2012 Bentley Continental Gt Mulliner on 2040-cars

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Former Lamborghini designer reportedly headed to Hyundai

Luc Donckerwolke (pictured above) only left his position as the Director of Design for Bentley in early June, but he might have already had a new gig lined up as he was walking out the door. Donckerwolke is reportedly teaming up with former Volkswagen Group styling bigwig Peter Schreyer at Hyundai Motor, in a position to eventually take over the look of all of the Korean brands' vehicles. At the moment, this major hire for Hyundai and Kia is still just a rumor, though, and the Korean automaker is playing it close to the vest. Company spokesperson Jim Trainor tells Autoblog, "We do not comment on speculation concerning potential appointments." However, insiders tell Automotive News that the deal is the reason for Donckerwolke walking away from his long career among VW's brands. In Korea, Donckerwolke would hold a position under Schreyer at first, and he would take over Hyundai and Kia's design duties when Schreyer retires, which is expected in about two years. Donckerwolke joined the German automotive giant in 1992 and eventually came to define the modern look of Lamborghini by penning both the Murcielago and Gallardo. In 2011, he became the Head of Advanced Design for VW Group and took over styling duties at Bentley in 2012. Schreyer left a fruitful career at VW Group, including penning the original Audi TT, to join Kia in 2006. He gained the overall design duties for the Hyundai and Kia brands in 2012. Ousted VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech once said that he was regretful of losing the talented stylist. Related Video:

Bentley Mulliner Bacalar is so bespoke, it's a whole different car

Bentley talks a lot about “bespoke” — the customized elements done at the hands of its Mulliner division — but the newly unveiled Bentley Mulliner Bacalar takes the idea to a new level. This isnÂ’t just a unique paint color or a special upholstery fabric or a fabricated housing for an ownerÂ’s pet ferret. ItÂ’s a completely custom-bodied automobile, one that transforms the Continental GT convertible into a restyled two-seat roofless barchetta, which takes its name from a lake in MexicoÂ’s Yucatan Peninsula. Bentley claims that not a single exterior body panel from the Continental GT remains unchanged on the Bacalar, and the design is said to be inspired by last yearÂ’s EXP 100 GT concept. That show car was a coupe with scissor doors and an electric powertrain. The Bacalar is none of those things. But you can see some rub-off from the EXP 100 GT in the detailing, such as the horizontal lighting elements at the front and the rear. This example wears special Yellow Flame paint that incorporates the ash from burned rice husks as a more environmentally friendly way to create a metallic effect. In the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar, the doors and fenders are made from carbon fiber, while the clamshell covering over the rear compartment is aluminum. The body panels feature additional air intakes, a double hump behind the front seats, and more pronounced rear haunches over the 20-mm wider rear track. There is no roof — presumably owners will drive one of their dozens of other cars if rain is predicted. It would be a shame, after all, to let this interior get wet. The BacalarÂ’s cabin has just two seats, with a carved-out luggage hold behind each one that is specially designed to fit custom-matched bags made by Italian luggage maker Shedoni. The reworked center console angles up to meet the dash, which contains BentleyÂ’s Rotating Display and a digital instrument cluster that differs from that of production Bentleys. The seats are upholstered in British wool together with two types of leather, and the wool elements also appear on the console and door panels. The wood trim — in both matte and gloss finishes — is sourced from 5,000-year-old trees harvested from rivers, lakes and peat bogs. The 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W-12 engine is massaged to the tune of 650 horsepower and 667 lb-ft of torque (versus 626 ponies and 664 lb-ft in the Conti GT). The W-12 is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and rear-biased all-wheel drive.

2021 Bentley Bentayga Speed adopts new look, still fastest SUV in the world

The updated 2021 Bentley Bentayga didn’t have to wait long to gain its Speed variant back. WeÂ’re less than a month removed from the standard 2021 BentaygaÂ’s big reveal, and the Speed has returned sporting all the same styling elements as its less powerful sibling. If you paid much attention to the Speed model when it was revealed in February last year, you already know most of the pertinent information on the new one. It has a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W12 under hood that produces 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. ThatÂ’s good enough for a 3.9-second 0-62 mph sprint. Top speed hasnÂ’t changed from before at 190 mph, so it still slots in right next to the Lamborghini Urus as the fastest SUV in the world. Not as though efficiency will matter all that much, but the W12 does feature cylinder deactivation technology that can deactivate up to six cylinders. YouÂ’ll be able to tell the Speed apart from the standard Bentayga on the road if you look closely enough. It has unique bumpers in front and back, a dark grille, oval-shaped quad exhaust, elongated roof spoiler, body-color side skirts, unique 22-inch wheels, and of course, Speed badging. The seat backrests are also embroidered with “Speed” unless the customer prefers the Bentley logo. Contrast stitching and diamond quilting unique to the Speed is used to further differentiate the interior. Plus, Bentley adds “Speed” badging to the illuminated sill plates. Lastly, Bentayga Speed buyers will have the choice of optioning the “Black Specification.” This replaces any brightwork on the exterior with blacked-out or carbon fiber trim. For example, the front splitter, side sills and roof spoiler are finished in carbon fiber. Bentley then uses gloss black paint on the rear bumper diffuser, roof rails, exhaust tips and wheels. Pricing isnÂ’t out for the new Bentayga Speed yet, but itÂ’ll be available soon after the standard V8 Bentayga begins arriving at Bentley retailers. Related video: