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Combining modern technology with traditional coachbuilding techniques and the attention to detail that can only come from master crafters and stratospheric price tags, the Bentley Mulsanne requires 125 man-hours to create just the body of pre-production vehicles. Details like the hand-brazed seam on the D-pillar, which hides panel seams to create a smooth, flowing look across the rear of the car, are still done by hand to achieve the optimal result.

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The car was all taped up around the badges, door and bonnet shuts,' said our reader. Let's call him Alan.

'I know the Mulsanne's not out until later in the spring, so I wonder why it was in this out-of-the-way car park in Morley?'

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We spent a day in the wilds of New Jersey and upstate New York, along with a few hours at Monticello Raceway to find out. Ladies and gentlemen, allow us to introduce you to the first Continental you can feel. Think of the Bentley Continental Supersports as Usain Bolt: both are hypothetically too big to perform as they do, but they do it anyway.

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Writ large on its face with extra grilles and hood slots is what the most chest-thumping Bentley Continental model yet is all about: It’s about roasting weenies, especially ones in Porsches.

The 621-hp Continental Supersports weighs 5011 pounds, costs nearly $275,000, and hits 60 mph in a face-peeling 3.6 seconds, almost a half-second quicker than the next-fleetest Continental, the 600-hp GT Speed. It sounds wonderfully flatulent and looks slightly scary. At any moment you expect it to unfold into a giant robot and start bench-pressing 747s.

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Yes, at 621bhp it’s 3.5 per cent more powerful than a Continental GT Speed, produces more torque (800Nm vs. 750Nm, both from around 1700rpm) and is 110kg lighter. All of this — and some subtle bodywork revisions — has the effect of dropping the 0-60mph time down to 3.7 seconds and raising the top speed to 204mph. Amazing, astonishing even, but it’s the way this Bentley — the latest to carry the 1920s ‘Supersports’ name — covers the road that impresses the most.

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The ultra-exclusive Continental adds a new Series 51 trim for 2010, named after Bentley's first official styling department in the 1950s. Series 51 trim will be available for the entire Continental lineup and offer exclusive exterior design cues and a unique color palette. We're talking three-tone leather with contrasting piping and stitching here, folks. Check the Series 51 box and you'll also get 14-spoke, 20-inch wheels and a Series 51 badge on the front wings.

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A few weeks ago we got the opportunity to drive the 2010 Bentley Continental Supersports. When we get a particularly nice car such as this one, we like to take it somewhere special. And with the sculpted body of this coupe, the sights of San Francisco seemed the appropriate background for many photo opportunities. We drove the car along San Franciscco's 49-mile Scenic Drive, a route that winds through the city, hitting the major attractions, stopping the car where we could.

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In the end, the 2010 Bentley Continental GTC Speed leaves me puzzled:
-Is it an insanely powerful, AWD car? Yes.
-Is it a pleasure to look at from the outside? Don’t lie – you know it is.
-Is it filled with exquisite materials put together with old-world handmade craftsmanship? Right-o!
-Is it too expensive? Most probably.
-Did I enjoy every minute of my time with the car? You bet your collateralized debt obligation I did.

This car is part of a dying breed of vehicles, instantly identifiable even to non enthusiasts. You might be likely to hear someone say “Is that they new Hyundai Elantra or the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class?” But you won’t hear them say, “Is that a Bentley?” They know its a Bentley.

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Built in a limited edition of 250 numbered pairs, these skis employ innovative materials such as Zaiira, a composite found on the top layer of the ski, plus natural rubber, a chrome steel torsion section and long-fiber Reinforced

Thermoplastic Composites. Best of all, the Bentley Styling Studio in Crewe, England, played a role in their super stylish look.

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After all, there was never any doubt that the German-owned maker of high-end luxury cars would eventually cut the top off its latest sportster -- in this case powered by the most powerful production version of the automaker's 6.0-liter W12 powerplant.

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This is the first modern Bentley I've ever been excited about. Part of the appeal of the Supersports we're testing lies in the fact that virtually everything on the car is black, that the seats feature manual adjustments, and that the materials covering every inch of the interior are as soft and luxurious as it gets. The rest of the Supersports' appeal is apparent as soon as you put even the smallest amount of pressure on the accelerator pedal.

Through some pretty standard engineering changes that include a lot of aluminum suspension components, antiroll bar changes, stiffer bushings, lower ride height, and lighter wheels and brakes, the Supersports feels far lighter than its 4939-pound curb weight suggests. Steering responses are excellent, and the ride is extremely firm, yet never harsh, over brittle pavement. It's a good thing this massive coupe is so easy to control, because there's an astonishing 621 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque available, and it pulls like the proverbial freight train at any speed.

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“Even at this very early stage, the expression of interest we’ve received easily exceeds our 2010 production targets,” said Stuart McCullough, member of the board for sales and marketing for Bentley. “We’ve been encouraged by the positive commentary, notably from our American customers as the Mulsanne was privately previewed in seven metro markets across the country.”

So what do you get for $285,000? For starters, plenty of decisions. There are 114 paint colors to choose from, 21 carpet colors, 9 wood veneers and 24 leather hides. Naturally, custom colors are also available at a premium. Each Mulsanne will take nine weeks to build.

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The project took 2000 man-hours and involved 59 Bentley employees. The team retained many of the original features of the bus, but adapted to the needs of St Luke’s in a typical Bentley way.
The same grade of leather the automaker uses in its cars has been used throughout on the seats, each embroidered with the St Luke’s and Bentley logos.

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2010 Bentley Azure: Azure is only offered as a performance-oriented Azure T for 2010. The Azure T has a twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter V8 engine that produces 500 horsepower — an 11 percent increase over the non-T Azure. Power is transmitted through a ZF six-speed automatic gearbox with semiautomatic and sports functions.

