2013 Bentley Continental Gtc Speed Convertible 2-door 6.0l Twin Turbo on 2040-cars

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Bentley targeting Range Rover with 12-cylinder SUV

The eventual arrival of Bentley's upcoming SUV in 2016 will likely prove the most pivotal new product to come from Crewe since the debut of the Continental GT in 2003. And Bentley isn't messing around.
The British automaker is taking aim directly at the Range Rover, saying that it will be just as capable off-road. That's a mighty big claim for a company that has never made an off-roader before, but comes with good reason: Bentley estimates that nearly 30 percent of its customers have a Range Rover as well, and the company is keen to take a slice of that pie.
There are, however, several elements that will elevate the Bentley Falcon (as it's expected to be called) above Range Rover territory. For starters, according to Automotive News Europe, which spoke to Bentley marketing chief Kevin Rose at the Frankfurt show, the Falcon will be more expensive. The sticker price in Europe is expected to hover around 180,000 euros - double the flagship Range Rover's starting price. It'll also be available with four-, five- and seven-seat configurations. And it'll offer more power. A lot more power.

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

Bentley confirms SUV for 2016

It looks like the addition of a Royal Baby isn't the only big news coming out of the UK this week. Bentley has ended all of the will they/won't they speculation by confirming today that it will produce an SUV. Earmarked to go on sale in 2016, the as-yet unnamed Bentley SUV will help create an extra 1,000 jobs in the UK.
While no concrete details have been released, Bentley says that it will be the "most luxurious and most powerful SUV" on the market. Past rumors have indicated that the SUV could look completely different from the 2012 EXP 9 F Concept shown above, be renamed the Falcon and offer options like a plug-in hybrid version and three-row seating. To prepare for a fourth model in its lineup, Bentley will be investing 800 million British pounds (around $1.2 billion USD) into its Crewe headquarters and production lines over the next three years. Scroll down for Bentley's press release officially confirming the new SUV.