2008 Bentley Continental Gt Gt on 2040-cars

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Bentley to call its upcoming crossover Bentayga?

Development of Bentley's forthcoming utility vehicle is almost complete, and the British automaker has painted a vivid picture of what to expect: otherworldly luxurious, a range of powertrains including a twelve-pot and a hybrid, and a price tag that is sure to eclipse any other SUV or crossover on the market. One of the biggest questions still remaining, however, is what Bentley will call the thing, but we might have our answer right here. According to Autovisie (the car section of Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf), Bentley has registered the name Bentayga – taken from a rock formation on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, that Spanish archipelago off the coast of Morocco. The concept was originally showcased as the EXP 9 F. Though that handle was never expected to make it to production, the F supposedly stood for Falcon, leading to speculation that the final version would carry that name. But if the trademark application is anything to go by, we could be looking in the end at the Bentley Bentayga. Featured Gallery Bentley SUV: Spy Shots View 10 Photos News Source: AutovisieImage Credit: CarPix Bentley Crossover Luxury patent trademark bentley bentayga bentley exp 9 f bentley falcon

2016 Bentley Continental GT keeps it fresh for another dozen years [w/video]

The reveal of the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept is without a doubt the bigger news – maybe the most exciting thing the British automaker has shown in years – but it's not the only piece of new metal on display at the Bentley stand in Geneva this year. Alongside the sports car concept, Bentley is showcasing revised versions of just about its entire bread-and-butter lineup, including the Continental GT, Continental GTC and Flying Spur. The latter sedan may have only received some new trim inside and out (along with a subtly massaged engine), but the two-door models benefit from a raft of enhancements. Most notable is the side vent that now features a metallic B emblem, but the updated sheetmetal also includes a more pronounced character line along the flank, revised front-end styling, a reprofiled trunk lid and more. There are new wheels of course, and the more performance-oriented versions get a new rear diffuser. The inside hasn't been left alone either, and the W12 engine packs a bit more power and a cylinder deactivation system. Hardly groundbreaking stuff, but vital revisions, we're sure, to keep the Continental fresh after a dozen years on the market. Featured Gallery 2016 Bentley Continental GT Speed: Geneva 2015 View 14 Photos Related Gallery 2016 Bentley Continental family View 29 Photos Related Gallery 2015 Geneva Motor Show Videos View 25 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2015 Steven J. Ewing / AOL Geneva Motor Show Bentley Luxury Videos 2015 Geneva Motor Show bentley flying spur

Ferdinand Piech (1937-2019): The man who made VW global

Towering among his peers, a giant of the auto industry died Sunday night in Rosenheim/Upper Bavaria, Germany. Ferdinand Piech, a grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, who conceived the original Volkswagen in the 1930s, was the most polarizing automotive executive of our times. And one who brought automotive technology further than anyone else. Ferdinand Porsche had a son, Ferdinand (called "Ferry"), and a daughter, Louise, who married the Viennese lawyer Anton Piech. They gave birth to Ferdinand Piech, and his proximity to two Alfa Romeo sports cars — Porsche had done some work for the Italians — and the "Berlin-Rome-Berlin" race car, developed by Porsche himself, gave birth to Piech's interest in cars. After his teachers in Salzburg told his mother he was "too stupid" to attend school there, Piech, who was open about his dyslexia, was sent to a boarding school in Switzerland. He subsequently moved on to Porsche, where he fixed issues with the 904 race car and did major work on the 911. But his greatest project was the Le Mans-winning 917 race car, developed at breathtaking financial cost. It annihilated the competition, but the family had had enough: Amid growing tension among the four cousins working at Porsche and Piech's uncle Ferry, the family decided to pull every family member, except for Ferry, out of their management positions. Piech started his own consultancy business, where he designed the famous five-cylinder diesel for Mercedes-Benz, but quickly moved on to Audi, first as an engineer and then as CEO, where he set out to transform the dull brand into a technology leader. Piech killed the Wankel engine and hammered out a number of ambitious and sophisticated technologies. Among them: The five-cylinder gasoline engine; Quattro all-wheel drive and Audi's fantastic rally successes; and turbocharging, developed with Fritz Indra, whom Piech recruited from Alpina. The Audi 100/200/5000 became the world's fastest production sedan, thanks to their superior aerodynamics. Piech also launched zinc-coated bodies for longevity — and gave diesel technology a decisive boost with the advent of the fast and ultra-efficient TDI engines. Less known: Piech also decided to put larger gas tanks into cars. Customers loved it. Piech's first-generation Audi V8 was met with derision by competitors; it was too obviously based on the 200/5000.