Decorative items include 20-inch five-spoke bright finish alloy wheels, a retractable "Flying B" bonnet mascot, dark tint matrix upper and lower grilles, "Le Mans" lower front wing air vents, Bentley-jewel fuel filler cap, diamond quilting on seats and door panels, and many knurled metal finish controls. Customization options include a choice of 42 exterior paint colors, eight unbleached veneers and 25 leather hides.

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The car that fits the bill goes by the internal acronym NCB, for New Compact Bentley. Loosely connected to the aluminum-intensive, next-generation Audi A6/A7, NCB could debut as soon as 2014. To keep supply from outstripping demand, output likely will be restricted to no more than 7500 cars per year in two distinct variants.

Management doesn't want the Continental/Flying Spur body styles repeated on a smaller scale. Instead, the tentative plan is to go with two brand-new offerings: a two-door, four-seat shooting brake (sort of a sporty wagon) and a four-door, five-seat crossover (pictured) described as a Bentley take on the Audi Allroad, which would cover the SUV segment without being overly tall and heavy. (Remember that Bentley chairman Franz-Josef Paefgen fathered the Allroad when he headed Audi but opposed the Q7.)

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Despite encompassing 143,000 square feet, Bentley's parts warehouse in Crewe, England, apparently was bursting at the seams. That's perhaps not surprising, since the company stocks more than 55,000 parts lines for all Bentleys built since 1955 (and for Crewe-built Rolls-Royce cars assembled there through 2002). With seven million items on hand, and new models like the Continental Supersports and the Mulsanne coming onstream, Bentley needed to make some space. The solution? A giant, two-day garage sale.

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One of the highlights of the new collection is the striking Vented Wings available for the Bentley Continental GT and GTC. Positioned to the rear of the front wheel arch, the vents are cut into a newly tooled wing panel and feature a black mesh finish. An alternative chrome mesh is currently under development and will be available in early 2010. This accessory will also be offered on Continental Flying Spur models.

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The exclusive event, set to be held at the Bonhams auction house on December 1st, will feature a "vast array of sculptures, painting, digital art and photography. Created in many different media, from sculptures in bronze and set in wood, to metal and leather, to Perspex, to palette knife and brush paintings on canvas, the works showcase the imagination of the men and women who design Bentley cars."

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he Bentley Mulsanne first appeared at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show last month, and it will soon be joined by a Mulsanne coupe version, likely in 2011. Which may in turn, be followed by a cabrio Mulsanne, an exciting prospect for the 6.75-litre V8 twin turbo with 512 hp and 1020 Nm of torque.

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Bell finally took out sometime to take the new Bentley out for a spin on the Nurburgring and we now have a video of his lap around the Nordschleife.

Just to point out how good Bell is, the man is a 5 time winner of Le Mans and also raced in Formula One for the Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees and Tecno teams.

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It's famous for big, powerful and thirsty cars – but luxury maker Bentley is going eco-friendly by launching a new engine which will reduce CO2 emissions by an incredible 40 per cent. And it could be a hybrid.

Following on from the Continental Supersports – the first model from the firm that runs on E85 bioethanol – the new powertrain will arrive in 2011, most likely in the Continental’s replacement.

It would slash CO2 from the current 396g/km to less than 240g/km. And as the new Conti will get a light aluminium body, it could emit less than 225g/km – taking the model out of the top road tax bracket for the first time.

Details remain secret for now, but it’s likely to be a new type of hybrid, with an engine that can run on biofuel, petrol or a combination of the two – similar to the Supersports.

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Bentley describes the new Continental Supersports as “a fusion of extremes.” And that it is, starting with the name itself, which fuses the “Continental” badge, which dates to the brand’s 1950s models, and “Supersports,” a descriptor first given to a series of speed-record-setting Bentleys in the 1920s. Styling-wise, the look is also a blend of the elegant body shape of the Continental GT coupe and sinister elements such as black wheels and gaping front intakes. The interior remains inarguably luxurious, yet eschews stodgy wood and puffy seats in favor of intense carbon-fiber trim and lightweight racing shells.

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While attending the launch of Bentley’s new 204-mph Continental Supersports coupe—which is pretty damn nice, by the way—I asked Bentley insiders about the possibility of a Supersports ragtop, and they told me it is being seriously considered.

It’s no done deal, though. Indeed, according to Bentley, the Supersports coupe itself wasn’t part of the Continental’s original product plan, but rather is the outcome of simultaneous engineering developments that eeked 21 more hp and 37 additional lb-ft of torque from its 6.0-liter W-12 engine, coaxed faster shifts from its six-speed automatic, and lightened some chassis components. The result, as I found, is a very interesting, if spontaneous by product-planning standards, interpretation of the ultimate Bentley performance car. How can they top that? Well, by untopping it, of course, with a convertible version.

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And Bentley is planning fresh replacements for both the Brooklands coupé and Azure convertible based on the newcomer, which made its public debut at Frankfurt.

The company is certainly confident the Mulsanne will reset the luxury car benchmark for years to come. Speaking exclusively to Auto Express, Bentley’s Dr Ulrich Eichhorn said: “With this car, we assessed the performance, craftsmanship and refinement of the Arnage – and enhanced it in every way. We have produced a car of the highest possible quality.”

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We think the blue (one of 126 standard colors) helps tremendously. We know there will be disagreement on the matter, but let us remind you of one thing: 752 lb-ft of torque at 1,800 rpm.

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For the more discerning Bentley buyer, the Series 51 option is available on either the Continental GT or GTC, and offers an expanded color palette inside and a two-tone option outside, you also get unique 20 inch wheels and a bigger price tag.

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"The challenge we set our engineers was to create a new grand Bentley that would stand as the pinnacle of British luxury motoring," said Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors. "They have responded to this challenge with real passion, and the result is a luxury grand tourer that sets new standards in terms of comfort, effortless performance, and hand-crafted refinement."Certainly, it also marks one of the biggest changes to a large Bentley in some time. Although the front fascia somewhat evokes the prior Arnage, it's markedly different, sporting a wide grille and large high-intensity discharge headlamps. Perhaps most dramatic are the Mulsanne's rear haunches, which flow beautifully into the rear bumper fascia.

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It didn’t bank on our opportunist photographer, who snapped this exclusive shot of the car. As ever, wood and leather feature, but the Mulsanne has a more modern take on the traditional Bentley layout.

It gets chromed dials, as well as a joystick-style controller for the information screen.

The needles on the speedo and rev counter sit at the ‘two o’clock position’, while a knob on the console gives a choice of comfort, sport and custom modes for the gearbox, dampers and throttle.

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"We prefer more one-on-one marketing," said Bentley's U.S. spokesman David Reuter in a telephone interview with Inside Line on Wednesday. We had asked if the Mulsanne would be Bentley's first product to have its own Facebook page.

The Mulsanne tour begins at Bentley's California dealerships and then will hit Texas, Miami, Chicago, Detroit and New York through November. The tour will not include test-drives of the car, which was officially launched last weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The Mulsanne will go on sale here in summer 2010, just behind the car's spring launch in Europe.

"Traffic flow on our Web site and calls to the hotline have been overwhelming," said Reuter, who added that he was unable to quantify the response at the moment since the car is only a few days past its debut.

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The Mulsanne is touted as the first Bentley designed and produced entirely at the company's Crewe headquarters in England since the legendary 1920's-era 8-liter Bentley, and to mark the occasion, Gooding wheeled W.O. Bentley's own personal ride, the second 8-liter chassis ever made, onto the stage before bidding began. Gooding opened the bids for Mulsanne #1 at $500,000, but after receiving no bids at that price, bidding quickly stepped down to $300k, only to climb back up to the half-million mark where it sold to an undisclosed collector over the phone.

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It is a clean sheet design, and nothing on the car’s exterior is shared with any other Bentley apart from the door mirror, which comes from the ethanol-powered SuperSports.

Every panel is unique to the Mulsanne – even the door handles have been developed for the car – and it features many handmade parts, including the fillet of metal below the rear window, constructed from three pieces of metal and brazed by hand.

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Perhaps equal to our raging jealousy is our fascination at the lineup of cars on hand for the 60th meet up. A few favorites: 1928 Speed Six, 1933 Napier-Railton (with a 24-liter, 550 hp W12 -- no front-wheel brakes, either), 1949 MkVI Special, 1990 Turbo R and the Le Mans winning, 600 hp, 217 mph 2003 Speed 8. If none of those float your boat, check your pulse concentrate on the fact that one of the scratch races saw 25 Bentleys of all vintages going wheel to wheel with Michael Higginbotham's MkVI Special coming out on top.

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et us dive briefly into the design details of the first Bentleys. The chassis was conventional, with half-elliptic springs, brakeless front axle, live rear axle and separate gearbox. The engine was quite revolutionary, with a non-detachable cylinder head, four valves and two spark plugs per cylinder, and an overhead camshaft driven by a series of bevel gears at the front of the engine. W.O. kept to this essential engine format for nearly all his engines, only replacing the gear train with a clever three-throw drive for the camshaft on his straight-six 6½ Litre and 8 Litre models. Only the ill-fated 4 Litre engine, designed in the dying days of the business in 1931, had a detachable head and pushrod-driven camshaft.

To publicize his cars, W.O. made an early, and rather smart, decision to enter them in international races. The Bentley race program began in 1922 when W.O. entered a team of three 3 Litre racers in the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man and a fourth car in the 1922 Indianapolis 500. He then went on to race a team in 1923 in the Georges Boillot Cup in France, and he entered many events at the Brooklands Racetrack, sometimes driving himself. But it was at Le Mans that Bentley became a legend.

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Pearl Motor Yachts, a British company, is partnering up with luxury British automaker Bentley with a special deal for customers buying its flagship Pearl 60 yacht. Every buyer will get a free Bentley Continental GT Coupe.

The matching of the two brands makes sense as they are both British luxury brands that offer their customers well-crafted and high priced vehicles. Pearl Motor Yachts managing director Ian Smallridge revealed during a recent interview with Boating Business that many of his customers are already "huge fans" of Bentley so it was an obvious choice to team up with the automaker.

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Although the Grand Bentley is coated in copious amounts of camo, when we look back at the two teasers Bentley released of the hood and rear-quarter, it doesn't take much imagination to piece things together. There's a few shades of the Mulsanne and Brooklands to the profile, primarily accentuated by the ultra-thick C-pillar, and while the body cladding lends an air of Phantom to the fascia, it's decidedly more sculpted and smooth, and should be a fitting place to stack the duo of round headlamps we've seen in previous spy shots.

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The GTC is phenomenal. Yes, the GTC Speed is more phenomenal, but in the difference between the GTC and the GTC Speed, we're really talking slivers here. They just happen, however, to be slivers of heaven. Fittingly, that sliver will run you nearly $40,000 – the GTC Speed starts at $237,695 – but living a nasty, short, and brutish life in a cruel, cruel world, every little extra bit of heaven counts, no?

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Bentley, Volkswagen AG's British luxury brand, is planning to use cylinder cutoffs in the next generation of its top-of-the-line model, the Arnage.

The cutoff technology is designed to sharply reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by closing off individual combustion chambers when they are not needed -- say, at cruising speeds.

