Bentley Opens its Crewe Headquarters to the Public with New Design Exhibition

If you're a petrol head and live in or are considering a trip to England, you may want to make plans to visit Bentley's headquarters in Crewe and check out a new design exhibition called "An Unbroken Line", which offers a rare glimpse inside the company's usually secret studios.

The exhibition follows the development of a Bentley from the first sketch right through to the final product, and includes drawings from the prototype phase of models such as the new Continental GT that are being shown to the public for the first time ever.

Furthermore, the exhibition also captures key moments of the company’s lineage with signature characteristics that define a Bentley to this day such as the positioning of the headlights, the use of inverted needles on the dashboard and the pronounced ‘powerlines’ that sweep down the flanks of the car.

Dirk van Braeckel, Bentley’s Director of Design and Styling, commented: “What I particularly like about the exhibition is the sheer number and variety of interesting objects we’ve been able to bring together for the very first time, it is quite a collection. It is also fascinating to see just how talented the early Bentley designers really were - the beauty of their concept sketches and sheer precision of their technical drawings still inspires my own team to this day.”

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VIDEO: Bentley Continental GT Burned to the Ground in Russia

Hot on the heels of the Ferrari 458 fire recall, here's some footage of a toasted Bentley Continental GT in Irkutsk, Eastern Siberia. Now, my Russian's a little weak, so if anyone could clarify these video reports that would be greeeeeaaaat.

According to the email we received from reader Alex, it appears as if this occurred in the Baikal neighborhood of the city. The investigation is ongoing, and arson is suspected. Mobsters? Could be, but there's really no telling.

Here's the interesting part (bear in mind, what you'll read here was translated through Google): "Testimonies of two cotton suggest arson, the reasons may be the mass, such as a place of competitors, insurance payments or assume illegal parking, as the car was across the parking lot and took three cars."

That suggests that someone either couldn't afford the car anymore, or some people just plain got pissed because the owner took up more than one parking spot. If it's the former, I've got two words for the owner: MONEY MANAGER. If it's the latter, well, learn how to park properly.

By Phil Alex

Hat tip to Alex V.!

Via: Carlifeblog.ru

VIDEO: Bentley Continental GT Burned to the Ground in Russia

Hot on the heels of the Ferrari 458 fire recall, here's some footage of a toasted Bentley Continental GT in Irkutsk, Eastern Siberia. Now, my Russian's a little weak, so if anyone could clarify these video reports that would be greeeeeaaaat.

According to the email we received from reader Alex, it appears as if this occurred in the Baikal neighborhood of the city. The investigation is ongoing, and arson is suspected. Mobsters? Could be, but there's really no telling.

Here's the interesting part (bear in mind, what you'll read here was translated through Google): "Testimonies of two cotton suggest arson, the reasons may be the mass, such as a place of competitors, insurance payments or assume illegal parking, as the car was across the parking lot and took three cars."

That suggests that someone either couldn't afford the car anymore, or some people just plain got pissed because the owner took up more than one parking spot. If it's the former, I've got two words for the owner: MONEY MANAGER. If it's the latter, well, learn how to park properly.

By Phil Alex

Hat tip to Alex V.!

Via: Carlifeblog.ru

Bentley Video Teases 2011 Continental GT Coupe Facelift, to be Revealed on September 7

We've been showing you spy pictures and videos of the upcoming 2011 Continental GT for quite some time now, but today Bentley launched a new microsite featuring a teaser film for the redesigned coupe that will have its online debut on September 7 and its public premiere at the Paris Motor Show at the end of the same month.

As well as confirming the Mulsanne-ish nose job with large LED inner headlamps flanked by smaller ancillary lights on each corner, the video also provides a brief glimpse of the interior and the revised center console featuring a new navigation and infotainment system. Expect similar changes for both the GTC convertible and four-door sedan members of the Continental family in the very near future. Watch the teaser video after the jump.

Via: Autoblog.com

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Bentley Video Teases 2011 Continental GT Coupe Facelift, to be Revealed on September 7

We've been showing you spy pictures and videos of the upcoming 2011 Continental GT for quite some time now, but today Bentley launched a new microsite featuring a teaser film for the redesigned coupe that will have its online debut on September 7 and its public premiere at the Paris Motor Show at the end of the same month.

As well as confirming the Mulsanne-ish nose job with large LED inner headlamps flanked by smaller ancillary lights on each corner, the video also provides a brief glimpse of the interior and the revised center console featuring a new navigation and infotainment system. Expect similar changes for both the GTC convertible and four-door sedan members of the Continental family in the very near future. Watch the teaser video after the jump.

Via: Autoblog.com

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New Video and Photo Gallery of 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible

Bentley has dropped a new batch of images and driving footage (strangely enough, audio-less) of the new Continental Supersports Convertible shot on location in Colorado.

Unwrapped at this year's Geneva Motor Show in March, the soft-top version of the E85-compatible Continental Supersports coupé is said to be fastest convertible ever to roll out of Crewe's factory going from zero to 60mph in 3.9 seconds and topping out at 202mph (325km/h).

It features the same massaged version of the Continental Supersport Coupe's twin-turbocharged W12 engine that puts down 630 horsepower (621bhp) and 800Nm (590lb ft) of torque and is capable of running on both gasoline and E85 bioethanol or any combination of the two. Bentley's fastest and most potent drop-top ever goes on sale this summer, with prices starting at $280,400.

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