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Number 1 Edition Bentley convertible has ties to 1929 racer

Bentley has created a limited-edition Continental GT Convertible to further commemorate its centenary. The Number 1 Edition by Mulliner is done in the style of the 1929 Bentley Blower Number 1, a legendary racing car from the days when the company was just a decade old. The original 4 1/2 -liter car set an average speed record of 137 mph at Brooklands in 1932. The Number 1 Edition is car three out of three centenary editions, the earlier models being the Mulsanne W.O. Edition and the Continental GT Number 1 Edition. As well as featuring other special touches only seen on the 100 units built, each Number 1 Edition also has a direct memento from the original 1929 car: a display piece built into the dashboard, housing a small wheel spinner that has been cast from an original piston of the Number 1, sacrificed during restoration work. The dashboard trim is done in "Engine Spin"-style turned aluminum; the engine is the 6.0-liter W12. Bentley offers the Number 1 Edition cars in either Dragon Red II or Beluga exterior paint, and the interior can be specified in either Cricket Ball or Beluga color. The cars have Bentley's Black Line specification combined with a Carbon Body Kit, and the Centenary Specification pack that comes with special badging and illumination. The front grille with its large painted-on number is specific to the Number 1, the fenders have 18 carat gold badging, and the 22-inch wheels can be had in either a Cricket Ball or Gloss Black finish.

Bentley poised to join four-door coupe game?

Bentley may be all hot and bothered with plans for its finally approved ultra-lux SUV, but the marque's attentions may not solely be limited to a two-box range expansion. That's according to AutoExpress, which quotes company CEO Wolfgang Schreiber as being interested in launching a 'four-door coupe' variant of its popular Continental range (pictured). According to Schrieber, "I definitely wouldn't say no to the idea... with the new Flying Spur, we have a model that supports the Mulsanne, and a coupe with four doors could sit below that."
The more rakish sedan isn't tipped to launch before 2016 - the brand will be too busy launching the Flying Spur and furthering work on the as-yet-unnamed SUV to pull ahead the project. The plan would appear to make a lot of sense, as the additional bodystyle on the back of the Continental platform would likely command more money than the rest of the line (see also: Mercedes-Benz CLS and BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe) while basically just being a new top hat on an existing architecture. This isn't the first time AutoExpress has promulgated this Bentley 4DC idea, however. Back in 2010, it offered a similar report, but at that point, it anticipated the model would be cheaper than the Continental, suggesting it would be based on a platform shared with the Audi A7.
AutoExpress notes the additional model would help Bentley achieve its ambitious sales targets to drive from last year's 8,510 units sold to 15,000 by 2018, though most of that volume still figures to come from the new utility vehicle.

Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept is our first, maybe best, 2015 Geneva surprise [w/video]

Legend has it that Ettore Bugatti once referred to the machines from Bentley as "the world's fastest lorries." While a lot has changed in Crewe over the years, the company's status as a maker of big, heavy, bruising GT cars has carried on. Then the 2015 Geneva Motor Show arrived, and Bentley dropped the EXP 10 Speed 6. First and foremost, it's a two-seater, rather than a 2+2, like so many Bentley coupes before. It's svelte and curvy, all the while appearing more muscular than any other Bentley has been in a long time. Certain Bentley styling trademarks, like the way the huge rear haunches feed over the rear wheels and into the profile and egg-crate grille (complete with heritage-inspired "6" logo) are there, but there's so much new here. The powerful scooped hood, pert rear end and massive ducts behind the front wheels are decidedly more aggressive than what we've come to expect from Bentley, while the slim rear taillights are a different take on the units found on the Continental GT. The headlights, meanwhile, carry on the look of modern Bentleys, but feature a beautifully intricate design in the main lamp. The outer pair of lights, meanwhile, look like a mix of accent and fog lights. One of the biggest complaints about modern Bentleys is that their interiors are quite antiquated. The materials remain top notch, but the technology is ancient relative to the rest of the auto industry. The EXP 10 Speed 6 finally addresses this, and in grand fashion. A gorgeous leather-wrapped steering wheel is flanked by huge leather and metal paddles, while a digital gauge cluster is a big improvement on the Conti's analog dials. A tablet-like interface crowns the high center console, while a beautiful, fat shifter looks ready to fall right to the driver's hand. We'll have more on the EXP 10 Speed 6 in the coming days. Check out the official images and press release on the new concept, as well as a few Short Cut videos we captured during the car's debut at Volkswagen's sprawling Group Night show, below. EXP 10 SPEED 6 - A VISION OF BENTLEY DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE MAR 2, 2015 Concept for sector-defining two-seater sportscar Futuristic Bentley design, a statement in modern British luxury Potential future model line (Crewe / Geneva, 2nd March 2015) Bentley Motors is showing the future direction of luxury and performance with the EXP 10 Speed 6 at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show.