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What the replacement steamer will be—and what it will be called—Bentley will most likely reveal at the concours d’élégance in Pebble Beach in mid-August. Meantime, the Arnage has already entered its “final series” stage, with the last 150 cruisers currently selling down, a formidable task in these times.

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Expected to be at least 30cm longer than the current model, redesigned parts also include the front bumper, rear end and tailpipes.

Called Project Kimberley internally, the new car will use the next generation of Bentley's petrol-fuelled 6.75-liter V8 engine, which will produce over 550 horsepower and up to 1000Nm of torque.

This should allow the all-wheel drive limo to reach a top speed of about 200mph.

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Dirk van Braeckel, Director of Design and Concepts at Bentley Motors, is narrating the clip while sketching some details of the car. He says a number of things like how the brand needed to touch base with previous generation Bentleys while at the same time moving forward with its design.

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The Supersports is the first flex-fuel vehicle from the British luxury marque. At this month's Goodwood Festival of Speed, Bentley asked repeat Le Mans winner Derek Bell to spend the weekend ferrying lucky passengers up the hillclimb course in a prototype at elevated speeds.

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"Like all other convertible car makers, however, Bentley quotes its top speed statistics for its models ‘roof up’. So could it be that a GTC Speed could be made to travel at 200mph with the roof down? And if it did, how would it feel?

"On the Beaufort Scale, wind speed above a piffling 73mph is classified as a hurricane, so the idea of driving roof down at something close to three times that speed sparked the curiosity. I put in the call.

"The man on the other end of the telephone was Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, head of engineering at Bentley. And when I asked him if the GTC Speed would do 200mph with the roof down, he replied that he wasn’t sure, but there would be fun to be had finding out."

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The all-new grand Bentley captures the 1920s 'grand touring' spirit of the Bentley Boys, delivering the effortless driving, exclusivity and adventure desired by the real motoring enthusiast. A unique fusion of elegant design, hand craftsmanship and technological innovation, the new model embodies the potent yet luxuriously refined driving experience that is 'pure Bentley'. These have been the hallmarks of a Bentley since that first test drive in 1920.

It is fitting that the 90th anniversary of the Company will be marked by an all-new car. Such events are rare milestones in the Company's history. Designed, engineered and built in Crewe, which has been home to Bentley Motors for over 60 years, it has been a 'once in a career experience' for many involved. The car and its name, which will be revealed at Pebble Beach on 16 August, signal a new era in British luxury motoring.

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he paint looks like an approximation of Bentley's Cypress Green, and the saddle is covered in buttery-soft hide. While the badge bespeaks of the Flying B, the chrome-laden V-Twin belches out though open pipes with a decided American accent.

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Under development with the code-name Project Kimberley, the new Bentley is slated to replace the aging Arnage sedan at the top of the company's line-up and do battle with the Rolls-Royce Phantom. With technological input from its sister companies under the Volkswagen auto umbrella, the as-yet unnamed Grand Bentley promises to take a big step forward from the Arnage, which still carries its mechanicals and platform from the days when the automaker was under the same roof as Rolls -- not in direct competition. The spy shots reveal mesh grilles, LED lights, a retractable hood ornament (like the Phantom's) and a swooping roofline reminiscent of the classic 50's-era R-Type Continental.

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It's all due to a 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, W-12 engine teamed to an all-wheel-drive system and a six-speed automatic shifter. The engine is a unique design, and one that’s hugely powerful. In standard Conti GT cars, it issues 552hp (390kW), locomotive numbers that push the 5500-pound Continental to 60 mph in less than 5.1 seconds in all versions. In the GTC Speed, lighter engine components and some turbo tweaks boost power to an even 600hp (448kW). One press of the red "Start" button on its wood-paneled, chrome-crusted dash lets on that something's gone astray underhood in a good way: there's an offbeat lumber in its idle, one that pours out torque with just a little feathering on the throttle. Channeling it all is a six-speed, paddle-shifted sequential automatic that's pretty invisible in its action. A Sport shift mode speeds up seamless gearchanges, pushing power around the four wheels through all-wheel drive and a Torsen differential. With all that heft, and all that heavy petting on the gas pedal, it's more shocking that fuel economy can be as good as 10mpg city, 17mpg highway.

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It's a clash of the Titanics: two hefty German-engineered two-doors battling it out for bragging rights in the mortgage-priced coupe class.

In this corner, the Bentley Continental GT, weighing in at a staggering 5500 pounds. It's a steamer locomotive of a coupe, though, with a twin-turbo W-12 engine pumping out more than 550 horsepower--and that's before you tune it to Speed trim, or shear off the top to make it a Conti GTC. At a base price of $179,200, this British bomber has a Volkswagen-engineered heart, four-wheel drive, a big appetite for fuel and an uncanny way of feeling like the cigar bar at the Ritz-Carlton, if you could hurl it into the atmosphere without spilling a drop of cognac.

In the other corner, another German two-door with unparalleled road-covering capability. Here, it's the 5000-pound Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, and instead of one drivetrain, it comes with your choice of four--two different V-8s or two different V-12s, with an automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. It's less bespoke than the Bentley, but the suave good looks wear well in any season--and there's enough technology wadded up inside to launch it to speeds that match the Bentley, tenth of a second for tenth of a second.

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As you can see from the photos, it's a careful dance involving two forklifts, a lift, various staff, and precision timing. This one-of-a-kind Bentley has a high-level of armor capable of protecting the vehicle from sniper fire, landmines, and whatever else baddies can throw at it. On top of all the equipment it's still a custom Flying Spur Speed designed to the specifications of an unnamed head-of-state, which means you don't want to drop it.

