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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's first EV will be an SUV arriving in 2025 on Audi Project Artemis platform

The first electric Bentley is going to be an SUV, and it will arrive in 2025, according to a report recently published by Car Magazine. It will also be an Audi collaboration, but this second bit of news comes as very little surprise given the companies live under the same roof in the VW Group. When Car questioned Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark concerning the body style the first EV would take, Hallmark replied, “If you're not in SUVs, you're nowhere.” ThatÂ’s a pretty telling suggestion, and considering the BentaygaÂ’s success, Bentley is smart for heading down the crossover/SUV path first. The next question we have concerns the vitals of the car. What will underpin BentleyÂ’s first big, electric effort? It appears as though Project Artemis is the answer. WeÂ’ve seen rumors and reports flying around about this Audi-led project previously. ItÂ’s been suggested that both Bentley and Porsche would be taking a bite, and these previous reports are ringing true. “With our current cars, we had to get into the engineering largely after they [the platforms] had been done,” Hallmark told Car. “The difference now is that with Artemis we're right in there at the beginning, helping define it. We're not leading it, but we're going to be a beneficiary of it” Audi has previously said the Artemis project/platform would be ready for prime time by 2024, so Bentley clearly already has its foot in the door if it intends to release a car in 2025 on the same chassis.  “Looking forward to electrification, we're going to have closer synergies with Audi,” Hallmark said. “But we will continue to have strong relationships with both brands [Audi and Porsche], and we see this as an opportunity, not a risk. No question – we are electrifying. And we need to find the best way to fast-track that, and to lead the technology charge.” Advanced Level 2 autonomous tech is expected to land with this platform, and we suspect there will be many other enhancements made even above and beyond what is currently possible with the PPE platform (underpinning both the Taycan and E-Tron GT). Artemis is also a project designed to yield much larger electric vehicles than what the VW Group currently has to offer. That fits BentleyÂ’s vision of a flagship SUV, and itÂ’ll also work nicely with a giant Audi offering.

Bentley announces new S package for Continental GT, GT C

As Bentley's Continental lineup soldiers on dutifully toward a world without big internal combustion engines, Bentley is doing its best to soften the blow for fans of barrel-chested power. While the W12 may be on its way out the door, Bentley's V8 Continental GT and GT C are getting a little extra spark in the form of a new driving-oriented S package that borrows some interior and exterior queues from the Speed series.  "Owners of Bentley’s two-door models have long appreciated the breadth of choice available to them, from the towering performance of the 6.0-litre W12 Continental GT Speed to the characterful beat of the 4.0-litre Continental GT V8," Bentley said in its announcement. "Now, with the arrival of the Continental GT and GTC S, owners can choose to emphasize the sporting character of the 4.0-liter V8-powered Bentley Continental GT, thanks to a package of performance-focused design and engineering features." Bentley says the S package is for those who are focused on driving pleasure. Standard equipment includes a sport exhaust (the better to announce the presence of that 542-horsepower V8) and Bentley Dynamic Ride, along with a set of 22-inch wheels that are unique to the S model. Inside, the upgraded sport seats bear "S" embroidery, and the dark theme employed on the exterior accents continues on the dash and upholstery. The instrument cluster graphics are unique, as well.  "The new S range adjusts the Bentley grand touring recipe to center on the pleasure of driving – an opposing yet complementary emphasis to the 'Wellbeing behind the Wheel' concept of the recent, comfort-centric Azure range launch," Bentley said.  Related video: Our Bentley Continental GT First Edition is here | Behind the Wheel S01 // E05