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Bentley wants to get into the coachbuilding business

There was a time when a customer would buy a chassis from an automaker like Bentley and then take it to a coachbuilder to have whatever bodywork they wanted put on it. The practice was particularly prevalent in Bentley's earlier days, but the industry has progressed in such a way - with tighter regulations and unibody construction - that such a practice is no longer feasible. But Bentley wants to get back into that business.
Speaking to UK trade publications recently, Bentley sales chief Kevin Rose indicated that the company is looking into setting up a special division within itself to meet the demands of extremely wealthy customers who want to commission their own coachbuilt custom creations. It's an emerging trend that's seen Ferrari Special Projects build one-offs like the F12 TRS and SP12 EC and McLaren Special Operations the outlandish X-1, and Bentley wants to get in on the action.
It wouldn't be the first even to rebody a contemporary Bentley in recent years. Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera offers the Flying Star (pictured above) that turns the Continental GT into a shooting brake, and Dany Bahar's new coachbuilding outfit Ares plans to do the same. By bringing it in-house, however, Bentley would be able to pick the chassis up off the assembly line at the right time and provide the necessary support and factory backing.

A faster Bentley Bentayga Speed is coming

With 600 horsepower on tap, the Bentley Bentayga already claims the mantle as the fastest, most powerful SUV on the market. The latest reports indicate that there's an even faster, more powerful version in the works. After speaking with Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer at the Beijing Motor Show this week, Auto Express reports that a Bentayga Speed is on the way. "If you're asking whether there would be Speed versions of the Bentayga eventually," said Durheimer, "then yes, you might expect that." Details, as you might have expected, remain unconfirmed at this point. However the latest Continental GT Speed packs 633 horsepower from its 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 – 66 horses more than the standard twelve-cylinder Continental GT. And the Mulsanne's 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8 produces 505 hp in standard trim and 530 in Speed spec for a difference of 25 hp. If the Bentayga Speed follows a similar formula, we can expect a solid 650 hp or so. That ought to help push the SUV past 60 in less than its current 4.0 seconds, and on past its stated 187-mph top speed. The Speed version isn't the only variant of the Bentayga said to be in the works. We're also anticipating a diesel version as well as a hybrid. We wouldn't be surprised to see a lighter V8 model, too, as we have on the Continental. And a fastback model in the mold of the BMW X6 and company is also reportedly under consideration. Beyond the Bentayga, Bentley is said to be closely evaluating what to develop next. The choice is between the EXP 10 Speed 6 sports coupe concept on the one hand, and a smaller crossover on the other. The answer could depend heavily on how the Bentayga performs in the Chinese market. Related Video:

Bentley fires staff priest before Christmas

This sounds like a scene out of A Christmas Carol, but it appears to be real. The resident chaplain for Bentley at Crewe was removed from his post - just days before Christmas. Reverend Francis Cooke had visited Crewe once a week for the last decade, but was relieved of his duties when it was feared by management that his presence at the factory might offend a multi-faith workforce.
According to Rev. Cooke, "The reason I have been given is that there are too many people of different faiths to warrant a Christian chaplain." Cooke pointed out that no complaint had ever been brought against him, and that he helps all faiths at the factory - not just Christians.
Bentley issued a statement, addressing its decision, "We have a wide range of faiths and want to take a multi-faith outlook. It would be very difficult to have somebody from each faith."