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These amazing spy shots reveal the Crewe firm is testing a Continental prototype with a petrol-electric drivetrain. Look closely at our exclusive pictures, and you’ll see the rear of the car is filled with a new unit featuring battery-powered motors. Also, a retractable spoiler is visible at the top of the bootlid.

The powerplant is a version of the hybrid in the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne SUVs. That mates a 3.6-litre petrol V6, giving 280bhp and 375Nm, to a 284Nm electric motor. In the Bentley, it would be more powerful – expect the electronics to boost a new V8 or larger unit to around 500bhp. As well as stronger pace, this would give better economy than the Continental’s thirsty W12.

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This single photo of the Arnage successor suggests that the new saloon will pioneer a further evolution of the Bentley design DNA from the Continental series of models. The architectural quality of the front wheelarch and wing suggests a regal quality befitting a car that’s aimed squarely at the Rolls-Royce Phantom slice of the market.

The winged ‘B’ Bentley badge sits prominently above what appears to be an imposing, upright grille. Bentley is eager to reposition the new 2010 Arnage replacement to put even more clear water between it and the Conti family which is expanding upwards in price and power with numerous additions to the range.

The new limo will cost around £250,000 to £300,000. Information is still sketchy, but we understand the running gear of today’s Arnage is carried over in heavily modified form, stretching the wheelbase by around 150mm to take the newcomer to some 5500mm in length.

And the 6.75-litre V8 is expected to survive, too, bolstered by clever fuel-saving tech, including cylinder deactivation to mix 550bhp power with acceptable thirst. Given Crewe’s expertise in biofuels with the recent Continental Supersports, an E85 version is likely.

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At Pebble Beach we're tipped to see a pre-production prototype that promises to closely mirror the eventual production model, which is expected to take advantage of Audi's modular platform but incorporate a unique V8 engine (probably based on the current Jurassic-era 6.75-liter "perfectly adequate" V8) mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic and likely able to run on E85 ethanol to give the muscle-tank the air of environmental conscience.

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“I have just two questions about this car,” Wade said from the passenger seat, as I powered through some nearby twisties. “Who…? And why?” I didn’t have a direct response to the first query, as I’d neglected to read the demographic info the gorgeous Bentley P.R. girl sent me, but my guess was, “Rich people?” The second answered itself as I let Wade take the wheel for our return trip. “I’ve never felt anything like that,” he said of the warp-speed rush associated with flooring it in this twin-turbocharged, 12-cylinder, 600-horsepower rocket. “It’s like it’s slamming my brain into the back of my skull.” He braked and came to a stop. “I need to do that again.”

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Spy photographers have caught a matte-grey Bentley Continental Supersports test mule hanging out around the Nurburgring track. The “fastest, most powerful Bentley ever produced” is expected to run some laps around the Nordschleife in preparation for its production debut in 2010.

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How do you explain the things this 5500-pound behemoth can do? It reaches 60 mph in 4.2 seconds—that’s verging on Corvette territory. It has 0.89 g of skidpad grip—as sticky as a Cadillac CTS-V. There’s also the 165-foot 70-to-0-mph stopping distance—a foot shorter than a Murciélago LP640.

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Bentley's 2010 Continental GTC Speed belongs to that rare class of vehicles to which the standard array of automotive superlatives simply does not apply. After all, how can one adequately convey the sensation of accelerating a 5500-pound, leather-clad convertible from rest to 60 mph in a mere 4.5 seconds? Of hitting 195 mph with the top down. Of returning to a standstill via the world's largest production automobile brakes-eight-piston calipers and 16.5-inch carbon-ceramic discs?

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The Bentley brand, since being founded in England by William Owen Bentley on January 18, 1919, celebrates its 90th birthday this year, as one of the iconic automobile brands of the last century.

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Performance upgrades include a stainless-steel sports muffler and a reprogrammed ECU. Output is increased on the GT Speed's 6.0-liter W12 by 40 horsepower (70 for the GT variant) and 66 pound-feet of torque to make a total of 640 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque. Top speed is consequently upped to just below 206 mph.

The Imperator kit completely revamps the front of the Bentley Continental GT with larger air inlets that work with new integrated daytime running lights. Aggressive side skirts, a rear diffuser, fenders that widen the car by nearly 3 inches and a sporty rear spoiler all help reduce drag and enhance airflow. The 22-inch anodized black forged wheels combine with special chassis springs that lower the vehicle 1.2 inches in the front and 0.8 inch in the rear.

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Bentley says that it is going to start releasing its future models six months earlier so its product cycle matches the market recovery in 2010. According to Bentley board member for sales and marketing Stuart McCullough, Bentley has done enough research with its customers to understand when they will get back in the market for a new car.

Sources say that the move is likely to bring the Bentley Continental GT Coupe to the market in 2010 instead of 2011. The coupe will be directly followed by the second-generation Flying Spur sedan and the Continental GTC convertible.

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The highlight of the Project Kahn Pearl White Flying Spur is the set of 22-inch diamond-cut White Mist alloy wheels. Kahn has also added an electronic lowering module. The ride height is lowered by 0.8 inch in the standard setting but can be adjusted from the cabin.

Kahn's Flying Spur is powered by the stock 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine that makes 552 horsepower and runs to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.

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The engine delivers its peak torque from as low as 1750 rpm, yet we felt a notable surge in thrust above 3000 rpm. The exhaust note is normally a muted growl, but there’s a pronounced (and deliberate) burble on the overrun. The transmission is superb, whether one opts to use it in automatic or manual mode, with precise, beautifully smooth shifts.

