Flying Spur, Mulliner, Cross Stitching, Tray Tables, Reclining Rear Seats! on 2040-cars

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Bentley marks 95th anniversary with special Mulsanne

The top end of the new car market seldom seems to need much justification for rolling out a new special edition - other than bringing in a few extra bucks and making its customers feel extra special in the process. Bentley, for its part, is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion has released a special edition of its top-of-the-line Mulsanne saloon.
Called the Mulsanne 95, the limited-edition limo gets three very British color options, dark-tint finish for the Flying B hood ornament and special 21-inch wheels. Step inside and you'll find two-tone blue and white leather with red top-stitching, with a 95 motif embroidered into the seats and special illuminated treadplates, all offset by special Fulbeck Walnut panels that come from a single, giant walnut tree some 300 to 400 years old that came down in a storm in Lincolnshire in 2007.
Buyers will be able to choose between Britania Blue, Empire Red or Oxford White, but only 15 examples will be made available, and all exclusively in Bentley's home UK market.

2017 Bentley Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase is for the driven

For the first time since the nameplate was reintroduced as a 2011 model, Bentley will offer the Mulsanne in two lengths. The Extended Wheelbase adds an additional 10 inches to the rear passenger compartment over the standard and Speed models, allowing Bentley to fit a pair of reclining rear seats and a large sunroof into its flagship model. Naturally, this is the Bentley model aimed at buyers who would rather not drive themselves, preferring to be chauffeured. That doesn't describe the average Autoblogger, but for those who do fall into that camp, here's what you should know. View 8 Photos It's coming to America. Although the Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase will be aimed mostly at the Asian market, it will come to the United States. Most Americans would rather drive than be driven, which means the long-wheelbase model will be imported from England in very small numbers and quite likely as a limited edition. For such a simple idea, the execution is complicated. Every Bentley Mulsanne is hand-assembled by a skilled team of craftsmen. That doesn't change for the Extended Wheelbase, but it does add some new complexity to the build process. All three Mulsanne models roll down the same line in Crewe, meaning workers have to be trained in the differences of each model. This is true at most plants, but the assembly of a Mulsanne is a rather different process than a Mustang. In addition to the extra length, all Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase models get optional folding tables for both rear passengers. These are beautiful works of art, and the engineering behind them is almost unbelievable. Each tray table is made from 600 individual parts. Yes, you read that correctly. We're not sure how Bentley managed to over-engineer these baubles so thoroughly, but we suggest that you treat the metal and leather creations with respect. But it's also very comfortable. Those tray tables can tilt at about a 30-degree angle, which is perfect for displaying content on an electronic device. The center console that holds them when not in use is unique to the Extended Wheelbase, and it's covered in the same veneer and leather that the buyer selects for the rest of the car. USB ports, pen holders, and cup holders designed specifically to hold two of the three crystal flutes in the fridge between the seats, and a glass-covered bin make the console as useful as possible.

2016 Bentley Bentayga First Drive [w/video]

There was once a barrier that separated our Arcadian, four-dimensional space from an uncanny cosmos where a $229,100 SUV makes irrefutable business sense. That wall is gone, and the Bentley Bentayga broke it. We're accustomed to powerful SUVs. The Mercedes-Benz G65 AMG makes the Earth weep on account of its 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. The Bentayga is shy of those figures, with 21 fewer horses and 74 fewer pound-feet. We're also accustomed to quick SUVs; the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S hits 60 miles per hour in just 3.8 seconds. The Bentayga runs that race 0.2 seconds slower. And of course, we are accustomed to luxurious SUVs that fear no obstacle or load. The Range Rover Autobiography can swim its leathers and veneers through 35.4 inches of water, surmount nearly 12 inches when toiling off-road, and tow 7,716 pounds. The Bentayga can 'only' manage 19.6 inches of water, 'only' gets to 9.64 inches on its tippy toes, and is 'only' rated to tow 7,714 pounds. None of these facts are listed to harp on the Bentayga. It isn't Bentley's way to make rank by being the best in every category. Instead, the Crewe brand brings all the boys to the yard by merely being excellent across the board. The Continental GT isn't superlative at any one thing, but no other vehicle that can carry four people is as fast and as capable and as dynamic, and only Phantom-level Rolls-Royces can touch it for luxury. The Bentayga is not the Continental GT of SUVs, it is "the Bentley of SUVs." But here's an important clarification: The Bentayga is not the Continental GT of SUVs, it is "the Bentley of SUVs." The automaker describes the mission as, "driving, luxury, performance." The interior advances the current design language with a two-piece instrument panel – an upper portion that slides through the center console in a "U" shape, and a lower portion that connects the console to the center tunnel. Bentley poses this as a riff on its flying wing badge, but it actually comes from interior designer Darren Day's wish to fit an IP with a steeper rake. The size of an instrument panel is limited by the width of the door openings because the dashboard doesn't go in until after the body is welded together. Day wanted passengers to be able to rest their legs on the buttresses tying the IP to the center tunnel, but his one-piece design was too large to fit through the doors.