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Bentley starts testing the sold-out, 200-mph Bacalar roadster

Bentley took the limited-edition Bacalar from a sketch to a 200-plus-mph roadster in nine months, a shockingly short amount of time. Its engineers are now putting the first car through its paces at the same break-neck speed. Although the Bacalar is based on the Continental GT, the British firm explained nearly everything the driver will see and feel is specific to the car. Bentley developed over 750 new parts for it, including 40 built with carbon fiber, and the roadster shares no body panels with other members of the company's range. All of these components have to meet the same stringent quality standards as those created for regular-production models. Bentley gave its team 20 weeks to fine-tune the first prototype (pictured), which it calls car zero. Testing started earlier in 2020, so the car has already been put through a wind tunnel and pushed to the limit at triple-digit speeds — it's as stable and quiet as customers expect. Next, test drivers will pile on the miles to see how it holds up over time. They'll then test it at up to 176 degrees, and the final step will be validating the electrical system. Power for the Bacalar comes from a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine, which produces 650 horsepower and 667 pound-feet of torque. It spins the four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Bentley hasn't revealed what it will do with car zero at the end of the testing phase. Production is scheduled to start in 2021, and the 12 examples planned have already been spoken for. Each one will be unique; buyers will be invited to work directly with the company's design department to configure the interior and the exterior. Related Video:

Autoblog's Editors' Picks: Our complete list of the best new vehicles

It's not easy to earn an “EditorsÂ’ Picks” at Autoblog as part of the rating and review process that every new vehicle goes through. Our editors have been at it a long time, which means weÂ’ve driven and reviewed virtually every new car you can go buy on the dealer lot. There are disagreements, of course, and all vehicles have their strengths and weaknesses, but this list features what we think are the best new vehicles chosen by Autoblog editors. We started this formal review process back in 2018, so there's quite of few of them now. So what does it mean to be an EditorsÂ’ Pick? In short, it means itÂ’s a car that we can highly recommend purchasing. There may be one, multiple, or even zero vehicles in any given segment that we give the green light to. What really matters is that itÂ’s a vehicle that weÂ’d tell a friend or family member to go buy if theyÂ’re considering it, because itÂ’s a very good car. The best way to use this list is is with the navigation links below. Click on a segment, and you'll quickly arrive at the top rated pickup truck or SUV, for example. Use the back button to return to these links and search in another segment, like sedans. If youÂ’ve been keeping up with our monthly series of the latest vehicles to earn EditorsÂ’ Pick status, youÂ’re likely going to be familiar with this list already. If not, welcome to the complete list that weÂ’ll be keeping updated as vehicles enter (and others perhaps exit) the good graces of our editorial team. We rate a new car — giving it a numerical score out of 10 — every time thereÂ’s a significant refresh or if it happens to be an all-new model. Any given vehicle may be impressive on a first drive, but we wait until itÂ’s in the hands of our editors to put it through the same type of testing as every other vehicle that rolls through our test fleet before giving it the EditorsÂ’ Pick badge. This ensures consistency and allows more voices to be heard on each individual model. And just so you donÂ’t think weÂ’ve skipped trims or variants of a model, we hand out the EditorsÂ’ Pick based on the overarching model to keep things consistent. So, when you read that the 3 Series is an EditorsÂ’ Pick, yes, that includes the 330i to the M3 and all the variants in between. If thereÂ’s a particular version of that car we vehemently disagree with, we make sure to call that out.

Bentley seasons the Continental GT and Bentayga with carbon fiber pack

Because Bentley is Bentley, and nothing it offers is "regular," it has a different name for select features available on its vehicles. Rather than calling these options or packages, they are called "specifications." One of the specifications available on the Continental GT, Continental GT Convertible and the Bentayga is called the Styling Specification, and it brings gloss carbon fiber elements to these cars' exteriors.  Both the Bentayga and the Continental GT have numerous Specifications available for extra purchase. The Bentayga is available with a Blackline Specification, All Terrain Specification, City Specification, Event Specification, Smoker's Specification, Sunshine Specification and the Touring Specification. In addition to the Smoker's, City and Touring Specs, the Continental GT also offers the Diamond Knurling Specification, Mood Lighting Specification and Front Seat Comfort Specification. The Styling Specification, though developed to align with the vehicles' aerodynamics, are intended to create a visual impact, as the name suggests. This package uses high-gloss carbon fiber to shape a front bumper splitter, side skirts with metallic Bentley badges, a rear diffuser and the trunk spoiler. The Bentayga is slightly different from the Continental GT package, as it also features a bi-plane tailgate spoiler and rear screen strakes. Further options include carbon fiber front air blades, wing vents and mirror caps. The carbon fiber in the Styling Specification uses a 2x2 twill pattern with matching directional weave across every part. It is also hand-crafted in a way that the carbon fiber is mirrored at the center of the vehicle to create a balanced look that will please perfectionist minds. Bentley says the Bentley badges on the side skirts were created through 3D electroforming, which could generally be described as a more precise version of 3D printing. The badges were specifically designed to "minimize the risk of air bubbles forming in the lacquer overcoat" while introducing a textured look. The Styling Specification can be ordered for a new car or retrofitted on an old car. It will also soon be available on the Bentley Mulsanne. Related Video: