Bentley Full-Size Cars

No doubt, after using God-knows-how-many-sleighs and eight burned out reindeers since time immemorial, dear pal and Christmas superstar Santa Claus is turning to a more traditional mode of transportation this holiday season.

Santa is expected to ride in style behind the wheel of the Reindeer Eight, a customized version of the Bentley Flying Spur that the British luxury car manufacturer is showing off ahead of Santa’s journey around the world. Dressed as you’d expect for a Christmas-themed Bentley, the Reindeer Eight is a proper homage to the most wonderful time of the year and the man largely responsible for making our kids stay up late at night on Christmas Eve.

In production since late 2015, the Bentley Bentayga received its much deserved mid-cycle facelift in June 2020. Less than two months have passed and the British automaker revealed the updated Bentayga Speed model, which means the old Speed goes out of production after only a year on the market. Changes are similar to those seen on the regular model, while drivetrain specs remain unchanged. However, the Speed is now your only option if you want a Bentayga with a W-12, as the big mill is no longer available on the regular SUV.

The declining sales of sedans across segments prompted every automaker to focus on SUVs. This was true even for the high-end automakers like Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, and Bentley. Surprisingly, despite the high price tags, their respective SUVs – the Cullinan, Urus, and Bentayga – became the best-sellers for the brand soon after they hit the market.

Bentley launched the Bentayga as a 2016 model year it is arguably the most important product for the brand today. After selling more than 200,000 examples since its inception four years back, Bentley has finally refreshed the Bentayga for the 2021 model year. Does it get any better?

The EPA released mpg ratings for the 2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid recently and it seems that the plug-in hybrid is not as efficient as one might think. Although most hybrids return better mpg than regular gasoline models, the electrified Bentayga is actually rated below its V-8 counterpart when it comes to highway mpg. Specifically, the hybrid falls behind the non-hybrid V-8 by two mpg.

Bentley wowed us all when it flooded the internet with images of the glorious Bacalar, an aggressive two-seater based on the current-generation Continental GTC with design strokes signed by Bentley’s famed coachbuilder Mulliner. Now, we’re getting a peek at how a coupe version might look but you should withstand the urge to throw money in Bentley’s general direction as this is merely an unofficial render.

From the ashes of the canceled 2020 Geneva Auto Show rose many models that were supposedly slated to make their debut in Switzerland and Bentley’s eye-catching Bacalar would’ve surely attracted every and all camera lenses. As it happens, a web reveal is all we got but, alas, we’ve been drooling at the $2 million roadster ever since we laid eyes on it so we do hope Bentley’s short-term plan includes a Bacalar with a fixed roof arching over the heads of the driver and his very special companion sitting in the passenger’s seat.

Last week, we reported on Bentley’s cancellation of the Mulsanne and speculated a bit on what was coming next. In that very article, I speculated that Bentley would have been in hot water if it wasn’t for the Bentayga, and the company would likely build another SUV. Well, folks, I was right. In an interview with Car & Driver, Adrian Hallmark, the big-boss of Bentley, has said that flagship status could be given to a new luxury SUV that will sit above the Bentayga. There’s a twist, though, and you need to know about it.

If Bentley and coachbuilding were people like you and me, they would be inseparable best friends. Take the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar or the Continental GT Convertible Equestrian, for example – they are overly luxurious and highly custom thanks to Bentley’s Mulliner division. These examples show just how far Bentley will go to tailor its vehicles to customer desire, and with the whole automotive world shifting like never before, what does the future hold for a company like Bentley? Well, modular coachbuilding could become the next big thing, and automotive designer Joseph Robinson drew up a project to represent just that.

There was a time when large, overly luxurious sedans were the cream of the crop for Bentley. Back when the Arnage was a thing, for example, Bentley was able to move 1,200 examples per year. It doesn’t sound like a lot when compared to mainstream vehicles, but for a company like Bentley that does so much by hand, that’s a lot. The Mulsanne was once a big deal too, but it has officially been canceled indefinitely with the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition – limited to just 30 examples – being the final Mulsanne to ever be produced. So, were sales of the Mulsanne really so bad Bentley had to cancel it altogether? Well, here’s the full story behind the demise of the Bentley Mulsanne.

The Geneva International Motor Show was going to be the “launchpad” for many automakers to showcase new models, including Bentley. The British automaker was supposed to premiere an ultra-exclusive roofless car called the Bacalar in Geneva. But, with the event being canceled, automakers decided to hold digital press conferences, and Bentley will be unveiling this beauty the same way instead of holding a standalone event later on.

The Bentley Bacalar has been designed by the company’s coachbuilding division, Mulliner. The Bacalar was one of the most anticipated vehicles from the Geneva Motor Show because it is only the second two-seater to have come out from the company’s stable since 1930. We already know that the Bacalar is inspired by the EXP 100 GT that was revealed last year as part of Bentley’s centenary celebrations. The Crewe company did tease the Bacalar in a three-part trailer series, and the last one gives us the vibes that it may actually be a roofless model. Until now, we’ve only seen bits of interior and the set of hot wheels.

If we go by the EXP 100 GT, the cabin will be nothing short of a marvel. The company describes it as, “The two-seat layout and wraparound cockpit of the Bacalar creates a luggage space behind the exquisitely stitched front seats, occupied by a bespoke pair of travel cases trimmed to match the interior materials, all of which are sustainably sourced.” The hand-built model from the world’s oldest coachbuilder will most likely come plonked with the familiar 6.0-liter, W12 engine that will bear impressive performance figures in this lightweight, topless car.

The live-stream is scheduled to start at 8:30 AM GMT / 3:30 AM EST and you can watch it right here.

