2008 Bentley Gtc. Midnight Emerald. Ochre Interior. 4k Miles. San Diego on 2040-cars

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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 Flying Spur pictures leaked early

We can imagine that automakers are among the groups salivating at the prospect of a colony on Mars - perhaps a photo studio on the red planet will be far enough away from the terrestrial Internet to keep everything they've got from leaking all over the web. In the midst of Bentley's teasing for the next-generation Flying Spur, someone got in early on a set of photos and decided to share them with us.
The transformation is all about character, the super sedan's lines getting injected with a whole lot more of it. The family face of the Continental line is evident, the new Spur getting a more upright grille than before and a Mulsanne-esque undivided lower grille. The front fenders get narrow, horizontal vents, and behind that the character line that starts with at the hood shutline runs in a long arc to the rear door, then rolls up into haunches that terminate at the very back. Lower down, a character line cuts up the bulk up the sides. In profile there is a definite hint of this being a junior Mulsanne.
The only item we see at the moment that could take some getting used to are the horizontal taillights. Housing a large single element topped by curved red brows, our initial impression is that they lack the flow of the rest of the car. Inside, it's what you'd expect from a Bentley.

A diesel V8 is the perfect engine for the Bentley Bentayga

Endless, effortless torque is something that's so often taken for granted. Sure, horsepower figures make all the headlines, but the sensation that comes with immediate and readily available thrust is something that can't be overstated, especially in luxury vehicles. High-strung, high-horsepower engines are great in certain applications, but Bentley owners don't want to work for the power, they just expect it to be there. That's why the 4.0-liter diesel V8 from the Audi SQ7 and its 664 lb-ft of torque make perfect sense for the new Bentley Bentayga. We've known for a while that Bentley is planning a diesel variant of the Bentayga, but it wasn't clear from where the engine was being sourced. According to Telegraaf in Holland, Bentley is pulling the diesel from the heart of its sibling Audi, and it won't be an effort to improve fuel efficiency. The all engine features two exhaust-driven turbos plus a 48-volt compressor that effectively cuts lag to nothing and propels the SQ7 TDI to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds. Expect a similar number in the Bentley. This engine is exactly what the Bentayga needs. There is nothing wrong with the W12 in the standard model, and you could argue a 12-cylinder engine is a better fit in a Bentley. But that's just because W12 sounds better than diesel. While the gasoline engine may more powerful and therefore make the vehicle quicker (leading to that " fastest SUV" claim Bentley loves), no owner will actually be racing their Bentayga to its theoretical top speed of 187 mph. They will be racing away from stoplights, though, in an effort to leave more plebeian cars and SUVs behind. All that low-end grunt is what those owners really want. It's unclear if Bentley will bring the Bentayga diesel to the United States, and given the current state of diesel here, the proposition seems unlikely. Expect an official debut at the Paris motor show in October. Related Video: News Source: Telegraaf Rumormill Bentley SUV Diesel Vehicles Luxury bentley bentayga audi sq7