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Bentley forging ahead with SUV development

Bentley has a whole mess of new models in the pipeline, including a completely new coupe, two-door and high-performance versions of the Mulsanne and an even more hard-core version of the Continental GT3-R. But the most vital product under development at Crewe is its upcoming new SUV, and that's what our spy photographers have caught undergoing testing.
This prototype appears to be the same one we spotted a couple of months ago, although this time the NewBentley.com stickers appear to have been taped over (presumably to call less attention to itself) and the whole thing is riding lower to the ground to better test its brakes and cooling systems.
While the form clearly shares much with the EXP 9 F concept that previewed its development at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, the design has clearly been worked over with a front end and tailgate that are easier on the eyes and more in keeping with the company's styling language.

2016 Bentley Continental GT keeps it fresh for another dozen years [w/video]

The reveal of the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept is without a doubt the bigger news – maybe the most exciting thing the British automaker has shown in years – but it's not the only piece of new metal on display at the Bentley stand in Geneva this year. Alongside the sports car concept, Bentley is showcasing revised versions of just about its entire bread-and-butter lineup, including the Continental GT, Continental GTC and Flying Spur. The latter sedan may have only received some new trim inside and out (along with a subtly massaged engine), but the two-door models benefit from a raft of enhancements. Most notable is the side vent that now features a metallic B emblem, but the updated sheetmetal also includes a more pronounced character line along the flank, revised front-end styling, a reprofiled trunk lid and more. There are new wheels of course, and the more performance-oriented versions get a new rear diffuser. The inside hasn't been left alone either, and the W12 engine packs a bit more power and a cylinder deactivation system. Hardly groundbreaking stuff, but vital revisions, we're sure, to keep the Continental fresh after a dozen years on the market. Featured Gallery 2016 Bentley Continental GT Speed: Geneva 2015 View 14 Photos Related Gallery 2016 Bentley Continental family View 29 Photos Related Gallery 2015 Geneva Motor Show Videos View 25 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2015 Steven J. Ewing / AOL Geneva Motor Show Bentley Luxury Videos 2015 Geneva Motor Show bentley flying spur

Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark explains carmaker's situation and plan for recovery

In August, we posted on some of the issues plaguing Bentley at the moment, namely the large loss the carmaker's posted this year. The same Autocar piece we referenced, carmaker CEO Adrian Hallmark said Bentley would not be making more sports cars. Bentley wrote to us to clarify that a single year's loss isn't a calamity, that "it is a mistake to suggest that sports cars are the same as GTs," and that the brand "will continue to design, engineer, and craft" GT cars. We must note, though, that at the time, Hallmark himself said, "The sports car sector – like our own...." More recently, Hallmark expounded on some of the factors slowing the company down this year, from delayed launches to exchange rates. Through the first nine months of the year, Bentley sold 6,654 units, an 11 percent decline from the 7,498 units sold through the first nine months of 2017. In addition to other matters like huge investments in new technologies, that helped the Crewe carmaker to a $44.7-million year-over-year drop in revenue, and a $156-million overall loss, compared to a $35 million profit over the same period last year. On top of declining sales overall, the nine-month delay in launching the Continental GT, the brand's second-best seller, was the first of two big issues causing red finances. Hallmark said the Continental GT "just wasn't ready for launch. But we'd paid for it – we'd paid all the money out, but not got any money back in." Having got that sorted, the second issue arose: WLTP certification. Unlike the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) before it, the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure requires every model variant get tested for certification. Hallmark told Automotive News Europe, "We were not quick enough unfortunately to book capacity or prioritize our derivatives within some of the group processes to get them certified on time." Bentley wasn't alone in this; Volkswagen had only managed to get seven of its 14 models approved by September 1 when the WLTP rules took effect. Bentley's much smaller scale exacerbated the problem, turning the situation "close to catastrophic." Hallmark said the snafu robbed the Bentayga of 300 to 400 sales - a gigantic number with respect to a $200,000 vehicle - and pushed the Bentayga plug-in hybrid launch back to March 2019 so Bentley could get volume models certified. Furthermore, preparing for Brexit hasn't been easy on any of the UK's manufacturers.