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2015 Bentley Continental GT3-R First Drive [w/video]

Racecars break. F1, NASCAR, IndyCar, GT3 – you name it – every go-fast machine built for the track is living on borrowed time. So it wasn't a complete surprise when, after traveling halfway around the world to drive Bentley's Continental GT3 racecar, the darn thing unceremoniously blew its rear differential on someone else's hot lap. While mentally recalibrating to the idea that my only takeaway from the three day commitment might be frequent flier miles, I realized an alternate vehicle on hand could make the trip worthwhile: the roadgoing, not-so-evil twin to the all-out race machine, the 2015 Bentley Continental GT3-R. You can hardly blame Bentley for the failure to proceed. The Flying B has been performing swimmingly well in the Blancpain Endurance Series, scoring three wins in its debut season and racking up a respectable 2015 so far. The dropped, spoilered, and severely trimmed-down GT3 racer reflects a ruthless abandon of all things luxurious and civilized. Over 50 ECUs were ditched from the road car; the doors alone, which typically weigh a lofty 125 pounds apiece, have been trimmed down to a wispy 15. Yes, the race version is a fearsome, sexy beast – and yes, this was quickly proving irrelevant because that drive was simply not meant to be.The Next Best Thing It's hard to call a $339,725 exotic a consolation prize. Climbing into the roadgoing GT3-R reveals a dramatic departure from the standard issue Conti: Not only is the color scheme unexpected (acid green on black and grey), so is the choice of materials (carbon fiber, Alcantara, not an inch of wood veneer in sight). Some pesky legacy remnants remain (antiquated navigation system, some weirdly pedestrian VW-sourced buttons and switches), but there's also a smattering of sweet details (those famous organ stop air vents, the green center indicator on the steering wheel, the pleasantly gripped Alcantara shifter). In all, 300 examples are being built, 99 of which are destined for the US. Unlike the somewhat sonorous GT V8 S upon which it's based, the GT3-R's titanium exhaust enables an even more exuberant, unapologetic, voluminous roar. Those exhaust gases are summoned from the 592-horsepower, 553-pound-foot, twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, which gains 71 hp and 51 lb-ft over the V8 S model it's based on.

Bentley Mulsanne Grand Convertible due in 2017, Speed 6 still in play

Automobile outlines the near-term future of the Bentley line-up, finding a few items of gold and perhaps one that brand purists will consider a goldbrick. Dealers are taking orders for the the Bentley Grand Convertible, a ragtop Mulsanne introduced at the LA Auto Show last year, and it is expected to reveal its production form sometime late next year on its way to showroom floors by early 2017. Brand CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said "Mulsanne will get further derivatives," plural. Perhaps that means that with a convertible on its way to reality, a coupe something like a modern Brooklands will follow. A long-wheelbase Mulsanne is in the works, too. The Grand Convertible will wear the Mulsanne's new face, scheduled for reveal at next year's Geneva Motor Show. Automobile says the front will be "squarer" and the grille "more upright," which we didn't think was possible, and boast "three brick-shaped air intakes," apparently to emphasize the upright squareness. Plus, new headlights. The third-generation Continental and Flying Spur ranges would come after that, laid atop the MSB platform and rolling out of Crewe over a two-year period starting in 2017. They should still be powered by 4.0-liter V8 and 6.0-liter W12 engines, but the bodywork around those motors will be "both evolutionary and daring." This, then, should be the leap that Bentley wanted to make with the second-generation Continental but couldn't. Whither the EXP 10 Speed 6? Durheimer said the customer response has been, "Don't ask us questions, just do it." The last news we had over the summer was that Bentley was deciding whether to expand the line-up next with a small SUV or the Speed 6. It's not clear which will come first, but Durheimer said, "I'm confident that with EXP10 Speed 6 we will find a good solution," and the business case for it goes to the board a year from now. Automobile suggests it will go on sale in 2020 with a 600-horsepower, twin-turbo V8. That smaller SUV is still on the table, though, an entry-level offering that would use the re-engineered bones of the Audi Q5. Featured Gallery Bentley Grand Convertible: LA 2014 View 16 Photos News Source: AutomobileImage Credit: Live images copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Bentley Convertible Coupe Crossover Future Vehicles Luxury Performance bentley mulsanne bentley flying spur bentley exp 10 speed 6 bentley grand convertible

Bentley doubles down on diesels with a triple-charged Bentayga

Volkswagen Group isn't totally giving up on diesels. While its flagship VW brand is clearly tarnished, the ultra-luxury Bentley division just revealed plans for its first oil-burner, a triple-charged 4.0-liter V8 that produces 429 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. If the powertrain sounds familiar, that's because it's the same one found in the Audi SQ7 TDI. It's a clever system capable of giving what Bentley claims as the world's fastest diesel SUV a top speed of 168 miles per hour and a zero-to-62 mph time of 4.8 seconds. The SQ7 TDI can get to 62 mph in the same time, but is electronically limited to 155 mph, because it wouldn't make sense if the cheaper SUV could outperform the much more expensive one. The Bentayga also emits the lowest CO2 output of any Bentley and has a range of over 621 miles on one tank. Despite having a curb weight of 5,269 pounds, Bentley claims the Bentayga can get a combined rating of 35.8 mpg on the European cycle. The Bentayga Diesel may not be as powerful or as fast as the W12-powered model, but it's a lot more fuel efficient as the latter achieves a combined rating of 21.6 mpg on the European cycle. Other than the new engine, the Bentayga diesel is nearly identical to its gasoline-powered twin except for some discreet "V8 Diesel" badges on the front doors, a new exhaust outlet design, and a black grille. A Bentley spokesperson confirmed that the Bentayga diesel would not be sold in the US. And since Bentley won't be at this year's Paris Motor Show, don't get your hopes up on spotting the vehicle there. The diesel-powered SUV will go on sale in Europe early next year, which will be followed by its release in Russia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan. Pricing for the SUV has not been announced yet. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Bentley Bentayga Diesel View 20 Photos News Source: BentleyImage Credit: Bentley Green Audi Bentley SUV Diesel Vehicles Luxury Performance bentley bentayga