2007 Bentley Arnage T Sedan 4-door 6.8l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Bentley builds a Continental GT as tribute to the car that inspired the model

Bentley is staying quite busy with its tribute models. It's built yet another 2023 Continental GT, in Azure trim, that's based on a notable past model. But unlike the Bathurst cars, this one appears to be just for Bentley, and it's based on a much older car: a 1953 R-Type Continental. More specifically, it's based on the 1953 R-Type Continental Bentley keeps in its historic fleet. It's a car that was purchased by the company in 2001 and has been maintained and preserved. The R-Type Continental is an important model for Bentley for a couple of reasons. It's a neat model on its own as a coupe version of the R-Type sedan that got a relatively light aluminum body, and its 4.6-liter straight-six could propel the Continental to nearly 120 mph. But it also was the inspiration for the first-generation Continental GT launched in 2003. So this special Continental GT Azure brings everything full circle. It's painted Old English White with a Cricket Ball leather interior to match the white-over-red of the '53 example. Bentley says the Burr Walnut wood trim with boxwood inlays was given a natural finish lacquer to match the aged wood on the old car. And as an Azure, this Continental GT comes with a variety of comfort-oriented features such as the active anti-roll bars and ultra-adjustable seats with massage. Under the hood is the standard twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 making 542 hp. Related video:

Xcar calls Continental GT V8 S the best Bentley yet

It wouldn't be fair to describe the Bentley Continental GT V8 S as taking the standard version of the luxury coupe and turning the driving engagement up to 11. That accolade is reserved for the hardcore, stripped-out GT3-R version. Though, not everyone wants to go quite that far. As Xcar Films presents in a new video, being behind the wheel of the S compared to the standard GT is more like listening to music through a quality set of speakers where everything become a little more crisp and clear. Giving the S that extra little bit are a multitude of improvements like a stiffer suspension, tighter steering, a more aggressive body kit and an extra 21 horsepower from its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. However, the real magic is how Bentley mixes all of the tweaks together into a grand tourer that can work with drivers when they want to have a little fun. Plus, Xcar's fantastic cinematography over some rolling British hills on a wet day provides a great backdrop.

The myth and mystery of The Bentley Cocktail

The other day, we were trying to find ways to delight a visiting relative who requested a cocktail made with apple brandy (don't ask), and after poring through Mr. Boston and The Playboy Bartender's Guide we were fortunate enough to come across a recipe. This particular concoction piqued our interest not just because it was a means to get rid of that bottle of Calvados that had been malingering on our bar cart, drawing fruit flies and quizzical scorn, since it was gifted to us at the launch of the Peugeot 407 in 2004. It was because of the automotive connection. (Duh.) The cocktail is called The Bentley, and it has a sexy, if probably apocryphal, origin story. According to the legend, the Bentley Boys – rich, Jazz Age, car-loving, British playboy racers – invented the drink after their first of five Le Mans victories, in 1924. Canadian-born WWI hero and Olympic swordsman John Duff and local English Bentley test driver and Bentley 3-Liter Super Sport owner Frank Clement were the only British team and vehicle in this second-ever endurance race, surrounded by more than three dozen French drivers and cars (and a couple of Germans). But despite typical British maladies ­– broken shocks, seized lug nuts, and a dysfunctional gearshift – and a slew of fires, punctures, and chassis-snapping wrecks amongst the field, they persevered. Arriving at their celebratory party at their club near their adjoining apartments in London's exclusive Mayfair neighborhood, they discovered that all of the alcohol had been consumed, with the exception of Calvados and Dubonnet. Mixing these together in equal parts, and adding some bitters, they allegedly invented a drink to settle their affluent nerves. Like most folkloric explanations for the existence of some gross cocktails – the wisecrack-inspired Tom Collins, the whole-cloth-concocted Seelbach – the tale seemed as compelling to us as it was ridiculous. Fortunately, among our friends are many with mastery in mixology, so we decided to put the mystery (and recipe) to them. "To be honest, I'd never even heard of the cocktail," said Tokyo-based international beverage expert Nick Coldicott, the most skeptical of our potation pundits. "And that story smells fishy to me. It seems unlikely that a party venue would have enough of a booze collection to have Calvados and Dubonnet, but not enough whisky or gin or champagne to see the party out.