2014 Bentley Flying Spur Mulliner Driving Specification W/rear View Camera on 2040-cars

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Bentley's 1,000th Mulliner project is a one-off purple Bentayga

Bentley's Mulliner division completed its 1,000th project in July 2021, and the milestone car is one you can't miss unless you park it in a lavender field. It's a one-off Bentayga painted purple and fitted with special interior accents. It took seven years for Mulliner to reach this milestone; it formed its own design team in 2014. It designed the sweet potato-colored Bentayga for an anonymous client in Europe who worked closely with the division to create a one-of-a-kind SUV. Look beyond the exterior (or try, at least), and you'll see the cabin features Olive Ash wood trim, which is normally found in the now-retired Mulsanne, plus twin-stitching on the seats and on the door panels. Mulliner's work extends far beyond unusual paint colors and new stitching patterns. Its first project was bringing a limited-edition model named Flying Spur Serenity to life. The sedan received redesigned seats, among other features. It also developed stone veneers for some of Bentley's cars, a variant of the Mulsanne Speed named Blue Train that honors Bentley's racing heritage, a Mulsanne-based six-seater limousine, and the Bacalar roadster, which is limited to 12 examples worldwide. It's based on the Continental GT, but the two models share no body panels. It has also applied its expertise to a handful of unusual projects. For example, Mulliner sometimes helps design the liveries worn by Bentley's GT3 race cars. It fine-tuned details on the 1929 Team Blower continuation car, and its resume also includes creating scale models, sculptures, plus picnic baskets complete with silverware and glasses. Related Video:

Bentley starts testing the sold-out, 200-mph Bacalar roadster

Bentley took the limited-edition Bacalar from a sketch to a 200-plus-mph roadster in nine months, a shockingly short amount of time. Its engineers are now putting the first car through its paces at the same break-neck speed. Although the Bacalar is based on the Continental GT, the British firm explained nearly everything the driver will see and feel is specific to the car. Bentley developed over 750 new parts for it, including 40 built with carbon fiber, and the roadster shares no body panels with other members of the company's range. All of these components have to meet the same stringent quality standards as those created for regular-production models. Bentley gave its team 20 weeks to fine-tune the first prototype (pictured), which it calls car zero. Testing started earlier in 2020, so the car has already been put through a wind tunnel and pushed to the limit at triple-digit speeds — it's as stable and quiet as customers expect. Next, test drivers will pile on the miles to see how it holds up over time. They'll then test it at up to 176 degrees, and the final step will be validating the electrical system. Power for the Bacalar comes from a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 engine, which produces 650 horsepower and 667 pound-feet of torque. It spins the four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Bentley hasn't revealed what it will do with car zero at the end of the testing phase. Production is scheduled to start in 2021, and the 12 examples planned have already been spoken for. Each one will be unique; buyers will be invited to work directly with the company's design department to configure the interior and the exterior. Related Video:

Autoblog Minute: Frankfurt Motor Show recap

We check in with Autoblog staffers in Germany for a recap of the biggest reveals from the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Autoblog's Adam Morath reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute with commentary from senior editor, Greg Migliore. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] As the doors of the Frankfurt Motor Show open to the world's press we venture across the Atlantic for a front row seat to all the action. I'm Adam Morath and this is your Autoblog Minute. The fall auto show season kicks off this week and Germany is set to play host. We're expecting plenty of big vehicle reveals and industry news to come out of Frankfurt. [00:00:30] [Greg Migliore Interview] [00:01:00] Be sure to check in with Autoblog for tons of great photos, video and editorial coverage on all things Frankfurt. For Autoblog, I'm Adam Morath. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. Frankfurt Motor Show Bentley Jaguar Mercedes-Benz SUV Concept Cars Electric Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video