2011 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed Sedan 4-door 6.0l on 2040-cars

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Bentley unveils Rhys Millen's Pikes Peak Continental GT for record attempt

At the end of it all, Rhys Millen might end up owning every Pikes Peak car record that exists. He's time-trialed the perilous mountain road in several wildly different types of vehicles, such as a Hyundai Genesis coupe racecar, the Hyundai RMR PM580-T, the Drive eO PP01 electric racecar, and a Bentley Bentayga. For 2019, Millen's at it again, and he's sticking with his new team at Bentley. On June 30, Millen will gun for the production car record time in a Continental GT. That Millen will drive a Continental GT is not exactly breaking news, as it was first announced in March. However, this is the first time Bentley has shown off the Continental GT's attention-catching Pikes Peak outfit. A matte bright green covers most of the car, with a geometric mountain range crawling up the midsection through the rear. In addition to sponsor stickers from Mobil 1 and Gran Turismo, the GT also wears No. 100 as a nod to the company's 100th anniversary. Millen will try to push the Continental GT from 9,300 feet above sea level to 14,100 feet faster than 10:26.9, the hill climb record for a production car. He'll be working against the GT's 5,985-pound gross vehicle weight, but that shouldn't be a problem with a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 under the hood. The Continental GT, which will race stock aside from safety equipment, is rated at 626 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 664 lb-ft of torque at 1,350 rpm. It comes from the dealership claiming a 0-to-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds and a 207-mph top speed. An active all-wheel-drive system and Bentley Dynamic Ride should help Millen keep the car under control during turn after turn after turn up the mountain. If Millen succeeds, it would be a huge victory for Bentley, which would then own the production SUV and car records. Rolls-Royce can't do that.

Weekly Recap: Bentley Bentayga leads luxury SUV charge at Frankfurt

The Bentley Bentayga is launching a new era of ultra high-end sport utility vehicles that will see luxury makers vie for the world's richest and most exclusive customers. The Bentayga is Bentley's first SUV, and it will formally debut next week at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It's loaded with Bentley's best technology and features, led by a 600-horsepower W12 engine. The mission is simple: stop giving up sales to other companies by not having an SUV in its portfolio. "It creates an entirely new category of ultra-luxury SUV, where there are currently few rivals," IHS Automotive analyst Ian Fletcher said in a report. But Bentley and the Bentayga will soon face stiff competition. Archrival Rolls-Royce will produce its own crossover to be built in England, though timing is unclear. Lamborghini has approved plans for a ute that will be assembled in Italy and launch in 2018. Even the sportier British brands are getting into the market. Aston Martin will make a crossover version of the DBX concept shown earlier this year in Geneva, and Jaguar is launching the F-Pace crossover, which will debut in Frankfurt. These new entries will invigorate a segment that's comprised of the Mercedes G63 AMG and the Land Rover Range Rover SV Autobiography, and Bentley is poised to grab a large share of it, Fletcher noted. IHS forecasts Bentayga sales could hit 3,000 units per year in 2017 and 2018, pushing total Bentley sales to more than 10,000 in the next few years. The vehicle will also get plug-in hybrid and diesel variants to widen its reach. The Bentayga is a sales grab, for sure, but Bentley took care to ensure the SUV remained true to the brand. It's laden with the top-shelf wood, leather, and metal, and it comes standard with an expansive panoramic glass roof. It also has intelligent features like electronic night vision and an optional responsive off-road system that can be configured to adapt to eight different settings. It's a different kind of Bentley, but it's a harbinger of things to come for the world's richest luxury makers. Other News & Notes Toyota debuts next-gen Prius Toyota revealed the next-generation of its iconic fuel-sipping hybrid, the 2016 Prius, at an event in Las Vegas. The car promises 10-percent gains in fuel efficiency, though actual figures – and even powertrain specifics – were not revealed. We estimate that could mean about 56 miles per gallon in city driving and 53 on the highway.

2016 Bentley Continental GT First Drive [w/video]

I'm standing at the edge of a cliff, speechless. I'm looking at the Trollstigen – a serpentine pass with 11 hairpin turns, running down the side of a mountain in western Norway. I've seen this road before in photos, but in person, I'm both giddy and in awe. The pavement looks like haphazardly draped garland on this perfect bit of sculpted land. The Trollstigen ("Trolls' Path" in English) is a huge tourist attraction, and I can see why. But I'm about to have way more fun than the pedestrians who made their way to the summit in buses and shuttles. I'm going to drive this road. In a Bentley. The crew in Crewe claim their Continental GT is the finest grand tourer in the world. And along the Trollstigen, not to mention the other winding roads in western Norway, that's easy to believe. The Continental is big and beautiful. It's supremely comfortable. It has everything a driver or passenger could ask for. And good golly, is it powerful. Bentley introduced the Continental GT in 2003, with a second generation arriving in 2011. For better or worse, the changes for 2016 are minor. This isn't an all-new Conti, rather a light refresh in order to bolster what the big Bentley already does well. I'm not sure if these updates – particularly the front fascia – improve upon the original formula. The most obvious change for 2016 is the front bumper. It's been restyled to incorporate more aggressive fenders and a lower air intake that spans the full width of the car. Around back, there's a subtle lip spoiler built into the deck lid. V8 S and Speed models get a new rear diffuser. Fancy new side vents are present on all models, with a big metallic "B" shape. Finally, new 20- and 21-inch wheel options are available, including attractive directional alloys available on GT Speed models. But I'm not sure if these updates – particularly the front fascia – improve upon the original formula. Less obvious are the interior updates. There are new colors, as well as a straight-fluting pattern on the seats (GT Speed models get a super luxurious quilted pattern). LED lights accent the cabin. The lighting in the instrument panel and on the center stack is brighter and more crisp. You can get WiFi in the car, and can connect up to eight devices at once. But these improvements don't fix longstanding grievances with the Continental interior. For starters, the infotainment system is horrendously outdated and slow to respond.