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Prototype Bentley Continental GT bears EXP10-style taillights

The latest Bentley Continental GT our spy photographer has caught happens to be in an unusual blue hue, breaking with the convention of black painted prototypes. It still features clever camouflage, including faux light covers. We already knew that the traditional quad lamps were hidden underneath, but it turns out that the true shape of the taillights were also obscured. Rather than an evolution of the current units, the new taillights seem to be slim, partial oval units similar to those on the EXP10 Speed 6 concept. We can finally see this shape since the lights are illuminated in two of the photos. Aside from the taillights, there are a couple other details that have been revealed. The car's retractable rear spoiler is seen in action. There also seem to be faux body panels covering the front and rear fenders. Upon very close inspection, you can see some odd lumpy portions in these areas that don't follow the lines of the car, and nearby are some faint seams. We can infer that the actual height of the front and rear fenders will be a bit lower and more understated than they appear in these photos. Previous spy photos have shown that there is a convertible version in the works that will likely be released around the same time as, or soon after, the coupe. The car will use the Panamera platform, and it will likely be offered with 8- and 12-cylinder engines, as it is now. Related Video:

Driving the 2020 Bentley Continental GT V8 'home' to Brooklands

BROOKLANDS, England – ‘Continental GTÂ’ embodies an idealized dream of carefree, trans-continental drives to the French Riviera or glamorous Swiss ski resorts. In reality and spirit, a long, long way from a gray January day in what is now a grocery store parking lot in a nondescript London suburb. But this place, or specifically the moss-covered concrete banking surrounding it, is as important to BentleyÂ’s identity as 1930s playboys racing express trains across France, amateur heroes triumphing at Le Mans or the image of luxurious sedans crunching the gravel driveways of stately English homes. In the modern age of Bentley, the racing history at Brooklands, and its expression through hardware supplied by its Volkswagen owners, is what underpins the brand. IÂ’ve got 1,000 miles at the wheel of the latest V8 Continental GT to find out if that Brooklands tradition has been carried forth; to see if this Bentley is still a Bentley. ItÂ’s an interesting moment to be driving a Continental GT, too. For all the British heritage this car embodies, it's dependent on the centralized resources and manufacturing muscle of parent Volkswagen. The same goes for the Group's other brands defined by tradition and local price: Lamborghini, Porsche and even Audi. Yet, IÂ’m enjoying this car just days before Britain formally quits the European Union. The implications are still to be fully understood but it puts Bentley in an especially perilous position, given it depends on overseas production and the free movement of parts from the continent to keep its factory running. Sure, Bentleys are meant to be expensive. But if that margin is suddenly consumed by tariffs on bodies from Volkswagen, engines from Porsche and gearboxes from ZF, the business case looks even shakier than it has been  in the recent past. Nobody knows how itÂ’ll shake out but one answer for VW would be to relocate the whole business to Germany rather than keep building them here. YouÂ’d still have cars branded as Bentleys if that happened. But would they still be Bentleys? We talk about intellectual property. Arguably here weÂ’re talking about emotional property. And the Englishness that makes the cars what they are.   Because more than anything, a Bentley is a feelgood car, even when your reality is grimy winter roads and a coating of salt on your fancy paint.

Bentley designer says electric Bentley coming ‘not so far in the future’

Bentley lead designer Stefan Sielaff told Auto Express, "A full electric Bentley is something I am extremely convinced we have to do." He essentially confirms a Bentley EV by saying, "It will happen not so far in the future." We can look at the designer's comments as a near-final declaration on an undertaking the English carmaker's been considering for the past few years. Don't look for a production run of the EXP 12 6e concept shown at last year's Geneva Motor Show, though. Based on Sielaff's comments and a process of elimination, AE expects an electric four-door coupe. Instead of the PPE electric architecture Porsche and Audi are developing, Bentley would use the J1 architecture beneath the Mission E. The most powerful Mission E trim should put out close to 700 horsepower, a proper figure to begin discussions concerning an offering from The Flying B. A report from two years ago said a larger, 115-kW battery supplying two 375-horsepower motors in back and a 186-motor in front would give 936 hp and a potential 500-mile range. Beyond that, insiders supposedly spoke of a 150-kW battery to come in 2022, which would bring with it astronomical numbers. When asked what kind of vehicle Sielaff had in mind, the designer said he envisioned "a completely fresh and new development" that is "not imitating another concept." The alternative propulsion, Sielaff said, would give him and his team "a great chance to establish a completely new design language for the company." His ideal chariot would have four or five seats, "the possibility to carry a little bit of luggage," "a certain coupe style or sportivity," and definitely not an SUV. Those are about all the words one would use to describe a four-door coupe without saying the words "four-door coupe." Before the recent executive shuffle, previous brand CEO Wolfgang Durheimer told AE he expected a company EV to get around 600 hp and travel up to 310 miles on a charge. Wireless charging would be a major consideration as well, since grubby charging plugs don't mix well with white gloves. New brand boss Adrian Hallmark was told to invest in the brand instead of focusing exclusively on the numbers, and the EV initiative is about recasting Bentley as a luxury and technology brand, and appealing to younger customers. The next-generation Continental GT will get a PHEV drivetrain, and the Crewe manufacturer plans to have its entire range electrified by 2025.