...the ultimate exec mobile or a 250 grand shed?!

http://upload.turbosport.co.uk/getpi...5246476772.jpg

I think its the absolute business, would order one tomorrow if I had that sort of cash.

Sad fact: did you know that the RR badge in the centre of the wheels always returns to the correct position when the car comes to rest? Genius.

I prefer the umbrella stored in the rear door that pops out at the touch of a button.

And yes I'd have one in a flash too....

Sad old barge that's been hit very hard with the ugly stick!! Give me a Bentley any day

Nice one Mr Champion, I'll pass that good press on to our Marketing Department. ;-)

New Continental GT is the sign of things to come from Bentley. Even if it's not your cup of tea on the photos, you want to see it and hear it in the flesh!!!!

Check it out at www.bentleymotors.com

Depreciation dog it’ll probably be worth 10 grand in 4 years time:D.

Tim.

Bentley?Please.....the switchgear may not be directly from a VW model, but you can tell VW has something to do with this car....
The curves in the back is a copy of Vanquish's rear, the front looks like a 1995 celica with the bentley grille.....

In order to add character to a car, you shouldn't compromise, curves are a compromise as regarding car design. We are in an automotive era where all cars copy 5-6 shapes and evolve on those shapes. In other words, most of the cars look like EGGS on wheels. We need boldness, people may call ugly the MY01 but it does what it was designed for, to STAND OUT.
You never forget edgy designs. Nobody will ever forget Countach or Audi Coupe(rally slag) or MY01 Impreza or the new 7-series or the Murcielago or the new Rolls.
All of the cars i had till now(14 till now) were 80s cars, cause they never aged, the market made them to look aged in order to sell the new eggy shapes.
Same thing with home Hi-Fis, they always were silver, companies made them black for 7-8 years and now silver again. Black may look high tech but silver brings all the design characteristics to the surface. We NEED to be different...if i want a Vanquish or a DB7, i'll go and get one.....i won't go and get the Bentley Continental. And the last group of companies that should talk about design identities, is the VW-Audi group or whatever its called these days....the only company with an indentity from the group is Lambo....

When you pay such a premium for a car, you want it to stand out....

Best Regards, Makis

Ah well, I hope we continue to build on the 4,000+ orders already placed and keep one of Britain's finest marques alive and well into the future.

Wait till you've seen in the flesh and been in a Conti GT, then decide. Vanquish? Hmmm that aint no Grand Tourer, too many Ford bits inside for my liking.

Each marque has its place and Bentley is right up there with performance, presence, luxury, flexibility, feature content...the list goes on. ;-)

"and keep one of Britain's finest marques alive and well into the future."

Taken from the new RR Phantom handbook

Deutschland, Deutschland über alles........

I think its absolutely stunning - however I do have the cash but I'd rather have my Sti8

Bently=Class
Rolls = Rich oink

I know I'm not the first to say it, but paint it pink, put Lady Penelepe in the rear, Parker in the front and FAB1 as a number plate, and "hey presto" an instant real life Thunderbird.
Oh yeah, no machine guns in the grill as it won't pass it's MOT!!

Any Painshoppers (:D) wanna paint it pink to prove that theory!!

Ed

Bentley = VAG
RR = BMW
Jaguar = Ford
Aston Martin = Ford
Lotus = I've lost track had so many

How would Sir like his piece of classic British design......German or American :(

No doubt VAG will try a shoe horn their V10 diesel into a Bentley, even the race car is an Audi R8 really.

What you'll find if you dig deeper is that after the war VW was rebuilt by the British under a British boss. Also, take a look at MG and TVR as examples of British stand-alone companies, there's no way on this earth they could built cars to the quality and durability of those under big parent companies.

It's unfortunate but if Bentley and/or Rolls had been taken over by some well-wishing millionaires the cars would have been unreliable and low-tech, therefore not answering the market requirements, unlike Merc for example. The investment required to develop a car that can be sold in all markets is immense, the legislation and customer demands are ridiculous and without large sales or backing it is not possible to survive. Bentley, Jag, Aston, Rolls, Lambo etc etc are all the better for being where they are. Then they will live on, rather than fade away in a mass of take-overs and debt.

And no, the V10 TDI won't be going in a Bentley. ;-)

But show me a cheap off the shelf engine designed by a small company that can provide 479lb/ft of torque @ 1600rpm and last 150k miles. (See Bentley W12 TT figures)

Oh yeah, the Bentley Le Mans car used an Audi engine for 1 year (nothing alse at all from the R8) and then in 2002 it became completely unique with a new engine.

