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New Bentley boss nixes any new sports cars in its money-losing lineup

Adrian Hallmark took over the helm at Bentley on February 1 this year. Volkswagen poached him from Jaguar, where he headed the brand's global strategy. Or perhaps we should say re-poached him, since Hallmark served as Bentley's board member in charge of sales and marketing from 1999 to 2005, and helped guide the original Continental GT to market. He's now responsible getting Bentley in better shape financially and sales-wise, and positioning it for growth. Among the products necessary to do that, Hallmark recently told Autocar that flashy coupes won't cut it. "I'll tell you what we won't be building," he said, "and that's sports cars." That means we can forget about the gorgeous EXP 10 Speed 6 coupe that had a rumored place in the lineup after a sub-Bentayga CUV, and the EXP 12 Speed 6e battery-electric convertible. Hallmark cited a few issues with the segment, the first being that the segment hasn't yet recovered from the recession, and the buyer demographic that's left goes up in age every year, clearly a losing game. The kinds of younger buyers who would buy Bentleys, athletes and entertainers, are deterred from the purchase by contractual limitations like injury clauses or aversion to paparazzi photos. As well, in China, wealthy buyers get SUVs or limousines, but Hallmark believes Bentley hasn't adopted the the proper strategy there to take advantage. This is far more than about sports cars for Bentley, though; a recent article in German newspaper Handelsblatt outlined a number of situations the carmaker needs to rectify, including the finding that Bentley's "losing money hand over fist instead of racking up the hefty margins more typical of the class." A German study claimed that whereas Ferrari makes around $80,000 on every car it sells, and Porsche makes a little more than $19,000 on each car (last year it was a little more than $17,000) Bentley loses a little more than $19,000 on each unit. The English manufacturer has posted an operating loss of roughly $92 million through the first six months of 2018, the latest figures in a decline that began in 2014. That financial timeline, however, coincides with Bentley's $1.1B investment in new technologies, which the carmaker cites as the reason for profitability woes.

Bentley has built more than 20,000 Bentaygas in four years

It might not feel like it, but Bentley has been building an SUV for four years now. The Bentayga was introduced in 2015 and entered production at the beginning of 2016. Since then, the model's lineup has expanded to a range of six variants and numerous powertrain options. In total, Bentley has built more than 20,000 examples of the Bentayga, and demand does not appear to be dropping.  Like Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin, Bentley turned to the crossover and SUV market for a bump in sales, and the Bentayga has been a brand MVP ever since. Buyers have the choice between the Bentayga, Bentayga V8, Bentayga V8 Design Series, Bentayga Speed, Bentayga Diesel, and Bentayga Hybrid, as to ensure there's something for every type of buyer.  The launch powertrain in the Bentayga was a twin-turbocharged W12. It made a claimed 599 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. At full blast, it is capable of running 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds and tops out at 187 mph. Bentley topped those impressive numbers with the release of the Bentayga Speed. It too used a twin-turbocharged W12, but on those models, it made 623 horsepower. With a top speed of 190 mph, Bentley claims the Speed is the fastest SUV in the world.  Downgrading in engine size and power, the Bentayga V8 was unveiled in 2018 with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter eight-cylinder engine. It makes 542 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque, and with the foot to the ground, it can do the 0-60-mph scoot in 4.4 seconds. Top speed is capped at 180 mph. Bentley offers a Bentayga V8 Design Series for those searching for a more specialized look.  The other two options are the hybrid model or the diesel model. The diesel, which is not available in the U.S., has a triple-charged 4.0-liter V8 that produces 429 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. The plug-in hybrid, Bentley's first foray into brand electrification, combines a 17.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, an electric motor, and a V6 engine. Together, the system makes a claimed 443 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque.   If those versions of the Bentayga were too bland, Bentley has also offered several special-editions of the questionably designed luxury off-roader. There was the Pikes Peak edition that commemorated the Bentley setting the Pikes Peak SUV record. There was a Stetson edition with Texas flair. And we can't forget our personal favorite: the Bentley Bentayga Falconry by Mulliner. Related Video:

Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak car's wheel can be used for games

As video games become ever more realistic, the lines between driving real cars and their virtual counterparts gets blurrier. And that line is at its blurriest with the steering wheel used in the Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak race car. Not only is it a wheel for the race car, but it can be used for playing racing simulators, too. Bentley collaborated with video game steering wheel manufacturer Fanatec to make the unit for the Pikes Peak racer. It's impressive simply as a car wheel, as it's made from magnesium and carbon fiber. The grips are covered in Alcantara, including the removable lower section designed to give the driver more leverage around hairpins. The rotary switches are CNC-machined aluminum with Bentley's knurling design. In the middle of it all are LED rpm indicators and a 3.4-inch circular display that shows current gear selection and driver settings. But a quick disconnect from the Bentley's steering column, and wheel can be carried over to a Fanatec steering wheel base and reconnected for virtual fun. In this setup, the screen can show various in-game telemetry and information, and the buttons can be programmed for various functions. Though availability and pricing haven't been announced, you'll be able to purchase your own example of this wheel. Considering the materials and functionality, it will probably be quite pricey, but certainly one of the more unique and usable automotive collectibles ever created. Even if you don't want to use it for video games, it comes with a stand that turns it into a display piece, and the center screen can act as a watch or show map and telemetry from laps of race tracks. We suspect you could also use it as an actual steering wheel in a car, assuming you have a compatible quick release. Though, depending on the car, you might not be able to use all the switches, paddles or even the screen. Still, it would be cool and probably a quality piece. Related Video: