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Bentley Grand Convertible is grand, is a convertible

What you see above is the Bentley Grand Convertible, live from the Los Angeles Auto Show. It's basically a droptop version of the Mulsanne Speed, which would seem to be a foregone conclusion for production, but apparently isn't, according to Bentley Chairman and CEO, Wolfgang Dürheimer.
"We are eagerly awaiting the response of our customers to this car. We will ensure that this car - if it reaches the roads - will be a highly exclusive, extremely limited collector's piece."
With its production possibilities out of the way, and with the image gallery you see above proving that it is, indeed, a convertible, we can move on to what makes this Grand Convertible so grand. Equipped with the same 6.75-liter engine with 530 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque as its hardtop brethren, it certainly won't be lacking for power. The Grand Convertible has been "fashioned entirely by hand from the very finest materials," says Bentley, and the tonneau is made from the largest piece of wood veneer ever applied by the automaker.

W12-powered Bentley Batur coupe shows its swept-back profile

Bentley's Mulliner division is nearly ready to introduce the Batur, a limited-edition coupe designed to preview a new design language and to celebrate the W12 engine. The big coupe remains shrouded in darkness, but a new teaser image gives us a better look at its silhouette. Viewed from the side, the Batur (which is named after a crater lake in Bali, Indonesia) looks like it's longer than the current-generation Continental GT. Its front end wears single-piece swept-back headlights rather than the twin oval units fitted to the Continental GT and its rear lights look thinner. We're told that the coupe "showcases a new design language for Bentley," one that puts a new spin on classic styling cues and relies "on contrast to provide definition." This design language will permeate the EVs that Bentley will launch starting in 2025. While the Batur's sheet metal previews a range of upcoming battery-powered cars, its drivetrain is very much rooted in the present. The model will benefit from an evolution of the familiar twin-turbocharged W12 that delivers more torque and horsepower than any variant of the engine to date. Bentley stresses that "advanced chassis systems" will ensure that the Batur is engaging to drive even on a twisty road. Bentley will introduce the Batur in Monterey, California, at 8:00 p.m. Pacific time on August 20 (that's 11:00 p.m. in New York City). Full details will be released when the veil comes off, and we wouldn't be surprised if every build slot is spoken for by the time of the unveiling — few-off models are in hot demand and the Bacalar unveiled in 2020 was sold-out before members of the public saw it in the metal. And, the odds of seeing two identical examples of the Batur are low regardless of how many Bentley chooses to build. The company notes that buyers will have the option of customizing the color and finish of nearly every surface; 3D-printed 18K gold parts will even be offered. Related video:

Bentley tests next next-gen Flying Spur on Porsche Panamera Turbo body

At first glance, the prototype in the gallery above looks like a blacked-out version of the new Porsche Panamera Turbo. But this is actually Bentley's tester for the next-gen Flying Spur. And since the upcoming Flying Spur, among other Bentley vehicles, will utilize the same MSB platform as the new Porsche, seeing the British automaker using a Panamera makes a lot of sense. The Flying Spur is essentially a four-door version of the Continental GT, which has design cues from the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. It's safe to assume that the next-gen Flying Spur will get the same treatment as well. Other than the fender flares, the prototype is identical to the Panamera Turbo. So how do we know that this is Bentley's prototype? According to our photographers, the prototype's license plate is registered as a Bentley with the UK's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. With the Flying Spur sharing the same platform as the Panamera, we expect the luxury sedan to get the same choice of engines, including the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine. A concept is anticipated to come out in 2017 with a production variant coming a year later. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley Flying Spur Spy Shots View 10 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Spy Photos Bentley Porsche Luxury Performance Sedan bentley flying spur