with the roofline of the Speed 6. The result would be similar in form, we'd imagine, to the likes of the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe, only even further upscale. We wouldn't be surprised to see more changes than the roofline and tail section, either, with a sportier front end and more avant-garde headlights (like those we saw on the Speed 6 concept) giving it a sportier, less stodgy appearance all around – and maybe, just maybe, a different nameplate. CEO Wolfgang Durheimer wants to get the fastbacked Bentayga variant ready by 2018 or 2019 – right around the time that Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Maserati, and Lamborghini will be rolling out their debut crossovers. By that time, Bentley will have already have had the Bentayga on the market for two or three years, and wants to be ready to fight off the onslaught with something fresh. "Imagine the EXP 10 as an SUV. It doesn't look 'old Bentley, Durheimer told AN. "The Bentayga doesn't stop us from dreaming and looking down the road. The more success we have with it, the more we can take the best of it and run with it." Proceeding with the project will require Durheimer to get approval from the Volkswagen Group head office in Wolfsburg, but the business case seems like a slam dunk. The model would help Bentley (and VW) further capitalize on the $1 billion it already spent developing the Bentayga, following a successful business model laid out by rival BMW and which Germany's other automakers are quickly learning to emulate. This wouldn't be the first time he'd be seeking approval from Matthias Muller on such a project, either. Durheimer successfully ushered the Cayenne into production when he was head of R&D at Porsche and Muller was the brand's CEO.