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This Bentley Bentayga takes fly fishing very seriously

Bentley's Mulliner coachbuilding division has put together a kit for what we assume are maybe three Bentayga drivers that enjoy fly fishing. As the company tells it, the kit packs everything a fisherman could need for a successful day on the river right in the big soft-roader's cargo hold. It's packaged in the only Bentley that has a chance of getting you to that river, too. Mulliner's upholstery and trim expertise is on full display – everything in the kit is either covered in saddle leather with white contrast stitching or finished in Burr walnut. The four leather-wrapped tubes on the underside of the tonneau cover house the fishing rods, while the master tackle box, refreshment case, and a box for stowing waders and boots sit on the cargo floor. Mulliner loaded down the tackle box with tools, cotton, hooks, and feathers to tie flies, and it includes four reel cases milled from solid aluminum. The refreshment case doesn't actually come with refreshments, but it does have three metal flasks and a set of china tableware, plus a food storage compartment. The tackle box and refreshment case both slide out for easy accessibility, and if an owner is short on seating, the entire housing can serve as a small bench. The waterproof storage compartment is removable, too, in case you need cargo space instead of pole storage. The best thing about this kit is the lengths Mulliner went to in order to keep the rear of the vehicle dry and fresh – the floor is waterproof and there's an electronic dehumidifier to keep things from smelling funky. Bentley didn't say when the fly fishing kit will be available, and because this is an ultra-exclusive luxury car, pricing wasn't published. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley Bentayga Fly Fishing by Mulliner View 9 Photos News Source: BentleyImage Credit: Bentley Bentley Crossover Luxury bentley bentayga Mulliner

The Bentley EXP 12 Speed 6e Concept is the gentleman's open-air electric tourer

The ever-present pressure exerted by increasing fuel economy and emissions standards is forcing automakers worldwide to re-examine their traditional internal combustion lineups. In order to gauge customer interest, Bentley brought the all-electric EXP 12 Speed 6e to the Geneva Motor Show. The drop-top concept shows Bentley's vision of an electrified future and what it envisions a battery-powered luxury touring car will be. Bentley believes any electric vehicle that wears the flying B should be as capable as the equivalent gas-powered model. That means London to Paris or Milan to Monaco on a single charge. Filling the battery should be effortless, which is why they want inductive charging, negating the need for cables. There is one for those times inductive charging isn't available. Most of all, the electric motors should supply effortless amounts of torque, just like the current lineup of Bentley eight and 12-cylinder engines. The interior of the EXP 12 Speed 6e is both futuristic and distinctly Bentley. High-quality leather and copper trim cover most services while a large OLED display houses most of the car's controls. The half-cut steering wheel uses glass elements embedded with various buttons and controls. The cut sections feature controls a performance boost and one for a speed limiter for use in urban areas. The copper elements continue outside, highlighting various trim elements around the car. When in motion, there is a large "6" that illuminates within the grille. The design is similar to the Continental GT prototype we spied a few weeks ago, which in turn takes elements from a previous Bentley concept, the EXP 10 Speed 6. It will be interesting to see how well customers receive the concept. Rolls-Royce brought out similar vehicle awhile back. Reception was icy, but the two automakers do have a different customer base. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley EXP 12 Speed 6e Concept: Geneva 2017 View 14 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Geneva Motor Show Bentley Convertible Electric 2017 Geneva Motor Show

Bentley wants to get into the coachbuilding business

There was a time when a customer would buy a chassis from an automaker like Bentley and then take it to a coachbuilder to have whatever bodywork they wanted put on it. The practice was particularly prevalent in Bentley's earlier days, but the industry has progressed in such a way - with tighter regulations and unibody construction - that such a practice is no longer feasible. But Bentley wants to get back into that business.
Speaking to UK trade publications recently, Bentley sales chief Kevin Rose indicated that the company is looking into setting up a special division within itself to meet the demands of extremely wealthy customers who want to commission their own coachbuilt custom creations. It's an emerging trend that's seen Ferrari Special Projects build one-offs like the F12 TRS and SP12 EC and McLaren Special Operations the outlandish X-1, and Bentley wants to get in on the action.
It wouldn't be the first even to rebody a contemporary Bentley in recent years. Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera offers the Flying Star (pictured above) that turns the Continental GT into a shooting brake, and Dany Bahar's new coachbuilding outfit Ares plans to do the same. By bringing it in-house, however, Bentley would be able to pick the chassis up off the assembly line at the right time and provide the necessary support and factory backing.