Perhaps the most impressive feature of the GTC Speed is the solidity of the convertible shell. Brian Gush, Bentley’s director of chassis, powertrain, and motorsports, says this allows the automaker to fit relatively soft springs. The ride, considering that the car rolls on 20-inch tires, is remarkably supple in the adjustable suspension’s more-comfort-oriented settings. Body control in the most sporting tuning is pretty impressive, too. The car drives smaller than it is, always a reflection of a well-developed chassis. The steering is the only dynamic flaw, being a little numb and relaying little feedback to the driver.

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The Continental Supersports has been priced, with Bentley having decided that $267,000 is fair compensation for exclusive access to green, luxurious speed. The ethanol-capable Conti is not only a sign of Bentley technology to come, it also provides the first clues to the next generation Continental, which we were told "isn't far off."

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Key aspects of the new Continental Supersports include:

• 6-liter W12 twin-turbocharged engine now produces 621bhp and 590 lb ft of torque
• 0 – 60 mph in 3.7 seconds / 0 -100 mph in 8.9 seconds
• Top speed of 204 mph
• Capable of running on gasoline and E85 biofuel or any combination of the two
• Offers a reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 70% (well-to-wheel), a measure of a fuel's net contribution to the atmosphere, not just tailpipe emissions
• Revised transmission with ‘Quickshift' system that cuts shift times by 50% and enables double downshifts
• Standard-fit carbon-ceramic brakes – the largest and most powerful brakes ever fitted to a production car
• 243 lb weight saving compared to Continental GT Speed
• Unique driver-focused, two-seater cabin with rear seats replaced by stowage deck with carbon fiber luggage retaining beam
• New flared rear wings that accommodate the 2 inch wider rear track

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The Bentley Continental GTC met that demand: it's the benchmark luxury cruising machine and it does look the part, particularly with the roof down.

There's plenty of gubbins to justify the extra expense though: a lighter, more powerful engine, uprated chassis, dynamic stability control allowing for a bit of slippage, new fixed front and rear spoilers, 20" alloys, wider twin exhaust pipes, a lower ride height, revised anti rollbar and damper settings and some extra detailing in the interior.

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Labels: Bentley

The Bentley Continental GTC met that demand: it's the benchmark luxury cruising machine and it does look the part, particularly with the roof down.

So, that's alright then - let's kick back and light up a cigar.

Well no, hold fast with that big, fat Cuban because there's the 'Speed' range to consider. This time around Continental GTC Speed gets the upgrade completing a triumvirate of hotted-up Continentals designed to appeal to the younger market - the four-door and the coupe have already been 'Speeded' up to great effect.

It'll set you back £153,400, which is about £17,000 more than the 'standard' model.

There's plenty of gubbins to justify the extra expense though: a lighter, more powerful engine, uprated chassis, dynamic stability control allowing for a bit of slippage, new fixed front and rear spoilers, 20" alloys, wider twin exhaust pipes, a lower ride height, revised anti rollbar and damper settings and some extra detailing in the interior.

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According to the latest output from the ever-churning rumor-mill, the replacement for the aging Arnage will employ a version of the V12 turbo-diesel used in the current Audi Q7 TDI. With 500 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, the twelve-cylinder oil-burner would prove an ideal power-plant for the big saloon, and could get an even higher output version to join the half-century-old 6 ¾-liter V8 found in 530-horsepower trim in the current Brooklands, all while Bentley continues to toy with ethanol-burning variants of its W12 as previewed in the Continental Supersports show car unveiled just days ago at the Geneva Motor Show and Her Majesty's State Limousine.

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The redesign will see them lose weight, add a diesel, and share more Audi A8 components under the skin.

Design Styling is once again directed by Dirk van Braeckel. Change is evolutionary, but the coefficient of drag is reduced. Switching from a Volkswagen Phaeton to an Audi A8 front axle allows for a shorter front overhang and results in a longer wheelbase for the coupe; the track is wider as well. The larger footprint yields a roomier rear seat and trunk.

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Custom front and rear aprons join the sideskirts together, aiding airflow over the car’s silhouette and thus improving the handling by increasing downforce. A new rear lip mounted to the boot lid adds even more downforce into the mix, not that the 2,400kg behemoth needed any more convincing to stay on the ground.

Under the hood, Mansory has tinkered with the GT Speed’s 6.0L force-fed W12 engine and lifted power to 685hp (511kW) from the GT Speed's original figure of 610hp (455kW). The rise in power comes from a new exhaust system with four angular chrome tailpipes, giving the rear of the car a sportier appearance. Meanwhile, a new sports air filter and adjustments to the ECU result in 656lb-ft (890Nm) of torque - almost 111lb-ft (150Nm) more than the original. Together, these modifications are said to help the GT Speed reach a new top speed of around 216mph.

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Under the hood is the Supersports' main event: the most powerful engine Bentley has ever created, it is a 621 brake horsepower, 590 pound-feet of torque, E85-capable W12 that pulls the ghostly looking thing to 60 in just – ready for this? – 3.7 seconds. The engine is fitted with sensors to monitor how much gasoline and/or ethanol is being used, and power and torque stay constant no matter what the ratio is. Speaking of torque, all of it is available at the low, low rpm of 1,750. In case there's a Polaris rocket in the next lane you need to teach a few lessons.

While that engine might take the title card, there is a massively full undercard as well. That 3.7-second 0-to-60 flip is not only about the engine, it's about the fact that the car is 110 kilograms lighter than its 4-seater brethren. The Supersports has rear deck where back seats once resided, and it has also scored a raft of weight-saving components like the wheels and those carbon fiber thrones. It also benefits from Quickshift, which halves gear change times.

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Just as we sweep past the apex of the turn, I squeeze the gas pedal. It's like opening the floodgates of the Hoover Dam: 738 lb-ft of torque momentarily overwhelms the traction control, and 5699 lb of hand-built British luxury sedan starts drifting elegantly through the turn.

I laugh out loud. Dammit, a car this big, this expensive, this...old fashioned, simply shouldn't be able to do stuff like that. Hustling Bentley's giant, wood 'n' leather-lined Arnage across the twisting, heaving, empty two lanes that make north Wales one of the few remaining drivers' paradises in traffic-choked, speed camera-obsessed Britain is like watching Steelers' linebacker James Harrison run that 100 yard touchdown in the Super Bowl all over again: you can't quite believe it's possible.

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Everything is automatic or operated electrically, from the doors that suck themselves closed to the steering wheel that rises to make it easier to get out. Even the rear headrests lower and raise automatically, so as not to obscure vision when the seats are empty.

The central colour screen controls everything from the ventilation to the television (rear screens cost extra) and satellite navigation. The large central knob controls whatever is on the display.

There's also adaptive cruise control, Bluetooth phone connection, parking sensors and optional seat massagers in the rear, the first of many rear-seat gadgets that in many ways make it the place to be in the Speed.

Climate-control air-conditioning cools the front, while there are separate controls in the rear. Rear passengers also have a luxurious, folding armrest complete with a remote control for the optional Naim sound system.

Real metal is cool to the touch on things like the push-pull vent controls or door handles, while genuine wood is layered throughout. Naturally, you can choose just about any colour combination, right down to 16hues for the piping on the plush leather seats.

Attention to detail hasn't been lost outside, either, with distinctive LED rear lights and restrained yet classy use of chrome. The Speed also receives styling tweaks to things such as the bumpers and grille to smooth the Flying Spur look.

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There will be nine examples of the Bentley Zagato GTZ manufactured for discerning plutocrats. As of now, one of them is ready for an owner, and it is for sale on JamesList.com from a broker in Villorba, Italy for €1.3 million, or about $1.7 million USD. Purportedly the only one ready for delivery, this particular GTZ has just 10k (6.1 miles) on its odometer.

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But a quick scan through the video and you can detect that it is indeed an iteration of the Continental GT. A view of the motor also shows that it won’t be the W16 from Bugatti, but will be the traditional W12 twin turbo.

Bonnet vents and a darker grille round out the exterior treatments.

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It has no name yet, and no technical specifics have been released, but what Bentley has revealed is that this will be the marque's fastest, most powerful production car yet, and that it'll run on biofuel. Visually, the grilles all have a blackout treatment, and sizable vertical intakes occupy the front bumper's outer edges. The hood also sports a pair of vents, presumably to help extract engine heat.

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Dr Ulrich Eichhorn's lecture covers the original design and development of the Bentley V8 engine, from its introduction in 1959 through to its present day form in the newly launched Bentley Brooklands coupe.

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This year will mark the 6¾-liter Bentley V8 engine's 50th anniversary, with the motor having seen its first installation in the 1959 Bentley S2. The mill was enlarged back in 1968 to its current displacement and has seen the addition of turbochargers and intercoolers on the way to its current position under the hoods of the 530-horsepower Bentley Brooklands coupe, Arnage and Azure convertible models for 2009.

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At the Detroit Auto Show, right after introducing the extra-thirsty Continental GTC Speed, Stuart McCullough, a Bentley board member, announced that the company would make a "significant investment" to get its fleet to operate on biofuel. "Our commitment to this strategy is such that we plan to accelerate the introduction of our first biofuel-compatible car, which will make its world premiere in Geneva this March," McCullough said.

This doesn’t necessarily mean diesels for the luxury brand. The fuel most mentioned during this announcement was bioethanol to be used in gas powered flex-fuel vehicles.

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Labels: Bentley

Suspension enhancements include wider, stickier tires, stiffer bushings, and dampening control tuned for a firmer, more responsive ride. Bentley's massive carbon-ceramic brakes (16.5-inch front rotors) are optional on all GTCs. Bentley says it did not need to make any changes to the structure, as the standard GTC already has an "exceptionally rigid" body.

All GTCs receive a slight exterior update, namely in the form of a slightly more vertical, squared-off grill, which provides a more distinctive profile while allowing increased airflow to the beefed up W-12. GTC Speed owners will be able to distinguish their ride from those of lesser millionaires thanks to a tinted grill, a chin spoiler, wider tailpipes, and standard 20-inch wheels. There's also a subtle deck lid spoiler to provide downforce at crazier speeds. Inside, the GTC Speed has diamond-quilted hide seats, drilled-alloy pedals, and of course, some classy badges.

Bentley has not released pricing yet, but one can expect it to come in at about $225,000 - about $25,000 more than a plain-Jane GTC.

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Like other Speed-spec Continentals, the GTC Speed gives only subtle clues to its 600-horsepower W12. Up front, there's an updated front end with a more sinister (and slightly more upright) front grille, along with a more assertive air dam.

Even static on Bentley's hardwood, it's easy to see that the GTC Speed benefits from a lowered ride height that gives away the car's tighter suspension, as do its wider wheels and tires (which also help conceal gigantic carbon-ceramic brakes if they are so specified).

Sixty mph arrives in just 4.5 seconds, and if there's a more graceful way to muss your coif at 195 mph, we have yet to find it.

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The 200 mph GTC Speed is Bentley’s most powerful convertible ever. The latest GTC range is refined and extended with two new models The new GTC delivers enhanced style, comfort and choice

Now, the introduction of the new GTC range builds on this success with a subtle evolution of its distinctive style and a range of technical and feature enhancements benefiting comfort and customer choice. The appeal of the GTC is further strengthened by the addition of the new 600bhp (610PS) GTC Speed model. It is Bentley’s most powerful convertible ever and inspired by Bentley’s legendary ‘Speed Models’ from the 1920s.

