Bentley is extensively prepping for their future with a couple of new paths to higher sales. Just recently, the company has downsized from a W12 to a V8 engine and their next course of action is to offer a plug-in hybrid model. In an interview with Car and Driver, Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer reported that the hybrid system could be based on Volkswagen technology and that it could combine either a W12 engine or a V8 engine with an electric motor placed between the engine and transmission. This system will allow an electric-only range of 16 to 19 miles - a relatively good range considering we are talking about very heavy vehicles.
Another new direction Bentley is taking, and probably the stranger of the two, is their announced plans to steal customers from Maybach. This bit of news came shortly after Mercedes announced that the last Maybach unit would be produced in early 2013. Bentley hopes that this termination of production will get stars like hip-hop artist Jay-Z, actor Samuel L. Jackson, and King Juan Carlos to turn their attention from the old Maybach models to Bentley’s line-up. We would think that Rolls Royce would be a good candidate as well, but Bentley wouldn’t be a bad way to go either.
"The withdrawal of Maybach is a business opportunity for us and we’re going to use it," Bentley Chief Executive Wolfgang Duerheimer told Reuters. And they aren’t too worried about Mercedes’ decision to offer an S600 Pullman because "they wanted something more exclusive than a Mercedes in the first place, so Rolls or Bentley would seem an obvious substitution."
In this war, Bentley has the advantage of planning a large luxury SUV that will be placed over the top Cayenne and it will be "highly customizable, including a wealth of interior materials and a choice of four- or five-passenger configurations."
After releasing a video showing off the sound of Bentley’s new V8 engine, the company has officially announced details on the new Continental GT V8 before its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 9, 2012. The new 4.0 liter, twin turbocharged V8 engine will be offered for both the CT coupe and GTC convertible models and will go on sale in the summer of 2012.
The new V8 engine delivers 500 HP at 6000 rpm and 487 lb-ft of torque available between 1700 to 5000 rpm. The models equipped with this new engine will be offered with a new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission and will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, while top speed will go up to 180 mph. Fuel economy and CO2 emissions have been improved significantly, but official figures will be released in early 2012. Bentley has promised that when equipped with the new V8 engine, the Continental models will be capable of traveling over 500 miles (800km) on a single tank of fuel.
"With the new 4.0 liter V8 engine we are widening the appeal of the latest generation of Continentals, introducing a completely new driving experience. The new engine will have all the exhilarating power, drama and performance you would expect from a V8 engine sporting the famous Bentley wings, effortlessly delivered with our characteristic ‘wave of torque’. This is complemented by innovative powertrain technology that delivers exceptional fuel efficiency and emissions," said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive, Bentley Motors.
UPDATE 12/20/2011: A leaked pricing reveals is offering us the European prices for the new Continental GT models. The coupe version is priced at 161,840 euro (about $211,600 at the current exchange rates) and the convertible version at 178,024 euro ($232,700).
UPDATE 01/12/2012: Bentley has unveiled a new video presenting the new Continental GT V8 in action. Enjoy!
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Bentley put a hold on developing any new models in order to work on a new 4.0 liter, twin turbocharged V8 engine that we already expected to see in the Continental GT V8 at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Details for the Coupe model were already revealed to that effect, but now that the auto show has opened its doors, the new Continental GTC V8 was there, welcoming the auto industry with open arms with its new engine and a total of 500 HP and 487 lb ft of torque. In Europe, the GTC V8 is priced at €149,600 - or about $191,000 at the current exchange rates. Prices for the North American market will be announced at a later date.
"With the new 4.0 liter V8 engine we are widening the appeal of the latest generation of Continentals, introducing a completely new driving experience. The new engine will have all the exhilarating power, drama and performance you would expect from a V8 engine sporting the famous Bentley wings, effortlessly delivered with our characteristic ‘wave of torque’. This is complemented by innovative powertrain technology that delivers exceptional fuel efficiency and emissions," said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive, Bentley Motors.
Hit the jump to read more about the new Bentley Continental GTC V8.
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Ultra luxury brands beware, another one of your comrades is falling down the shame spiral and building a - gasp - SUV!
Sure that’s a little dramatic, but so are all of the people that are scoffing at the fact that Bentley has now confirmed a new SUV scheduled to hit their lineup sometime in 2015. If everyone remembers correctly, these are the same people that were horrified that Porsche decided to build the Cayenne and look how well that turned out for them. Now, with a 37% increase of sales in 2011 (to 7,003 vehicles sold), Bentley is looking to double this number by the time this new SUV comes out by making it "the world’s most luxurious 4x4" SUV and targeting growing SUV markets like the US and China. The "luxurious" title will also match the price; Bentley is stating that the starting price for their future SUV will be $140,000, making the $48,200 starting price of the Porsche Cayenne look like it belongs on a Kia Sportage.
So what constitutes the jumbo price tag? Other than the supposedly tremendous amount of luxury built into the future SUV, it has also been stated that it will be powered by the next generation W12 engine delivering up to 600 HP. For markets like Europe, Bentley will also offer a 6.0-liter V12 TDI engine with an output of about 500 HP.
Bentley is taking a big step with its improving sales by giving an SUV a chance to flourish. Does the world need a strong competitor for the Porsche Cayenne? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean that high-end customers with deep pockets won’t be writing out checks for a chance to wallow in the luxurious nature promised by Bentley.
Not that we needed one at this point, but Bentley has finally "confirmed" their future SUV, said to be "the world’s most luxurious 4x4." Their future model will follow the Mulsanne and Continental cycles, debuting sometime in 2014 with a powerful 12-cylinder engine. This announcement comes after the impressive results posted by the company in 2011: sales were up 37% to 7003 for the calendar year with sales accelerating as the year progressed.
"If we bring this (SUV) to the market it will be positioned significantly above the vehicles that are currently available in this segment," Bentley brand chief Wolfgang Durheimer said Tuesday. This means that the new Bentley SUV will be placed above any other SUV on the market and will be priced at more than $140,000.
This confirmation will undoubtedly force Lamborghini to make a final decision on their third model, which will more than likely be an SUV since the strong demand for sporty soft-roaders coming from emerging markets such as China, Russia and India has risen. That being said, Lamborghini’s final decision will be announced in March at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
