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Bentley Continental has come a long way in 63 years

Ever wonder why Bentley calls its coupe the Continental? We'll give you a hint: it's not because it comes with orange juice and a breakfast roll. It's because the coupe was designed to traverse entire continents in speed and comfort. And it has been doing that for 63 years now. The fastest four-passenger vehicle of its day, the original Bentley R-Type Continental is considered to be the world's first grand tourer. The Continental was based on the R-Type saloon, retaining its 4.6-liter inline-six but replacing the four-door bodywork with an altogether more elegant, dynamic form. The two-door bodywork was crafted by H.J. Mulliner & Co, whose name still adorns Bentley's customization department, and whom parent Rolls-Royce favored over its usual Park Ward for its pioneering skills in lightweight construction. The result was a vehicle that could sweep along the highways constructed in post-war Europe with ease and grace at speeds up to 120 miles per hour. Of the 2,000+ R-Types that Bentley made in the early 1950s, only 208 were Continentals, making it one of the most sought-after Bentleys of all time – and one of the most beautiful. It's that spirit which the company aims to carry forth with its namesake, the latest Continental GT Speed, which stands as the fastest production model Bentley has ever offered. Of course it's not just on the road where Bentley forged its reputation, but on the racetrack as well. That history stretches back to the famous Birkin Blower that won at Le Mans in 1930 straight through to the Continental GT3 that scored podium finishes at Paul Ricard and the Nurburgring this year. Watch the video above and scroll through the galleries below to see Bentleys old and new come together and demonstrate the heritage that they're always crowing about in Crewe. BENTLEY CONTINENTAL: EVOLUTION OF AN ICON - New film features 16MY Continental GT Speed and R-Type Continental - Traces the DNA and design of the Continental from 1952 to present - 16MY GT Speed is the fastest production car ever made by Bentley (Crewe, 16 December 2015) The Bentley Continental GT is one of the most iconic cars on the road today. The Continental name first entered the company's lexicon in 1952 with the R-Type Continental – arguably the world's first Grand Tourer. With a top speed of 120 mph it was the fastest four-seater in the world at the time of its launch.

2020 Bentley Flying Spur First Edition Road Test | $280,000 worth of drama-free splash

After reading Brett Berk’s First Drive review of the Bentley Flying Spur, I was intrigued. Not by the authorÂ’s propensity for shedding clothing (though that sure is Â… something), but by some of the carÂ’s numbers and its drivetrain features. Figures such as 626 horsepower and 3.7 seconds to 60 piqued my interest, as did torque-vectoring all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering. Bentley says the Flying Spur offers “breathtaking performance.” BerkÂ’s first drive was in Monaco, where a car like this pairs well with the luxury yachts. My time with the Flying Spur would be much less of a pantsless extravaganza. Instead, IÂ’d be fleeing quarantine cabin fever with my family, schlepping through the rain to run errands, waving to confused-looking neighbors and hopefully experiencing performance that would, as advertised, take my breath away. The Flying Spur feels a bit like a boat. ItÂ’s big, with a long hood stretching out into oneÂ’s forward view like the bow of a cabin cruiser. Add the isolated feeling provided by the suspension, and I could easily imagine myself skimming across a calm bay. The materials lend themselves to the nautical whimsy as well, with plenty of quilted leather and horizontal swaths of metal-accented wood that reminded me of my uncleÂ’s Lake Erie runabout. My first outing was with the family, and it was mostly spent on the highway. My wife, Cat, who is prone to motion sickness, had no troubles in the Flying Spur. Apart from sneaking in a few hard launches — eliciting chuckles from Cat and admonishment from my son, Wollie — I kept my driving sane and smooth. I mostly kept the car in Comfort mode. Driven as such, even with the brief moments of right-foot indulgence, the Flying Spur felt a bit underwhelming. The carÂ’s size suggests the existence of the 6.0-liter W12 under the hood, but its 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque are experienced differently in this Bentley. Hardly any sound makes its way into the cabin. Its highway calmness belies its actual swiftness. This was all well and good for the comfort of my passengers, but it didnÂ’t do much to evoke any feeling beyond that of leisure. In fact, IÂ’d have almost rather have been a passenger for this sort of trip. That way I could better soak in the craftsmanship that surrounds you inside a Bentley.

Bentley going back to Pikes Peak with a Continental GT

Bentley is headed to the clouds again, with Rhys Millen once more at the wheel. The English luxury brand took on the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb last year with a Bentayga, Millen setting a production SUV record of 10:49.902. This year the duo want to claim the production car record over the 12.42-mile, 156-corner course with the new W12-powered Bentley Continental GT. The Pikes Peak organization doesn't list "Production Car" on its list of records. The closest we could find is a record run of 10:26.896 set by David Donner in a 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S in the Time Attack 2 class. It appears a production car only needs the necessary safety gear like a roll cage and fire extinguisher to qualify for Time Attack 2. An Acura NSX won the category in 2016, just two seconds off Donner's time. Bentley is already working on its run and likely has simulations showing it can outdo Donner's time, but this will be a battle of lean vs. largesse. The Continental GT has all-wheel drive like the 911 Turbo S, and one more gear in its eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox compared to the Porsche. The Turbo S put out 560 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, compared to Millen's ride getting 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. But the Bentley weighs roughly 1,400 pounds more than the Porsche, a healthy handicap to drag up to the 14,115-foot summit. Millen's the man to make the attempt, though, having raced up the mountain 25 times and taken five overall and seven class victories. The race goes down - or up, rather - on June 30.