The new GTC models share a fresh frontal appearance. The radiator grille is more upright with a more pronounced square edge, accentuating the Bentley profile, and bolder lower air intake. These latest models are further distinguished by chrome headlamp bezels, the availability of two new exterior paints and a new colour hide.

For the standard GTC, new low-friction dampers provide improved ride comfort. In addition, two significant new options may be specified on both GTC models: lightweight, fade-resistant, carbon-ceramic brakes, the largest production passenger car brakes in the world, and a sophisticated follow-to-stop Adaptive Cruise Control system with long-range radar sensor that monitors traffic ahead and manages throttle and brakes to maintain a driver-selected time gap.

The GTC’s chassis and exceptionally rigid steel body have proved more than capable of coping with the power of the 552bhp (560PS) 6-litre W12 engine. For the new Continental GTC Speed, Bentley’s twin-turbocharged W12 now develops 600bhp (610PS) that delivers true 200 mph (322 km/h) performance, with the roof up, with exhilarating, effortless acceleration. Even with the roof down the GTC Speed can reach 195 mph (312 km/h).

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The Continental GTC Speed is visually distinguished by subtle design enhancements which emphasise its higher performance credentials. At the front, the radiator and lower air intake grilles feature a dark tinted matrix as standard. Larger diameter 9.5J x 20-inch, multi-spoke alloy wheels with Bentley-bespoke Pirelli PZero ultra-high performance (UHP) tyres, lowered and uprated suspension, wider twin-rifled exhaust tail pipes and a new boot-mounted lip spoiler that enhances high speed aerodynamics, reinforce the sporting character of the Speed model.

The GTC Speed’s 600bhp (610PS) W12 engine develops 9 per cent more power than the standard GTC. However, it is the 15 per cent increase in torque that really distinguishes the Speed model, which now develops an impressive output of 750 Nm (553lb ft). This is achieved across virtually the complete rev range, from just 1700 to 5600 rev/min, delivering that characteristic Bentley wave of torque.

The 0-60 mph sprint is despatched in a mere 4.5 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds) and 0-100 mph in 10.6 seconds (0-160 km/h in 10.5 seconds).

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From the photos we can see an upgraded aero kit along the lower edge of the car including dramatic intake scoops below the headlights, a lowering job which suggests re-tuned springs and dampers for improved handling, plus new custom alloy wheels in the 22in+ range featuring black spokes and a polished lip.

Expect power upgrades to go along with the aerodynamic and handling modifications, though with the GT Speed already generating a heady 600bhp (441kW) and 750Nm (553ft-lb) of torque, adding to those figures will require some special work. The Continental GT line is no stranger to modification, however, so there is potential for more to be done.

Inside, the modded Bentleys get a custom leather and white carbon fiber treatment to replace the typical wood accents.

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The Bentley State Limousine is based on the Arnage, but custom-crafted in-house by the company's Mulliner coachbuilding division. Only two were ever made, at a reported cost of over $14 million a piece, one of which was presented as a gift to Her Majesty upon her Golden Jubilee in 2002, while the second was commissioned by the crown as a back-up. The four-ton armored vehicles, continuously maintained by Bentley, are powered by the company's perennial 6.75-liter V8 producing 400 horsepower, and will be converted to run on bio-fuel. Bentley says the royal family are big supporters of Crewe's initiative to switch to bio-fuels, as Bentley aims to offer all its models with flex-fuel capacity by 2012.

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Exhilarating performance, commanding status and absolute prestige.

While the tone of this statement may well reflect the sentiment of a conceited commercial for some lesser European marque, the Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed is one car that doesn’t need to indulge in cheap marketing gimmicks or clever phrasing to sell its cars.

In fact you could say with complete honesty that the Speed is the epitome of all of these qualities, and then some, and for those very reasons the car sells itself.

Should you be lucky enough to be in that elite group who can afford to indulge in such refinement then take heed - for this car is a cracker, and if you are able to splurge on such a vehicle then you deserve the fastest and the finest money can buy, and truly this is it - the quickest four-door Grand Tourer in the world.

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We thought that was pretty much the extent of things, but as one UAE driver demonstrates in the video after the jump, the Continental's AWD and trick air suspension let a Bentley GTC hold its own in a 4x4 caravan through sand dunes and over a desert road. With the stock wheel/tire setup, no less.

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The Azure T is Bentley's first T model since the 2002 Arnage T and uses the same, hand-built 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged engine with 373kW of power and 1000Nm of torque. The respective hikes of 11 and 14 per cent over the 'regular' Azure help to shave four-tenths of a second from the convertible's acceleration, as well as increasing top speed from 274km/h to 288km/h.

Bentley claims the Azure T will sprint from 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds, despite its 5.4-metre length and LandCruiser-like 2.7-tonne kerb weight.

More than 900Nm is available between 1800 and 3800rpm, which Bentley says gives the Azure T the company's "signature wave of torque' for effortless motoring.

The Azure's opulent interior has been upgraded, with features added that are either unavailable or are a cost option on the standard model.

They include diamond-quilted seats and door panels, aluminium dash fascia, iPod/USB interface, and front seat backs and rear seat embroidered with Bentley logos.

Owners can choose from 42 body colours and 25 hides of leather.

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The new Arnage will be even bigger and posher than today's model, but will it also signal the end of the old Rolls-era character of its predecessor? This scoop photo suggests it will keep the ocean liner presence of today's car and sources in Crewe say there is plenty of old-school charm in the 2010 limo.

Crewe is desperate to put clear water between the Arnage and the smaller, VW-related Continental family, so the Arnage successor will be targeted very closely at Rolls-Royce's Phantom range.

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Bentley expects the luxury car market in China to grow stably in the coming years. Within four years, more Bentley cars are expected to sell i