2007 Bentley Continental Diamond Series Gt Coupe 2-door 6.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Bentley Bentayga spied on soon-to-be home turf

If we had to bet where Bentley would sell the most Bentayga crossovers, our money would be on the Middle East, with a particular focus on the oil-rich United Arab Emirates. Considering that – not to mention the blistering heat – it's no real surprise that the British manufacturer is testing its first CUV on the sand-strewn roads of Dubai. This video comes from an Arab YouTube channel that Google Translate calls "net box." It gives us a great look at the new Bentayga while both parked and in motion, traveling along Dubai's highways. While this is not the exact same vehicle we've seen in previous spy photos – the number plate on this car ends in a Z instead of a W – the camouflage job is more or less the same. There are large, obstructive headlight and taillight covers, and the same strakes designed to obscure the rear haunches. Seeing an engineer getting out of the car and standing next to it, though, does give us some sense of its overall size. Either Bentley's engineer is a giant or the Bentayga is relatively low for a crossover, relying more on a lifted ride height than just being big and tall. You can check out the video above. Like we said, it's a good first look at Crewe's first CUV in motion. Check it out, and let us know what you think in Comments.

Bentley Bentayga leaks out in miniature form

Want to know what the completed, production-ready Bentley Bentayga will look like? So do we all, and we've had some pretty good glimpses at it already. But this could be our best look at the finished form yet. Leaking out in China are images not of the vehicle itself, but of a 1:18 scale model of Bentley's forthcoming inaugural sport-ute. And though that may not tell us precisely what it'll look like in full scale, it ought to give us a pretty darn accurate preview. Particularly given the detailed measurements with which these model manufacturers have to work. The design is pretty much as you might expect it to look. That is to say proportions typical of a full-size Volkswagen Group crossover like the Touareg, Audi Q7, or Porsche Cayenne. Bentley design cues set it apart: four round headlights up front flanking an upright mesh grille, side vents on the front fenders, a tasteful smattering of chrome trim, and big wheels. Looks like it'll have a pretty big glass roof, too. Or put another way, it looks like a toned-down version of the EXP 9 F concept that divided opinions when it debuted back at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. One way or another, we're expected to see the beast in the flesh (or the machine in the metal) at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month, so it won't be long now. In the meantime, you can scope out more over at CarNewsChina.com. Related Video:

Bentley spreads its wings, hires jets to fly car bodies to Britain under Brexit

FRANKFURT — Bentley, the luxury carmaker owned by Volkswagen, has booked five Antonov cargo jets to help overcome potential supply bottlenecks in the event of a disorderly exit of Britain from the European Union, the carmaker said on Wednesday. Car manufacturers are securing additional supply routes as policymakers in Brussels and Westminster seek to strike a deal to determine the future trading relationship with continental Europe after Britain exits the European Union. Bentley, which makes high end sports cars, buys 90% of its components from continental Europe, and sells around 24% of its cars into Europe, Chief Executive Adrian Hallmark told the Financial Times' Future of the Car summit. "We have spent two years planning. We have five Antonovs that we have on reserve to fly bodies to Manchester," Hallmark said, adding that in addition to shifting car bodies by air, Bentley has hiked the level of spare parts stored for production. "We used to run just-in-time with two days stock. Now we have 14 days stock. That's 14 working days, so that's three weeks of stock," he said. The company has booked additional warehouses and planned new logistics routes in case traditional supply methods are hampered by bottlenecks. If Britain fails to secure a negotiated trade agreement with European policymakers, Bentley would be able to absorb 10% import tariffs by raising prices and cutting costs. This would be less damaging than supply disruptions. "It is not existential as long as everything flows. Stopping flows is far more dangerous than Brexit tariffs," Hallmark said, referring to supply bottlenecks. This year Bentley expects to sell more than 10,000 luxury cars and to reach breakeven, mainly thanks to a rebound in demand in China, Hallmark said. China sales are up 35% when compared with before the COVID-19 crisis. Sales in Europe and the United States up 15% Hallmark said. "Overall we are in a position where we will do well over 10,000 sales this year," he said via Webcast. "We are on the cusp of going beyond breakeven."