2005 - Bentley Arnage on 2040-cars

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Cheap shots in the 'cheap' Bentley: What can you get away with in a Flying Spur V8?

You know the feeling when you think you've finished something brilliant, then you sit down and take a look at it with fresh eyes and realize that, not only is it crap, but it was never really a good idea in the first place? That was me, a couple of weeks ago, as I was looking through the footage I shot while driving the 2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8. Yes, after seeing reactions to the car on social media, I actually thought it would be funny to do a tongue-in-cheek bit where I suggested that Bentley provide owners with a feature designed to help keep "poor" people away. It was a half-baked idea, conceived to be lighthearted and in a vague nod to British humor. The point was not to make fun of anybody's financial situation (except my own, in a round-about self-deprecating way), but the product turned out a bit, well, cringe-inducing. Out of selfish desire not to lose the work that went into it (or another opportunity to talk about this gorgeous car), I decided to repurpose it with some help from "Dr." Byron. As you can see, he's doing house calls now.  I've been reviewing cars for more than a decade now, and even with that much time under my belt, I can still count on my hands the number of truly remarkable cars I've had the chance to drive. This Flying Spur stands out as the most expensive, the most exclusive, and, well, pretty much just the most car I've ever experienced. As I alluded to in my initial write-up, this is the kind of car that causes somebody like me — a person of comfortably modest means — to rethink even the most fundamental aspects of an otherwise conventional road trip.  Over the years, I've had people compliment, degrade and otherwise question my life choices based on cars I barely put 100 miles on. It's part of the gig. I was once rather directly approached and asked for money while gassing up a 2012 Porsche Cayman; no "hello," no preamble, no sugar-coating. Just, "Can I have some money?" So no, that tweet didn't actually make me self-conscious about cruising around in such a valuable and exclusive automobile, but the mere act of driving it did, and the discomfort was even further juiced by my knowledge that what I was driving wasn't even the "expensive" Flying Spur. I found myself wanting to tell people, "Look, you really shouldn't be that impressed. This is the cheap one." The question follows thusly: What is a cheap Bentley, and why does it need to exist?

2022 Bentley Bentayga gets the world's largest production carbon wheels

Carbon fiber wheels are becoming a hot commodity when it comes to sports cars, and for obvious reasons: They're light and strong. Now the technology is coming to SUVs, as the Bentley Bentayga will soon get the option of the woven and molded wheels. The wheels available will measure 22 inches in diameter, which Bentley says makes them the largest carbon fiber wheels in production. You can also rest assured that they'll be safe for a multi-ton SUV as they pass Germany's rigorous TUV testing and regulations. And they deliver on the lightweight promise, as each wheel weighs about 13 pounds less than an aluminum counterpart. Not only is that good for performance, but we'd bet they deliver a nicer ride, too. Bentley also highlights some other benefits of the carbon fiber wheels. Among them is greater rigidity. Bentley says that aluminum wheels can flex under load up to the equivalent of one degree of camber per G of force. And supposedly, the reduced flex will help reduce tire wear. We sincerely doubt any Bentayga driver will notice. Heck, we doubt many car enthusiasts would actually notice. But hey, luxury isn't entirely about what you'll really notice. Really, we suspect most people who pick up these wheels will do so because they like the look of the exposed carbon. And it should, as Bentley also mentions, match the available carbon exterior packages nicely. If you're looking to pick up a Bentayga with these wheels, they'll be available later this year. Pricing hasn't been announced. Related video: Byron plays rich in the 2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 | Autoblog

Bentley putting Mulsanne-based Azure, Brooklands back on the table [w/poll]

Big plans are afoot at Bentley. The quintessentially British automaker has just about signed off on the final version of its new SUV, and will surely roll out more versions of the Continental in the coming years, but that's not all. It's said to be considering a new sports coupe smaller than the Continental GT, but the latest reports coming in from the UK suggest that it also has plans for the Mulsanne's platform.
Currently, the Mulsanne is only available in one configuration, but Bentley is widely expected to be bringing a new, more powerful Mulsanne Speed to the Paris Motor Show this fall with around 550 horsepower. That's not all, however, as word comes in that the Flying B marque is planning to re-introduce both the Azure and the Brooklands as competitors to the Rolls-Royce Phantom DHC and Phantom Coupe, respectively.
For those who don't remember, the Azure and Brooklands were a pair of two-doors based on the Arnage that preceded the Mulsanne at the top of Bentley's range. The Azure was a convertible and the Brooklands a fixed-roof coupe, both of them larger than the Continental GT and powered by the company's evergreen (yet decidedly un-green) 6.75-liter V8.