Drag races these days can involve cars that sport different personalities and purposes. These days, you can expect a BMW 7 Series to do battle against the humble Dacia Logan MCV just to see how they fare in the quarter-mile run, or you can have your family EV going against all-out supercars... and win by a landslide.

But do you know what? Not many people drag race luxury cars. We, for one, would like to see how the S-Class compares to the Audi A8 in a straight line, or let’s say, how the Bentley Continental GT stacks up against the McLaren GT. Wait, what? It’s been done?

Bentley is bidding adieu to the Mulsanne luxury sedan in the most fitting way possible. The British automaker is launching a special edition Mulsanne called the 6.75 Edition. Only 30 units of the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition and, in keeping with Bentley’s tradition of dressing up its special edition models to the nines, the limited-run Mulsanne comes with enough exclusive touches in the exterior and interior to justify its special edition billing.

Bentley hasn’t announced a release timetable for the Mulsanne 6.75, but with the Mulsanne’s production run ending this year, expect the 6.75 Edition to arrive within the year.

The 2021 Bentley Flying Spur Speed is an upcoming, higher performance version of the third-generation, 2020 Flying Spur sedan. The beefed-up four-door marks the return of the Speed-badged Flying Spur after eight years. Although the first-generation Flying Spur featured a Speed version, Bentley skipped the nameplate for the second-generation, opting for the "S" designation instead.

With the Flying Spur redesigned in 2019, the Speed will probably make a comeback in time for the 2021 model year. The badge will add sportier features on the outside, a few bespoke items on the inside, and a more powerful W-12 engine. Find out what we already know about this sedan in the speculative review below.

If the recent rumors are true, Bentley is looking to capitalize on the stunningly-designed EXP 100 GT Concept by deriving it into a super-exclusive model of the barchetta-style ilk. The open-top sports tourer is in line to receive the carmaker’s W-12 powerplant that’s shared by the likes of Bentayga, Continental GT, and Flying Spur, but it has to qualify for approval first. Once it ticks that box, its development process will fall into the task of Bentley’s Mulliner division - so expect the open-top sports tourer to ooze luxury through every crevice.

The arrival of the 2020 Bentley Flying Spur is going to make a lot of bank accounts bleed, but just before the luxury sedan hits the market in full swing, Bentley’s rolling out the Flying Spur First Edition, a special edition model based on, well, the 2020 Flying Spur. The first example of the Flying Spur First Edition will not go on sale. Instead, it will be auctioned off at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s inaugural ball, called the “Midsummer Party,” on July 24 at Jean Pogizzi’s Villa Dorane in Cap d’Antibes, a resort town between Cannes and Nice on the French Riviera. All proceeds from the auction will go to the EJAF. As for the rest of the Flying Spur First Editions, Bentley will only sell it in the first-year production of the Flying Spur. Best be quick if you want to get your hands on one.

The 2020 Bentley Flying Spur is the third-generation version of the company’s full-size luxury sedan. The third-gen four-door replaces a six-year-old sedan in a segment that’s also contested by the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class and the Rolls-Royce Ghost.Heavily inspired by the Continental GT coupe, the 2020 Flying Spur boasts a sportier appearance on the outside, a more modern interior, and a revised W-12 engine.

Built on the same chassis as the Continental GT, the third-generation Flying Spur features a big amount of brand-new, state-of-the-art technology. The sedan is fitted with an active all-wheel-drive system, and it’s also the first Bentley to have four-wheel steering. The revised W-12 engine isn’t notably more powerful than the old unit, but it makes the Flying Spur the quickest sedan in its class and the only one to hit 60 mph in less than four seconds. Let’s find out more about that in the review below.

Celebrating the 100th anniversary since its inception, Bentley Motors Limited unveiled the new generation of the luxury executive saloon, the 2020 Bentley Flying Spur. Based around the same platform as the latest Porsche Panamera, the new Flying Spur takes the Volkswagen-developed tech to 11 and offers the most advanced, fastest, and the most opulent sedan of our time.

Valuing Bentley’s historical values, the new Flying Spur comes with a wealth of quirks and features, a fantastic W-12 engine, and a proportional shape - something that we crave for from the cars of today. The new Flying Spur is packed with tech and luxury. Now, I give you exciting and obscure quirks and features established with the new gen Flying Spur.

Bentley has just pulled the digital wraps off the third incarnation of its Flying Spur sedan, the four-door sibling to the Continental GT coupe. This latest model has a more athletic looking body, emphasized by more muscular rear flanks. It’s also longer, more spacious and comfortable for passengers, and even better to drive than the model it replaces.

It features several technical innovations, like the first ever retractable Flying B hood mascot, but also rear-wheel steering and additional active and passive safety aids. Its 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine has also been reworked to produce more power and torque. In the near future, the model will also be made available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and a twin-turbo V-8.

The Bentley Bentayga is supposed to be a luxury SUV, unlike any other. It’s still that for the most part, but the Bentayga apparently has a dark and sinister side that’s waiting to be unlocked. Turns out, Spanish design house Bengala Automotive Design SL, with the help of an unidentified Spanish off-road rally champion and his team, has a key to that lock, and it did more than just unlock the Bentayga’s mean mug. It unleashed a tank-like monstrosity known as the Bentley Bentayga Bengala. Only 15 units of the Bentley Bentayga Bengala will be made. Each model will be made to the exact specification of the owner, so it’s unlikely that we’ll see two exact-spec Bengala units. There is no word on how much a unit will cost. Given the limited and custom-centric nature of the Bengala, we can at least expect a unit to cost a hell of a lot more than the Bentayga’s $195,000 base price.