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Bentley planning new Le Mans prototype for LMP2 class

Word has it that Bentley is planning a new Le Mans prototype racer. Speaking with Bentley chief Wolfgang Durheimer, Autocar reports that a new LMP2 project is underway at Crewe. The program would be run in-house instead of outsourced to a partner racing team. But while the prototype would likely use the company's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, the chassis by necessity would have to be outsourced: the three major sanctioning bodies recently got together to approve Dallara, Oreca, Riley-Multimatic, and Onroak exclusively to supply LMP2 chassis, so Bentley would have to base its design around one of theirs. The British automaker might have a number of reasons for restricting itself to the LMP2 class. Chief among them is likely the presence of both Porsche and Audi in the top-tier LMP1 category, and parent company Volkswagen's likely reluctance to send another one of its brands into the same fight. Another is budget: developing and fielding a competitive LMP1 program can be as costly as running an F1 team, whereas the prospect of sourcing and adapting an LMP2 chassis from an approved supplier would cost Bentley far less. But another factor not to be discounted is that Bentley may be choosing its battles carefully. Where the LMP1 prototypes are constricted largely to Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship of which it is part, there are several series that top out at LMP2 – most notable the IMSA SportsCar Championship where Bentley is tipped to focus first, but also in the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series. In fact [SPOILER ALERT] an LMP2 entry just won the 24 Hours of Daytona for the first time, beating out the Daytona Prototypes against which they compete. Those are bragging rights that Bentley could be keen to capture, and if it plays its cards right, it could sit out the LMP2 class at Le Mans and in the WEC altogether, rather than compete for second-tier victory behind its big brothers in LMP1. That would make this program radically different from the last time Bentley built a Le Mans prototype. In the early 2000s, Bentley fielded successive versions of the Speed 8 (pictured above) with a little help from Audi, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright in 2003. The company then shut down the program, only to return to racing with the Continental GT3, developed with longtime Ford rally partner M-Sport and offered to privateer teams.

Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept is a British Racing Green dream [w/video]

"Oh, hey there Bentley EXP10 Speed 6. You're damn handsome." That, of course, was our reaction to seeing Crewe's latest concept under the lights of Geneva's Palexpo convention center after yesterday's debut. Finished in a gorgeous, heavily metallic shade of British Racing Green, the EXP 10 Speed 6 is, as we said yesterday, a truly different take on what we've come to expect from Bentley. It's low, featuring a classic long-hood, short-deck design that expands on the British luxury marque's traditional styling features. The egg-crate grille and quad headlights give the Speed 6 a face that is at the same time new and familiar, while the wide rear haunches bleed over the rear wheels and add to the car's svelte silhouette. The cabin, meanwhile, is absolutely striking. Open the swan-wing doors and aside from the tan quilted Poltrona Frau leather on the seats and doors, the aluminum accents on the steering wheel and shifter are the big aesthetic takeaways. The digital dash and tablet-like center stack are modern takes that Bentley desperately needs to implement in its production models, while the cockpit-like layout places a greater focus on the driver than even the more enthusiastic Continental GT. Take a look at our full gallery of live images of the new EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept above, and hope that Bentley sees the wisdom in putting this stunner into production. EXP 10 SPEED 6 - A VISION OF BENTLEY DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE MAR 2, 2015 Concept for sector-defining two-seater sportscar Futuristic Bentley design, a statement in modern British luxury Potential future model line (Crewe / Geneva, 2nd March 2015) Bentley Motors is showing the future direction of luxury and performance with the EXP 10 Speed 6 at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show. The concept is a British interpretation of a high performance two seater sportscar using modern automotive design, highly skilled handcrafting, the finest materials and advanced performance technology. From the racing success of the company's early years to the international motorsport success of today, 'speed' is part of Bentley's DNA. This inspiration is expressed throughout the EXP 10 Speed 6, where iconic Bentley design cues are fused with progressive craftsmanship techniques and modern technologies. Copper elements are used as accents to both exterior and interior features to highlight the performance hybrid potential of the concept's advanced new powertrain.

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