This year its racing at Sebring and Le Mans under British management with British design ;-)

Lotus is owned by Proton.

Adrian

Not wishing to labour the point too much.....

It's a little ironic that the car company that almost epitomised the swinging 20s/30s with the Bentley boys and all those Le Mans wins is now owned by the company the Nazis set-up to manufacture a 'Peoples Car' to get Germany on its feet again....And this car was designed by an engineer who later designed such greats as The Tiger Tank and the 911.....

Or is it not even more ironic that a company (Rolls Royce) which produced the engines for the Fighter (Spitfire) that 'saved' Britain from these same Germans is now owned by the company that was making the engines for the bombers & fighters of the Luftwaffe. Not only that but BMW choose a sight next door to a World War II airfield to produce the new Rolls Royce !

Lets not get into Mercedes setting up a 'Motorsport' expreience at Brooklands.....

It is true that a British Army Major with British Tax payers money rebuilt Volkwagen.....


Just in case your wondering .....I drive an Audi !



Jeff

Mitsubushi Evo VIII.....from the people who brought you the Zero !

The company that builds engines for Spitfires & the like is still British owned. It is only RR the car company that is sold to BMW.

True, but at the time they where one and the same....

Back on topic then....

I reallylike the new Roller, the more I read about it the more I like it.

Evo say this month something like "rides like a Roller, steers better than a Bentley" - not a pop at Bently, Adrian, but indicates that maybe the driving experience of the Roller is getting some work after all these years.

My £250k on one though? No chance; Porsche Carrera GT for me at that money.

Fen

I Like it.

It about time they came up with an "ALL NEW DESIGN" since most Bentleys and previous RR's have components from back in the 70's.

Would'nt want to take one on a track day :D

I have driven a Bentley Continetal R (380bhp 600lb/ft). Mind blowingly fast on the straight. Just don't expect to be able to stop http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/vscared.gif

or go round corners! Perhaps I'm missing the point, am I supposed to drive a 2ton car like a loon?

I was talking to one of our managers the other day and he saw the Roller at Geneva. Apparently it does look a lot better in the flesh and, although I don't think its handsome, I do think BMW can feel satisfied that they have created a something very 'Rolls-Royce'. Personally I think the Maybach looks a little too Merc and the Roller is a little too loud, but its all personal taste and if you've got it, flaunt it! (Maybe I am a little biased too!?!).

The old 2-door Bentleys were not designed to be hurled round a track, they are real tourers and stop production this year. It's amazing how many Azures still appear in music videos though! The gangsters love them!

The Arnage is a very different beast, especially the T with its stiffer bodyshell and awesome engine. Conti GT has it all though!!

AdrianB

What do you do at Bentley and are there any Marketing jobs going? :D

Deustchland and all that, I was actually referring to my dear Bentley.

[Edited by AdrianB - 3/7/2003 4:18:52 PM]

already done it at work

how do you post pics?

[Edited by AdrianB - 3/7/2003 6:52:02 PM]

At the end of the day it all depends if you have a problem with the Germans. I work with lots of them and, just like in the UK, there are good and not so good ones. But in general I would rather be under their parent company than not. They are not a bad bunch of people (and they build some damn good cars!).

Good choice of car ;-)

[Edited by AdrianB - 3/9/2003 7:01:08 PM]

Rolls Royce Aero and Rolls Royce Motor Cars split a long time ago, long before Vickers owned the car side. However the owners of Rolls-Royce and Bentley only ever leased the name from RR Aero despite owning the factory and Bentley name.

BMW have strong links to RR Aero, that is how they got their hands on the RR car marque. Basically, when Vickers announced RR&Bentley was for sale VW came in with a monstrous bid that had the deal wrapped up. BMW then threatened the supply of engines for Seraph and Arnage and the rights to the RR badge through their links to RR Aero (allegedly!). VW weren't overly disappointed at losing the less stable of the two brands and let BMW have the name. We then employed the BMW boss (Pietschreider) as Piech's replacement!

Bentley then removed the underpowered BMW engines and the rest, as they say, is history.

[Edited by AdrianB - 3/9/2003 9:31:20 PM]

I'm an Electronics Engineer. You'd have to have a word with our Personnel Dept. as I'm not well in with the Marketing Dept. The factory number is 01270 255155. Ask for the Personnel Department regarding recruitment and they'll put you through.

[Edited by AdrianB - 3/11/2003 10:58:55 PM]