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Bentley resumes restoration of the first T-Series sedan

Bentley has shifted one of its on-going restoration projects into high gear. Found after spending decades undriven, the first T-Series sedan built is being brought back to life by the British company's apprentices and specialists and it should be back on the road by the end of 2023. Manufactured on September 28, 1965, about a week before the model's official unveiling at that year's Paris auto show, the oldest T-Series was finished in Shell Gray with a blue interior. Bentley initially kept the car and used it as a test mule around the world. The big sedan later ended up in private hands with a blue California plate and a "Beverly Hills Motor Cars" plate frame attached to its rear end. It was last registered in 2015, according to the sticker on the plate, though Bentley notes that it has spent decades off the road and in storage. Bentley bought the car and shipped it back to its headquarters in England. It started tearing down the sedan in October 2016: A group of apprentices removed the exterior trim and began preparing the body for new paint, but the project stalled. See, this happens even to luxury carmakers — don't feel bad about the Fox-generation Mustang lingering in the back of your garage. For collectors, projects tend to get delayed when, for better or worse, life happens. Bentley ran into different hurdles: It put the T-Series on the backburner to launch its current range of models, including the Flying Spur and the Continental GT. Nearly six year later, the firm is returning to the garage to wrap things up. It sounds like the T-Series was stored indoors, and being out of the elements might be its saving grace. Mechanics managed to fire up the 6.2-liter, 225-horsepower V8 engine, and they gave it a clean bill of health; the automatic transmission is in good condition as well. There is still some body work that needs to be completed and the interior is almost completely taken apart. Bentley estimates that the project will take approximately 18 months, so it should be finished by late 2023, and it plans to add the car to its Heritage Collection when it's done.  While it's a relatively obscure classic in 2022, the T-Series remains a hugely important part of Bentley's heritage.

Bentley Continental GT 'Ultratank' makes tracks in Russia. Literally

When the automotive news cycle last turned its attention to Russia, it was to celebrate the maniacs who'd linked three cheap four-cylinder engines to create a 12-cylinder Lada. Our newest visit to the motherland is for the diametric opposite: a first-generation Bentley Continental GT placed on a custom set of heavy duty tracks. Created by Russian YouTube channel AcademeG, the navy blue mutant is called the Ultratank, and its waiting for its close-up in the Akira sequel. Chronicling the build began last August, sometime after AcademeG's presenter bought the cheapest Continental GT he could find. Seems that kind of purchase is a cautionary tale in Russia as much as it is here, because the Bentley's 6.0-liter, twin-turbo W12 needed a list of expensive repairs, starting with new turbos. It appears that was the cue to throw out the whole engine, drivetrain, and frame. AcademeG took the coupe to Swap-Point, who replaced the stock motor with Toyota's Japanese-market 4.3-liter V8 used in the Toyota Crown Majesta, Celsior, and Soarer and Lexus GS, LS, and SC 430. The engine sends power to a solid rear axle only through a torque converter automatic. From there, the twist is transferred to a set of heavy vehicle tracks measuring 98.4 inches long. The Bentley's passenger tub and upper portions mostly survived the transformation, but tube-frame construction replaced the stock architecture front and rear. Nine months later, the Ultratank has taken its first steps. The Russians took their baby into the woods to play, and - watched by some goats and shepherds - proved they got it mostly right in spite of a few issues. Running on treads is often done best in low revs, but the engine doesn't like low revs. There wasn't enough tension on the tracks, and the rubber nubs aligning the tracks with the wheels aren't substantial enough, so the tracks rolled off the wheels during hard cornering. And there are no brakes. Slowing down requires sawing at the wheel, which brakes the inside tread as the Ultratank starts to turn. Even so, the vehicle and the test were declared a success. The team will tune the engine, add doors and tweak the tracks, but according to YouTube's Russian translation, "everything is simply ideal." You can check out the entire build while awaiting updates on the next big changes, including a higher top speed: The Ultratank tops out at 31 miles per hour now, and AcademeG wants to double that.

Bentley courting Maybach celebs with letter-writing campaign

When Daimler let slip that Maybach was on the chopping block, the German automaker reportedly insisted that ultra-luxury editions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class would replace the doomed marque. We're all for a smattering of low volume, seriously pricey S-Class variants, but will the richest and most influential Maybach buyers feel the same way?
Automotive News reports that Bentley is betting that stars like Jay-Z and Samuel L. Jackson will want more than a gussied-up Benz, and the luxury car make is sending out olive branches in the form of a letter campaign. The premium Volkswagen brand is asking the high-rollers to step into a Bentley Mulsanne or perhaps a top-shelf Continental GT. To help persuade VIPs to switch to Bentley, the automaker is inviting select Maybach owners to tour its Crewe, England home.
Given the fact that many typical soccer moms and dads can afford an ML-Class, we can see why some movie stars and sultans would want to steer clear of the Three-Pointed Star. But is Bentley really going to gain much by wooing the 200 annual Maybach buyers? If a few more rap stars roll in a Bentley in their next music video, then the answer would appear to be yes.