2019 Bentley Bentayga on 2040-cars

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Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark explains carmaker's situation and plan for recovery

In August, we posted on some of the issues plaguing Bentley at the moment, namely the large loss the carmaker's posted this year. The same Autocar piece we referenced, carmaker CEO Adrian Hallmark said Bentley would not be making more sports cars. Bentley wrote to us to clarify that a single year's loss isn't a calamity, that "it is a mistake to suggest that sports cars are the same as GTs," and that the brand "will continue to design, engineer, and craft" GT cars. We must note, though, that at the time, Hallmark himself said, "The sports car sector – like our own...." More recently, Hallmark expounded on some of the factors slowing the company down this year, from delayed launches to exchange rates. Through the first nine months of the year, Bentley sold 6,654 units, an 11 percent decline from the 7,498 units sold through the first nine months of 2017. In addition to other matters like huge investments in new technologies, that helped the Crewe carmaker to a $44.7-million year-over-year drop in revenue, and a $156-million overall loss, compared to a $35 million profit over the same period last year. On top of declining sales overall, the nine-month delay in launching the Continental GT, the brand's second-best seller, was the first of two big issues causing red finances. Hallmark said the Continental GT "just wasn't ready for launch. But we'd paid for it – we'd paid all the money out, but not got any money back in." Having got that sorted, the second issue arose: WLTP certification. Unlike the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) before it, the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure requires every model variant get tested for certification. Hallmark told Automotive News Europe, "We were not quick enough unfortunately to book capacity or prioritize our derivatives within some of the group processes to get them certified on time." Bentley wasn't alone in this; Volkswagen had only managed to get seven of its 14 models approved by September 1 when the WLTP rules took effect. Bentley's much smaller scale exacerbated the problem, turning the situation "close to catastrophic." Hallmark said the snafu robbed the Bentayga of 300 to 400 sales - a gigantic number with respect to a $200,000 vehicle - and pushed the Bentayga plug-in hybrid launch back to March 2019 so Bentley could get volume models certified. Furthermore, preparing for Brexit hasn't been easy on any of the UK's manufacturers.

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.

2016 Bentley Bentayga in the buff [w/video]

Look, before you rush to the comments and start ranting about how ugly the Bentley Bentayga is, let's talk about how bad it could have been. Remember the EXP 9 F concept from Geneva a few years ago? You know, the one with the, as associate editor Jonathon Ramsey says, "cat anus headlights." Yeah. The production car doesn't look half bad now, does it? No matter, the Bentayga will probably be Bentley's best-selling model when it launches. And there's a lot to like, too – endless swaths of fine leather, super-luxurious seating for four or five, and a 600-horsepower, 12-cylinder engine. Plus, Bentley actually engineered the Bentayga to go off road, with various traction management modes to handle the rough stuff. Following the initial launch, Bentley will offer diesel, hybrid, and Speed versions of the Bentayga, as well as a seven-passenger version. We're also willing to bet the brand's 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 will find its way under the hood at some point, too. Get a load of the big gal in the gallery above, and scroll down for the press blast. It truly is the Bentley of SUVs. BENTLEY BENTAYGA: THE FASTEST, MOST POWERFUL, MOST LUXURIOUS AND MOST EXCLUSIVE SUV IN THE WORLD - A true Bentley, combining unparalleled luxury with sporting ability, off-road performance and everyday usability - Innovative and advanced technology – cutting-edge features with trademark exquisite luxury - Designed, engineered and built in Crewe, UK, sector-defining SUV takes Bentley luxury to new places - Sculptural design with elegant, timeless execution, balances athleticism with presence - Bentley workforce blend exceptional craft and skill with modern production techniques and materials - Intricate detailing and precision in wood, metal and leather creates a modern, luxurious handcrafted interior - Effortless Bentley performance, unrestrained by climate or terrain - A new highly advanced chassis for ultimate ride quality and comfort - All-new Crewe-built W12 offers unrivalled power and torque, efficiency and refinement, the most powerful and fastest SUV ever - Launch model is joined later by high performance, clean technology diesel and plug-in hybrid, as well as a seven seat option (Crewe, 9 September, 2015) Bentley Motors is today announcing full details of its pinnacle, sector-defining new model, the Bentayga. The Bentley Bentayga combines unparalleled luxury with effortless performance and everyday usability.