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2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid is less efficient on the highway than V8 version

Official EPA fuel-economy ratings are out for the 2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, the luxury brand’s first electrified offering, and they donÂ’t exactly bathe the crossover in a green light. As spotted by Green Car Reports, the plug-in performs worse on the highway than its V8-powered combustion sibling. The EPA rated the Bentayga Hybrid as delivering 18 miles in all-electric range, which is two miles more than Bentley previously touted, and a combined 19 miles per gallon in hybrid mode, which is indeed the most efficient of the three Bentayga versions offered. ItÂ’s rated at 17 mpg city and 21 on the highway. By contrast, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 version of the luxury crossover offers just 17 mpg combined, yet it delivers 23 mpg on the highway. Its overall EPA-rated highway range also beats the Hybrid, at 518 miles to 430 miles on a full charge and tank. The Bentayga Hybrid combines a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and a 94 kilowatt electric motor that also functions as a generator. The system combines for 443 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, with a 5.2-second 0-60 mph time. It sends that through an eight-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels. Curb weight is a hefty 5,709 pounds. Base price starts at $160,000. The V8, by comparison makes 542 hp, nearly 100 more ponies, and 568 lb-ft, with a 0-60 mph of 4.4 seconds. It will set you back $171,025. At any rate, both versions are well below the 27 combined mpg of the average 2020 vehicle, according to the EPA. The HybridÂ’s fuel economy ratings suggest that buyers may be motivated less by concerns about carbon footprint than conveying the appearance of having those concerns. Bentley has said its first full electric vehicle will be a dedicated model that will arrive in 2025 at the earliest, and possibly with a solid-state battery pack. Related Video:

2017 Bentley Mulsanne Speed First Drive

You can hear it loud and clear – that is, the sound of nearly nothing at all – when hurtling along at 160 mph. The quiet part isn't surprising; after all, this is a $300,000 ubersedan. But the speed? The sensation is disarming and utterly intriguing. It's safe to say that three tons of mass have no right to move through space so effortlessly. Welcome to the latest ultraluxe, four-wheeled hyperloop from Bentley. In case you missed the engraved announcement, the Mulsanne is the higher-priced, handcrafted flagship that plays big brother to the Flying Spur, the (relatively) more ubiquitous sedan that shares a good amount of parts with the Continental GT. Imagine the snooty older sibling that studied at Wharton, wears tailored suits to breakfast and an ascot to supper, and dangles a pipe from the corner of his mouth, and you've got a good idea of what distinguishes the more finely finished Mulsanne from its stablemate. Not only does a base Mulsanne command a $100,000 premium over the Spur, it's a more laboriously assembled specimen that takes a staggering 400 man-hours to build. Unlike the Spur, whose top model boasts a W12, the Mulsanne is powered by a 6.75-liter pushrod (!) V8. Less is usually less in this stratospheric segment, but this humungous eight-cylinder has a history stretching back six decades – precisely the sort of tweedy legacy stuff that appeals to old money. This is the last Bentley to use this engine, and it will be replaced by a new twelve-cylinder. For 2017, the big, bad platform reaps its first significant series of updates since its 2009 debut (the Speed variant was introduced 18 months ago). Upgrades to the Mulsanne were focused on refinement, among them a smoother ride, revised styling, an updated interior, and yes, a quieter cabin. Despite its undercurrents of old-world opulence, the Mulsanne's face has been modernized with flusher features, LED headlamps, and a wider grille. Though it retains the delightfully anachronistic Flying B hood ornament, the winged capital letter can now be ordered in a refreshingly modern smoked black hue. Mean. Revisions at the rear include a redesigned bumper and subtle Bs incorporated into the tail lamps. Inside, new seats with revised foam offer greater comfiness. Perhaps more notably, the infotainment system gains a much-needed upgrade with an 8-inch touchscreen, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and Apple Carplay functionality (for front passengers).

Bentley unveils the Grand Convertible, a droptop Mulsanne Speed

Five years ago, when Bentley was preparing its farewell shindig for the Arnage, reports were that the Arnage's coupe and convertible siblings, the Brooklands and Azure, would get replacements on the Mulsanne platform. Obviously, that hasn't happened, although we were teased with the Mulsanne Vision Concept in 2012. Then, just this summer, we were again teased with rumors of a Brooklands and Azure one-two punch. While it still hasn't happened yet, Bentley's unveiling of the Grand Convertible seems to have put things in gear.
Not 'merely' a roofless Mulsanne, the Grand Convertible appears to be a droptop Mulsanne Speed, powered by a 6.75-liter engine with 530 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, and fitted with the directional wheels only available on the Mulsanne Speed. Finished outside in Sequin Blue with a "liquid metal" hood and windshield frame and a burl walnut veneer on the tonneau cover - a similar combo used to introduce the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé eight years ago - the cabin is covered in Beluga leather with blue cross-stitching.
Company CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer says Bentley is watching customer reaction to the car, yet the press release says it's been "Developed to signify Bentley's intentions for the future." That sounds like better than even odds we'll be seeing this on the roads. For now, though, you can see it in the high-res gallery above, at the LA Auto Show starting this week, and at Art Basel in Miami after that, and you'll find a bit more info on it in the press release below.