1997 Bentley Azure Base Convertible 2-door 6.7l on 2040-cars

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Xcar luxuriates in the Bentley Mulsanne Speed

The difference between a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce, they say, is that you drive a Bentley, but you're driven in a Rolls-Royce. In this latest video, however, Xcar drives a different kind of Bentley. One that aims to challenge that notion. We're speaking of the Mulsanne, but not of just any ordinary Mulsanne – as if a $300k limousine could ever be considered "ordinary." No, this is the Mulsanne Speed, the amped-up version of Bentley's rival to the Rolls-Royce Phantom. In creating the Mulsanne Speed, the crew at Crewe took a vehicle in which you'd want to be driven, then tunes it for the driver. The ultimate Bentley, then? We certainly found enough to love (and then some) when we drove it this past November, but to find out what the cinematographical artisans at Xcar have to say about it, you'll want to watch the video above.

Bentley SUV to cost over $220k, fix 'problem' of inexpensive competitors

There's no shock in finding out that a new Bentley is going to be expensive; it kind of goes with the territory. However, company boss Wolfgang Dürheimer is indicating that its upcoming SUV could create a whole new rung of pricing for luxury utility vehicles.
While speaking with Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Dürheimer let slip that the company's forthcoming SUV would have a price of 130,000 pounds or more ($220,000 at current US exchange rates). Thankfully, the Bentley boss further clarified the reason for such a high cost of entry. He said that the elite players in the field like the Porsche Cayenne or Land Rover Range Rover have prices that hit the European equivalent of about $220,000 for top-trim, fully-optioned models. "We aim to solve this problem," said Dürheimer to Autocar. While it's exceedingly rare for converted foreign MSRPs to equal the actual expense in the US, it looks to be at the very top end of the class.
That is a stratospheric figure, but the Bentley SUV already has some big rumors to live up to. The company is reportedly aiming for a 200-mile-per-hour top speed and may possibly offer a plug-in hybrid powertrain, as well. It's being pretty flagrant in evaluating the new vehicle too by plastering a promotional URL on its test mules (see above). They show the model with the brand's trademark circular headlights up front, and interior photos indicate a digital instrument panel. If Dürheimer is serious about that price, the company better pack the car with every bell and whistle it can find to justify it.

Bentley Bentayga takes Pikes Peak SUV record

Earlier this spring, we wrote about Bentley's bid to beat the existing Pikes Peak record for sports utility vehicles, with racing driver Rhys Millen behind the wheel of a bright green Bentayga. And this past weekend, they did it, slicing almost two minutes off the earlier record. Having been set by Paul Dallenbach with a Range Rover Sport back in 2013, the old record stood at 12:35.61. The New Zealand-born Millen completed the course in 10:49.9, at an average speed of 66.5 miles per hour. To pass Pikes Peak scrutineering and to keep Millen safe, the near-stock Bentayga had been fitted with a roll cage and racing seats, along with a harness and a fire suppression system; the only performance modification was a production-specification Akrapovic exhaust system. We expect the engine note to have been crowd-pleasing. The #Bentayga has smashed the Production SUV record at #PikesPeak, beating the previous best by nearly two minutes. @RhysMillen took just 10:49.9 to climb 5000 ft over 12.4 miles #BeExtraordinary pic.twitter.com/sEQ80FgwbE — Bentley Motors Comms (@BentleyComms) June 24, 2018 The 5000-foot climb has 156 corners, which the Radium Satin colored, 600-hp Bentayga attacked on stock Pirelli rubber. After his record run, Millen said: "To take a luxury SUV with minimal modifications and be able to drive up this course in under 11 minutes is a huge testament to the performance and level of engineering in the Bentayga." Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley Bentayga Pikes Peak Image Credit: Bentley Motorsports Bentley Crossover SUV Luxury pikes peak bentley bentayga hill climb