2017 Bentley Continental Gt V8 S Convertible 2d on 2040-cars

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Bentley shows plug-in hybrid concept ahead of Beijing, will power SUV in 2017

From its more mainstream, popular origins in the original Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, the hybrid powertrain has worked its way up to the the corner office, the big chair, the top slot in the corporation. Bentley has announced that it will introduce a plug-in hybrid option on its SUV due in 2017. Before then, we'll see what an electrically assisted Bentley looks like at the Beijing Motor Show when the Crewe automaker shows off a copper-accented Mulsanne that's been reworked into its Hybrid Concept, pictured above.
We don't have any official specs just yet, the only major announcement being that any Bentley hybrid will be able to travel at least 50 kilometers (31 miles) on pure electric thrust and get a power boost of "up to" 25 percent from its electric side. We use the phrase "any Bentley hybrid" because the company's CEO says "we will gradually introduce this powertrain across our model range" to 90 percent of the brand's lineup.
We'll know more when the Beijing show commences. For now, there's the press release below and the high-res gallery above.

Bentley Continental GT3 grows wings to conquer the Pikes Peak Hill Climb

Apparently, this is a Bentley. That may not be obvious at first glance on account of the … everything, but this winged beast does have a Bentley logo on it. You see, Bentley is headed on back to Pikes Peak for a third (and final) time. The companyÂ’s first two visits saw the production SUV record achieved with the Bentayga W12 and the outright production car record taken with the Continental GT. This time, Bentley is targeting the “Time Attack 1” record, and the Continental GT3 Pikes Peak is its steed of choice. Leading the car's superlative features is what Bentley claims to be “the biggest rear wing ever fitted to a Bentley.” We heartily approve. The aerodynamic package is fully in vogue with other cars built specifically for Pikes Peak. Maximum downforce is generated with the huge wing, a gigantic diffuser, two-plane splitter and aggressive dive planes. ItÂ’s more track rat than elegant race car with the numerous scoops and venting throughout. The exhaust cutouts just aft of the front wheels complete the hooligan package. This Continental may have Bentley lights on it, but the similarities between it and the road car donÂ’t go much further. Details about the engine are limited, but Bentley says itÂ’s a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 racing engine, not a production V8 or W12. Modifications were made to make it more powerful for this Pikes Peak run, but Bentley also made adjustments for the fuel it will be running in the car. Instead of running this Continental on race fuel, itÂ’s going to be using biofuel-based gasoline. WeÂ’ve heard Porsche make waves about the potential of greener biofuels helping to drastically reduce emissions, and now Bentley is making some noise about the tech, too. In coordination with Porsche (all in the same VW Group house), Bentley is researching how it could use biofuels and “e-fuels” to potentially power both past and future Bentley cars. As of today, Bentley is saying that using these fuels could result in greenhouse gas emissions reductions of up to 85%. Put simply, thatÂ’s huge, if it can be made to work at a large scale. Bentley expressly states that this research into biofuels doesnÂ’t affect its plan to become an electric-only automaker by 2030. Instead, Bentley sees it as a way to allow the brandÂ’s past and current gasoline-powered vehicles to be driven far into the future — just over 80% of all Bentleys ever built are still on the road, according to BentleyÂ’s internal tracking.

Bentley announces its fifth model will debut May 10

Bentley announced it would debut "a fifth model" on Tuesday, May 10 to join the Continental GT, Continental GTC, Flying Speed and Bentayga. The notice included all kinds of wordplay suggesting extra length and roominess, Crewe members having "gone to new lengths" on the "long-awaited" vehicle that will bring "an extra dimension of on-board wellness," and so on. We can't be certain of what's coming, but we're willing to place a large wager that it's the extended-wheelbase Bentayga. A prototype of the stretched family conveyance with an enlarged wheelbase and grandiose rear doors was caught testing at various points throughout 2021. And the door card in the teaser vid matches that of the Bentayga, not that of the only other four-door Bentley makes, the Flying Spur. Step inside. 12:30 BST, 10.5.2022 pic.twitter.com/4H7YENbtTz — Bentley Motors (@BentleyMotors) April 29, 2022 We don't know how much additional knee space Bentley will grant to back-seat VIP types; were this another era, we're sure Bentley would never quantify it beyond "more ample." We'll find out on May 10. There could be other changes in store for the variant as well, the automaker promising "a breadth of capabilities beyond anything previously offered." If the teaser is correct, there's a nifty shade of purple on the way, too. Related video: