2007 Bentley Continental Gtc Convertible 2-door 6.0l on 2040-cars

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Bentley's SUV will be first of many plug-in hybrids

Bentley is not exactly a company known for its environmental credentials. Sure, it recently cut its water usage down by over a third, and given the relatively small number of vehicles it produces, the British firm's overall impact on the environment may be negligible compared to mass-market rivals. And of course, its affluent customers are hardly likely to feel the pinch of rising fuel costs, so Bentley's idea of engine downsizing has been going from twelve cylinders to eight.
That will all change with the launch of its first SUV, previewed by the controversial EXP 9 F concept and expected to be called Falcon. To hear Auto Express tell it, the luxo-ute is being designed from the get-go to incorporate a plug-in hybrid powertrain, slated to go on sale a year after the conventional version arrives late in 2015 or early 2016. But that's just the tip of the iceberg which Bentley is trying to help keep from melting.
Following the Falcon, other Bentleys are slated to get PHEV systems as well. It'll just take a while. That's because current models like the Continental and Mulsanne were never designed to incorporate PHEV powertrain systems in the first place. So while they may get them in the long run, their integration will likely have to wait until their replacements arrive.

2022 Bentley Continental GT Mulliner steps to the top of the line

The shifting in the lineups coming out of Crewe continues with the reveal of the Bentley Continental GT Mulliner. The English luxury maker introduced the most recent GT Mulliner two years ago when there were still a 626-horsepower standard W12 and a 650-horsepower GT Speed. With the GT Speed now the only W12, the introduction of the indulgent Azure trim "for those prioritizing wellbeing and on-board comfort," and the arrival of the coming V8-powered S models, the new Mulliner steps in at the head of the pack. Starting from the bottom, the current Continental Range is the V8, Azure, S, Speed, and Mulliner. What does a buyer get with the flagship Conti? The GT Speed chassis dressed in Mulliner jewelry and coachwork. The 6.0-liter W12 makes 650 horses and 664 pounds of twist, clocking 3.5 seconds from standstill to 60 miles per hour, acceleration unwilling to relent until 208 miles per hour. Dynamism at less furious speeds benefits from adaptive dampers, an electronic limited-slip differential on the rear axle, all-wheel steering, and brake-based torque vectoring.  The cosmetic package is effectively handed down from the previous version, which we can't find fault with. The double diamond matrix grille stands proud up front, wearing either bright chrome or the Mulliner Blackline Specification gloss black. The are also specific 22-inch Mulliner wheels, satin silver mirror caps shrouding Mulliner welcome lamps, and illuminated treadplates. The interior picks up unique three-way colorways that rearrange the way primary, secondary, and tertiary colors are split throughout the cabin. Mulliner offers eight standard combinations all lashed up with diamond quilting, paired with 88 choices in Piano wood veneers and heaps of thread options for the contrast and accent stitching. Gauges in the digital instrument cluster have been designed with a technical finish to go along with the diamond milling on the center console. Even the occupants' feet get treated to floor mats edged in complementary piping. Overhead, roofs without the panoramic glass get trimmed with indented hide, roofs with the glass top get smooth hides. For now, the Continental GT V8 Mulliner remains available. The new model debuted at the Goodwood Festival of Speed along with the S trim and the first historic Blower Continuation, called Blower Car Zero, and it can all be livestreamed here.

Bentley Continental GT takes off with Breitling Jet Team

Of all the automakers that have co-branding deals in place with watchmakers, the relationship between Breitling and Bentley ranks among the longest-standing. But aviation aficionados will also point out that Breitling – ever the favorite of pilots – also supports a team of aerobatic pilots called the Breitling Jet Team. Now the three have come together to create a special run of luxury automobiles. The Bentley Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team Series, as you might have guessed, is based on the Continental GT Speed that stands as the fastest model Bentley has ever offered. Which is a good starting point, because despite the "jet" part of the name, they have not actually put a turbine engine under the hood. Jaguar (among others) has tried that, and it has yet to work out. What sets apart this special series is entirely cosmetic, carried out by Bentley's Mulliner customization department. It has a two-tone paint job of Hallmark and Onyx (which may look purplish in the pictures but the scheme is listed as silver and black in the Bentley catalog), matching the livery on the jets themselves. It's accented with Breitling's signature yellow. The color scheme continues inside, with carbon-fiber trim, more yellow accents, and little thematic Easter eggs throughout. Whether the result looks like a promotional vehicle or a sleek take on the vehicle of choice for every entrepreneur who strikes it big, that's a matter of taste. And if you want to see one up close, you'll have to go to Seattle at the end of July. That's where Bentley will present the only seven examples it will make to their owners. The presentation will be made individually by the pilots at the Boeing Seafair Airshow – but only after what's sure to be the ride of their life on board one of the team's L-39 Albatros jets. BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT SPEED BREITLING JET TEAM SERIES LIMITED EDITION - Seven limited edition Continental GT Speeds inspired by famed jets - Handcrafted models take Mulliner customisation to new heights - Continental GT Speed is fastest production Bentley ever - Models to debut at Boeing Seafair Airshow, Seattle, July 31 (Crewe, 30 June 2015) Bentley is taking its fusion of luxury and performance to new extremes with the launch of the Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team Series. This exclusive series is limited to just seven cars, each inspired by one of the seven Breitling Jets.