Posts from ‘Bentley’

2014 Continental GTC Speed
At the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, Bentley showed off its 2014 Continental GTC Speed, the high-performance version of its popular Continental GTC exotic convertible.

2013 Bentley Mulsanne MDS
It was fast, faster, and fastest for Bentley at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. The British purveyor of ultra-high-end vehicles showcased two production vehicles and one race car at its booth.

Bentley Continental Flying Spur
The executives at Rolls-Royce will be pleased to know that Consumer Guide honored the 2012 Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedan as the top-rated U.S.-sold vehicle, giving it a score of 84. But they also must deal with this reality: The 2012 Bentley Continental Flying Spur tied the Phantom with an 84 score . . . and is less than half the price. While Rolls officials can boast of the brand’s prestige and that their cars are largely handmade, Bentley is no slouch. Queen Elizabeth herself has planted her royal heiny in the back seat of a Bentley. The Flying Spur’s starting price of $184,200 makes the Phantom Sedan’s $380,000 price tag seem outrageously bloated.

1962 Pontiac Catalina with pearly satin finish; 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 with matte finish
Over the last few years, I’ve found it interesting to see the emergence of non-glossy paint jobs on some new cars. Mostly appearing on exotic cars these days, matte- or satin-finish paint is something that is very dear to me. I’ve been enamored with the look since I first began to see it in the 1990s on vintage custom cars being built primarily on the West Coast.

Peek Inside a Bentley
While strolling around the 2012 New York Auto Show, I spied this Bentley Mulsanne. During the “public” days of an auto show, vehicles of this caliber are usually cordoned off and well out of reach of the masses. However, during the “press” days, most automakers’ products are accessible and interaction is encouraged.