2006 Bentley Arnage T Mulliner **custom Leasing** on 2040-cars

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2024 Bentley Bentayga runs the luxury meter to its 'Ludicrous' setting

The 2024 Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) Mulliner leads the SUV's way into the coming model year. The rest of the range is ready to follow, bringing new standard and optional equipment and tech, a new trim, and the most discrete cosmetic changes. Starting from the bottom of the trim ladder, the rank goes Bentayga, new Bentayga A, Bentayga Azure, Bentayga S, and Bentayga EWB. The new A trim will be limited to certain markets that Bentley hasn't identified yet. For cosmetics, re-profiled grilles bring the front fascia into line with changes made to the Flying Spur range. The exterior paint menu grows with eight new satin colors, taking the total menu of standard colors to 112 choices, and new 21-inch wheel designs come in three finishes. Inside, and slightly more than cosmetic, the Bentayga A and Azure feature deep-pile carpeted mats created using more sustainable wool treatment processes. Beneath them, the cabin carpet is now 100% recycled nylon instead of virgin nylon. The A goes with a straight-vaned grille above black lower intakes, as well as "A" badging and 21-inch black-and-bright machined wheels. At the top, the EWB gains access to a Mulliner Design Specification that appends a large rear spoiler to the top of the hatch, plus copious carbon fiber accents around the body. A new electrical architecture enables features like adaptive cruise control, surround-view cameras, and lane departure warning, as well as some app-based remote features like Intelligent Park Assist. And there's a new option in sound with a Bang & Olufsen Beosonic audio system alongside Bentley's traditional Naim partnership. Among the equipment changes, rear-wheel steering trickles down from the EWB as standard equipment on the Azure and S trims, optional for the rest, shrinking the turning circle by about three feet. Another EWB feature descends from the heights, too: The Airline Seat Specification with Postural Adjust and Seat Auto Climate is an option on all the regular Bentaygas. These seats not only recline, they can be set to one of seven temperature zones and then measure the seat occupant's temperature and humidity to know whether to add more heat or ventilation. They also possess a massage function that cycles through 177 pressure points over three hours so that no part of a body suffers static fatigue. Or, put another way, the seat tosses and turns for you — and always keeps the cool side up — so that you don't have to.

Ian Fleming's Bentley R-Type rediscovered in an L.A. garage

James Bond creator Ian Fleming commissioned a left-hand-drive 1953 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback in Deep Grey with black Connolly leather as a gift for his American friend Ivar Felix Bryce. Fleming's choice of that car was probably no accident: Bond drove an R-Type Continental in the book Thunderball – one he bought as a wreck and restored, and he had it done up in gray with black leather. In Skyfall, this is the car that would have been behind that garage door. Gullwing Motor Cars recently discovered the real-life car wasting away in a garage in Hancock Park, Los Angeles for nearly 30 years. Bryce was Fleming's inspiration for CIA agent Felix Leiter in the Bond books. The US agent showed up in six installments in the series starting with Casino Royale, bowing out in The Man with the Golden Gun. Just as cool as the Fleming/Bond connection is this car's connection to the Bentleys of today. This was the "Speed" of its time, and like Continental GT Speed of one today, it was the fastest production four-seater in the world. A review of the time said, "it is difficult to put into words the gulf that separates a Continental from the average car in all the qualities that have a bearing on safety at speed." And you can see where those outboard lights on today's Bentleys come from. The Continental designation signified a power upgrade over the standard R-Type, and Fleming built it up with extras like rear spats, lightweight seats, fitted luggage, and a racehorse mascot. The Bryces flew their gift around the world to their various homes in England, Nassau, New York, and Vermont. After they sold it the coupe had several owners, ending up in the hands of a Beverly Hills surgeon in 1978, and according to Gullwing it's been sitting in a garage almost since that time. It has matching numbers and the original interior, and Gullwing says, putting it mildly, it is "an ideal restoration candidate." The asking price is $1,495,000, which is quite the premium for pedigree. Hagerty values a pristine example at $1.4 million, and two recent pristine examples have been sold by RM Auctions for $1.2M and Bonham's for $822,000. This Fleming car one went to auction at Pebble this year with an estimate of $1.4M - $1.8M but didn't sell, so don't be afraid to ask a few hard MI6-like questions about it if you're interested.

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.