2016 Bentley Flying Spur on 2040-cars

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Bentley teases new Flying Spur's 3D diamond leather upholstery

Playing the long game before unveiling the new Flying Spur, Bentley's published the second teaser for the new "luxury grand touring sedan." The last one homed in on the retracting "Flying B hood" ornament. This one focuses on what Bentley says is "an automotive world-first," three-dimensional textured leather lining the cabin. Created by Crewe's craftsmen and demonstrated on the door panel, the leather adopts a diamond-quilted pattern, but without stitches indicative of quilting. Up close, it looks like the leather simply adheres to a complex relief form. That's trick we expect to be one of many that will supposedly "set new standards for contemporary craftsmanship." The coming third-generation Flying Spur will want to come out of the gate with just such goals. When the first generation arrived in 2005, it became the Toyota Camry for rich people. The second generation — which still rides on that original platform — blanched in the heat of competition from Bentley's own lineup, on top of competition from the Mercedes-Maybach below and cross-country rival Rolls-Royce Ghost. The new model is all new, from the MSB platform shared with the new Continental GT and Porsche Panamera, to a design that will put more separation between the two-door Continental and the four-door Flying Spur. Expect the 6.0-liter W12 with 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque as the marquee engine, and a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 542 hp and 568 lb-ft as the economical choice. Eventual V8 S and Speed models will wring more grunt from those two engines. A plug-in hybrid will debut some point, based around a 2.9-liter V6. We don't know when the debut will happen, perhaps as soon as Pebble Beach in August, or as late as the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, or the Frankfurt Motor Show in between. If you're keen on keeping up in the meantime, you can "register your interest" at NewFlyingSpur.com. As others have noted, the honorifics in the dropdown list at the site include "Lord" and "Sheikh," because titles matter even more at $200,000 before options.

Bentley mulling own spec series for gentlemen racers?

We began to salivate when we saw the Bentley Continental GT3 up close and personal at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. The thought of a track-going Continental GT conjured up notions of the Bentley Boys, the original gentlemen racers, tearing down the Mulsanne straight. Well, according to AutoGuide, it appears our wistful ponderings will be realized in the form of an international spec racing series.
Similar to the Porsche Carrera Cup or the Ferrari Challenge, this will be a one-make series, and Bentley seeks to run races in Europe, North America and Asia. As for the latter, Bentley Board Member for Marketing Kevin Rose suggested that China will be the likely host of an Asian race. According to Rose, sportscar racing is of interest to Bentley's Chinese customers. He also says that there will be participation by dealers. "Our dealers are by definition car nuts," claims Rose.
While the Continental GT3 is being developed for pro-level use, Bentley is apparently working on a turn-key car for gentlemen racers. According to Rose, "We want to make it as easy as possible." While that doesn't sound like the devil-may-care Bentley Boys of yore, it's likely better to attract participation. The first trials are expected for 2013, and Bentley is even considering making vehicles available for privateer teams.

Bentley's Bentayga Mulliner takes two-tone to a new level of excess

Because a normal Bentayga just isn't enough for some people, Bentley revealed its most exclusive SUV yet, the Bentayga Mulliner. Now this isn't a wild custom model like the Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner. Rather, this is like past special-edition Mulliner cars including the standard-length Mulsanne, and the Continental GT, which featured some unique trim and detail touches. Immediately apparent is the two-tone paint scheme. This is a new option that will be introduced on the Bentayga Mulliner, but will trickle down to the rest of the lineup this April. In addition, this special Bentayga comes with exclusive 22-inch wheels with floating centers to keep the badge upright, a la Rolls-Royce wheels. Bentley also adds unique badging and standard color-coordinated lower body extensions, while the lower grilles are finished in chrome. The car that will be on display at the Geneva show will feature a special marquetry inlay up front showing the Monte Rosa mountain range. The two-tone scheme of the exterior is continued inside, with the front and rear seats upholstered in different colors of leather. In the Bentayga above, black leather covers the front seats while the rears are done in an ivory-colored hide. The seats all feature two colors of contrast stitching, as well. Even the wood veneers are finished in an exclusive dual tone. On the dash, the wood is completely black, but along the front doors, it fades to a natural finish that is continued on the rear doors. Breaking from the obsession with multiple colors, the Bentayga Mulliner also features a wine bottle cooler and crystal champagne flutes. You could put rose in one if you're really not into matching, though. If even these upgrades don't do it for you, there are a couple other special options available. Bentley offers the Linley Hamper by Mulliner, which is a pretty serious picnic basket featuring Linley china and silverware, as well as a refrigerator. This special Bentayga can also be ordered with the Mulliner Tourbillon automatic clock by Breitling, which the BBC reports was a $160,000 option when introduced during the SUV's debut. Bentley will begin taking orders this spring, though pricing for the SUV was not released. Expect it to cost a good chunk more than the standard model's $229,100 base price. Related Video: