Bentley: Sales, Marketing, and Financial News
11-15-2003, 05:41 PM
#1
Moderator Alumnus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC (NOVA)
Age: 52
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
Bentley: Sales, Marketing, and Financial News
Auto Spies Exclusive
Dear 001,
Here are some exclusive details about the most exciting, expensive and luxurious Bentley ever produced, and it will be here soon.
Driving around the snowy wastes of the Arctic Circle is a test mule for the most expensive and luxurious hand-crafted Bentley ever produced.
It's a car designed to go head-to-head with the Rolls-Royce Phantom and Mercedes Benz Maybach.
Apparently, underneath the makeshift exterior panels of the test car, there is a version of the new Audi A8 floor pan, a new four-wheel drive system, programmable air suspension and a truck-like six-speed automatic gearbox attached to a massively complex, near silent, VW designed W16 engine of about 8-litres, which, with the aid of superchargers is said to develop an over 1000 bhp. When the Bentley finally appears, it will look far more elegant than the iffy looking prototypes seen in some magazines. Insiders suggest that it may wear a longer version of the GT's body.
Typically, it will be hand crafted, with each car custom-built to buyers specifications, using the finest materials. Audi's influence on the interior quality is rumored to have made the Maybach interior look like a cheap Nissan by comparison. Ala Maybach too, there will be two lengths of wheelbase offered, and equipment levels will be esoteric by comparison. Bentley hopes the new limo will make it's first appearance at the Detroit show in 2005, if not a little later. Deliveries to customers with $400k to spend can expect a car by the end of 2005.
Dear 001,
Here are some exclusive details about the most exciting, expensive and luxurious Bentley ever produced, and it will be here soon.
Driving around the snowy wastes of the Arctic Circle is a test mule for the most expensive and luxurious hand-crafted Bentley ever produced.
It's a car designed to go head-to-head with the Rolls-Royce Phantom and Mercedes Benz Maybach.
Apparently, underneath the makeshift exterior panels of the test car, there is a version of the new Audi A8 floor pan, a new four-wheel drive system, programmable air suspension and a truck-like six-speed automatic gearbox attached to a massively complex, near silent, VW designed W16 engine of about 8-litres, which, with the aid of superchargers is said to develop an over 1000 bhp. When the Bentley finally appears, it will look far more elegant than the iffy looking prototypes seen in some magazines. Insiders suggest that it may wear a longer version of the GT's body.
Typically, it will be hand crafted, with each car custom-built to buyers specifications, using the finest materials. Audi's influence on the interior quality is rumored to have made the Maybach interior look like a cheap Nissan by comparison. Ala Maybach too, there will be two lengths of wheelbase offered, and equipment levels will be esoteric by comparison. Bentley hopes the new limo will make it's first appearance at the Detroit show in 2005, if not a little later. Deliveries to customers with $400k to spend can expect a car by the end of 2005.
11-16-2003, 08:40 AM
#3
Suzuka Master
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Age: 45
Posts: 7,083
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I still don't understand how there is a market for all of these uber-expensive new cars to support the R&D for each model.
This sounds like an awesome car, but so are all the rest in this class.
This sounds like an awesome car, but so are all the rest in this class.
11-16-2003, 04:19 PM
#5
Community Architect
robb m.
robb m.
I'll take two.
11-16-2003, 06:43 PM
#6
Race Director
Originally posted by cusdaddy
I still don't understand how there is a market for all of these uber-expensive new cars to support the R&D for each model.
This sounds like an awesome car, but so are all the rest in this class.
I still don't understand how there is a market for all of these uber-expensive new cars to support the R&D for each model.
This sounds like an awesome car, but so are all the rest in this class.
11-19-2003, 11:16 AM
#7
Work safe avatar bish :D
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Avon Park/Gainesville FL
Age: 41
Posts: 3,056
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Chaptorial
Yeah i'd like to know about how $$$ each car company actually makes off of these super high end cars.
Yeah i'd like to know about how $$$ each car company actually makes off of these super high end cars.
Trending Topics
11-21-2003, 12:25 AM
#10
Suzuka Master
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Posts: 8,546
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I saw 2 Maybachs being escorted by the CHP on the 101N tonight...They got off at Universal City exit.
I had thoughts of breaking the parade and testing those MONSTER brakes of theirs.
of course my car would be silly putty in an instant but the thought was entertaining.
I had thoughts of breaking the parade and testing those MONSTER brakes of theirs.
of course my car would be silly putty in an instant but the thought was entertaining.
02-08-2007, 11:42 AM
#11
Moderator Alumnus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC (NOVA)
Age: 52
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
Bentley is king of ultraluxury sales in America
Bentley is king of ultraluxury sales in America - - By JIM HENRY | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS - - Source: Autoweek
At the start of the decade, Bentley, Maybach and Rolls-Royce offered the promise of a new gilded era in the ultra-luxury segment for big sedans, coupes and convertibles.
But Bentley has won most of the gold and nearly all the U.S. sales volume in the three years since it launched the Continental GT coupe. Bentley also appears to have done better than its chief competitors at balancing its brand name and image, products and prices - all of which spell "value for money."
Bentley sold 3,856 vehicles in the United States in 2006. Nearly all were Continental coupes and sedans. The GT coupe is Bentley's first new model since Volkswagen AG acquired the luxury brand. Bentley's U.S. lineup also includes the GTC convertible and older Arnage and Azure models.
Bentley's U.S. sales last year were 5.5 percent higher than in 2005. They were more than four times Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' global sales of 805 cars in 2006. Rolls-Royce would not disclose U.S. sales.
Meanwhile, Maybach sold 146 vehicles in the United States last year. That was down from 152 in 2005.
The 2007 Continental GT coupe and Continental Flying Spur sedan both list for $176,285. Those prices include a $3,700 federal gas-guzzler penalty and a $2,595 delivery charge.
That's about half the price of a Maybach 57 or Rolls-Royce Phantom, both of which set buyers back more than $300,000. But money is not the issue, executives of the ultra-luxury brands say.
Money? No object
Stuart McCullough, the Bentley board member for sales and marketing, describes his company's customers as "people who are quite happy, say, to spend $50,000 on a party for their friends or $200,000 to renovate where they live or, for that matter, $5 million or $50 million on a yacht."
"It's possible to do all these other things - the party, the house, even the yacht - out of the public eye," McCullough told Automotive News. "But you can't be out of sight of the rest of the world when you're driving a car. We have tended to be much more understated."
That is a polite way of suggesting that some consumers - even very rich ones - find the Rolls-Royce Phantom too ostentatious, with its giant hood and grille.
For others, the Maybach, from DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes Car Group, may not be ostentatious enough for the money. At first glance, it resembles a bigger version of the Mercedes S class.
The most expensive S-class sedan, the 2007 S65 AMG, lists for $182,275, including delivery. That price is higher than the Continental GT's but more than $100,000 less than the Maybach 57's.
Who's your daddy?
"The Maybach technically looks like a big Mercedes," says Rolls-Royce CEO Ian Robertson. That hurts the Maybach brand in a way that including content from parent BMW does not damage Rolls-Royce, he says.
"Of course there is a lot of technology from BMW in (Rolls-Royce) vehicles," Robertson says. "But it is a unique platform. And it does exactly what you expect a Rolls-Royce to do."
Robertson defends what he called the Phantom's "formality." It was better for Rolls-Royce to launch a high-end model four years ago with the option of going down-market in the future than the other way around, he says.
"I don't think we could have re-launched the company without that formality," Robertson says. "People know what to expect of a Rolls-Royce, and the Phantom has delivered on that substance."
Rolls-Royce displayed its new Phantom Drophead Coupe convertible at last month's Detroit auto show. It lists for $407,000, plus delivery charges that vary by dealer.
Robertson says Rolls will add a smaller - but not a much less expensive car - by 2010.
"It will be around the $250,000 to $300,000 range," he says. "We are not coming down to the $150,000 area. That is not appropriate for us."
Mercedes-Benz evidently will rely more on its Mercedes brand to battle Bentley. At the Detroit show, Mercedes displayed the Ocean Drive concept convertible, based on the S class. Ernst Lieb, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA LLC, says his priority for 2007 is launching the redesigned C class in the fall.
Maybach will stick with its current lineup of a standard and long-wheelbase sedan, offering sporty trim and equipment levels, Lieb says.
"That's it for Maybach," he says. "If there's anything else, I'm not aware of it."
Millions of millionaires
The number of consumers who can afford ultraluxury vehicles continues to increase. Nearly 2.7 million Americans had a net worth of more than $1 million in 2005, according to a report by the Capgemini consulting firm and Merrill Lynch. No figure is available for 2006.
The number of such high-net-worth Americans was 6.8 percent higher than in 2004 and nearly 10 percent more than in 2003, the report says.
Worldwide, there were about 8.7 million high-net-worth individuals in 2005.
The three biggest ultraluxury markets in the United States are the New York and Los Angeles metropolitan areas and south Florida, according to vehicle registration data from R.L. Polk & Co. Other major luxury markets are Chicago, San Francisco and Las Vegas.
'It's not easy'
Even though its U.S. sales are growing, Bentley does not plan to increase greatly its traditional advertising budget. Bentley spent $2.3 million to advertise in U.S. media in 2005, a 181.1 percent increase over 2004, reports TNS Media Intelligence. No figure is available for 2006.
"It's all about getting to the right people," says Bentley's McCullough. "You won't do that through advertising. Anything approaching mass-market advertising, in terms of cost per shopper, is very inefficient. Compared to the number of people who see the advertising, the number of (high-net-worth individuals) is going to be very small."
Instead, he says, Bentley marketing emphasizes consumer events and advertising in lifestyle and business magazines that attract wealthy readers.
Howard Mosher, executive vice president of operations at BMW of North America LLC, says ultraluxury vehicles are "not an easy segment" to market.
"People think it's easy," says Mosher, a former head of worldwide sales and marketing for Rolls-Royce. "You just build a big, luxurious sedan, and they will come. People also think that these owners are profligate with their spending, and that has not been my experience at all.
"If those profligate people are around, I haven't met them. That's how these people got to be so rich in the first place - by watching how they spend their money."
But Bentley has won most of the gold and nearly all the U.S. sales volume in the three years since it launched the Continental GT coupe. Bentley also appears to have done better than its chief competitors at balancing its brand name and image, products and prices - all of which spell "value for money."
Bentley sold 3,856 vehicles in the United States in 2006. Nearly all were Continental coupes and sedans. The GT coupe is Bentley's first new model since Volkswagen AG acquired the luxury brand. Bentley's U.S. lineup also includes the GTC convertible and older Arnage and Azure models.
Bentley's U.S. sales last year were 5.5 percent higher than in 2005. They were more than four times Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' global sales of 805 cars in 2006. Rolls-Royce would not disclose U.S. sales.
Meanwhile, Maybach sold 146 vehicles in the United States last year. That was down from 152 in 2005.
The 2007 Continental GT coupe and Continental Flying Spur sedan both list for $176,285. Those prices include a $3,700 federal gas-guzzler penalty and a $2,595 delivery charge.
That's about half the price of a Maybach 57 or Rolls-Royce Phantom, both of which set buyers back more than $300,000. But money is not the issue, executives of the ultra-luxury brands say.
Money? No object
Stuart McCullough, the Bentley board member for sales and marketing, describes his company's customers as "people who are quite happy, say, to spend $50,000 on a party for their friends or $200,000 to renovate where they live or, for that matter, $5 million or $50 million on a yacht."
"It's possible to do all these other things - the party, the house, even the yacht - out of the public eye," McCullough told Automotive News. "But you can't be out of sight of the rest of the world when you're driving a car. We have tended to be much more understated."
That is a polite way of suggesting that some consumers - even very rich ones - find the Rolls-Royce Phantom too ostentatious, with its giant hood and grille.
For others, the Maybach, from DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes Car Group, may not be ostentatious enough for the money. At first glance, it resembles a bigger version of the Mercedes S class.
The most expensive S-class sedan, the 2007 S65 AMG, lists for $182,275, including delivery. That price is higher than the Continental GT's but more than $100,000 less than the Maybach 57's.
Who's your daddy?
"The Maybach technically looks like a big Mercedes," says Rolls-Royce CEO Ian Robertson. That hurts the Maybach brand in a way that including content from parent BMW does not damage Rolls-Royce, he says.
"Of course there is a lot of technology from BMW in (Rolls-Royce) vehicles," Robertson says. "But it is a unique platform. And it does exactly what you expect a Rolls-Royce to do."
Robertson defends what he called the Phantom's "formality." It was better for Rolls-Royce to launch a high-end model four years ago with the option of going down-market in the future than the other way around, he says.
"I don't think we could have re-launched the company without that formality," Robertson says. "People know what to expect of a Rolls-Royce, and the Phantom has delivered on that substance."
Rolls-Royce displayed its new Phantom Drophead Coupe convertible at last month's Detroit auto show. It lists for $407,000, plus delivery charges that vary by dealer.
Robertson says Rolls will add a smaller - but not a much less expensive car - by 2010.
"It will be around the $250,000 to $300,000 range," he says. "We are not coming down to the $150,000 area. That is not appropriate for us."
Mercedes-Benz evidently will rely more on its Mercedes brand to battle Bentley. At the Detroit show, Mercedes displayed the Ocean Drive concept convertible, based on the S class. Ernst Lieb, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA LLC, says his priority for 2007 is launching the redesigned C class in the fall.
Maybach will stick with its current lineup of a standard and long-wheelbase sedan, offering sporty trim and equipment levels, Lieb says.
"That's it for Maybach," he says. "If there's anything else, I'm not aware of it."
Millions of millionaires
The number of consumers who can afford ultraluxury vehicles continues to increase. Nearly 2.7 million Americans had a net worth of more than $1 million in 2005, according to a report by the Capgemini consulting firm and Merrill Lynch. No figure is available for 2006.
The number of such high-net-worth Americans was 6.8 percent higher than in 2004 and nearly 10 percent more than in 2003, the report says.
Worldwide, there were about 8.7 million high-net-worth individuals in 2005.
The three biggest ultraluxury markets in the United States are the New York and Los Angeles metropolitan areas and south Florida, according to vehicle registration data from R.L. Polk & Co. Other major luxury markets are Chicago, San Francisco and Las Vegas.
'It's not easy'
Even though its U.S. sales are growing, Bentley does not plan to increase greatly its traditional advertising budget. Bentley spent $2.3 million to advertise in U.S. media in 2005, a 181.1 percent increase over 2004, reports TNS Media Intelligence. No figure is available for 2006.
"It's all about getting to the right people," says Bentley's McCullough. "You won't do that through advertising. Anything approaching mass-market advertising, in terms of cost per shopper, is very inefficient. Compared to the number of people who see the advertising, the number of (high-net-worth individuals) is going to be very small."
Instead, he says, Bentley marketing emphasizes consumer events and advertising in lifestyle and business magazines that attract wealthy readers.
Howard Mosher, executive vice president of operations at BMW of North America LLC, says ultraluxury vehicles are "not an easy segment" to market.
"People think it's easy," says Mosher, a former head of worldwide sales and marketing for Rolls-Royce. "You just build a big, luxurious sedan, and they will come. People also think that these owners are profligate with their spending, and that has not been my experience at all.
"If those profligate people are around, I haven't met them. That's how these people got to be so rich in the first place - by watching how they spend their money."
02-08-2007, 11:45 AM
#12
Moderator Alumnus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC (NOVA)
Age: 52
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
How can VW be able to sell Bentleys but not Golfs/Rabbits, Jettas and Passats?
So the moral of the story? Even millionaires go for value, lol. True.
So the moral of the story? Even millionaires go for value, lol. True.
02-08-2007, 11:50 AM
#13
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by gavriil
How can VW be able to sell Bentleys but not Golfs/Rabbits, Jettas and Passats?
So the moral of the story? Even millionaires go for value, lol. True.
So the moral of the story? Even millionaires go for value, lol. True.
02-08-2007, 12:00 PM
#14
Senior Moderator
Hey,
I know plenty of people with money where I live ... and you couldn't tell by the house they live, the clothes they wear, or the cars they drive. I think it's due to the fact they are self-made and been through tough times (ie WW2), so they know the value of money or scarce resources.
Those are the same people who don't like to use debit cards (but occasionally use credit cards since they've been around a lot longer) ... but mostly carry cash. When I see people take their wallet out with $2000 on hand ... I'm like, "What's up with that? Do they keep most of their money under their mattress?" The bank tellers tell me the same thing -- the really rich people in the neighborhood -- you couldn't tell based on their exterior appearance.
Younger people with a little bit of money (ie $100 000) ... those are the ones who will try and flash and show they have. Living on check to check.
I know plenty of people with money where I live ... and you couldn't tell by the house they live, the clothes they wear, or the cars they drive. I think it's due to the fact they are self-made and been through tough times (ie WW2), so they know the value of money or scarce resources.
Those are the same people who don't like to use debit cards (but occasionally use credit cards since they've been around a lot longer) ... but mostly carry cash. When I see people take their wallet out with $2000 on hand ... I'm like, "What's up with that? Do they keep most of their money under their mattress?" The bank tellers tell me the same thing -- the really rich people in the neighborhood -- you couldn't tell based on their exterior appearance.
Younger people with a little bit of money (ie $100 000) ... those are the ones who will try and flash and show they have. Living on check to check.
02-08-2007, 02:05 PM
#15
fap fap fap
Originally Posted by derrick
Younger people with a little bit of money (ie $100 000) ... those are the ones who will try and flash and show they have. Living on check to check.
not even 100k. i know lots of younger people (18-35) with barely even 1 grand in the bank and they still flash and show they what they have and look down on others who arent materialistic like them
02-08-2007, 04:31 PM
#16
Safety Car
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by gavriil
So the moral of the story? Even millionaires go for value, lol. True.
02-08-2007, 04:37 PM
#17
Senior Moderator
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Better Neighborhood, Arizona
Posts: 45,640
Received 2,329 Likes
on
1,309 Posts
Originally Posted by Infamous425
not even 100k. i know lots of younger people (18-35) with barely even 1 grand in the bank and they still flash and show they what they have and look down on others who arent materialistic like them
Plenty of those types in the world.
02-08-2007, 04:41 PM
#18
Originally Posted by gavriil
So the moral of the story? Even millionaires go for value, lol. True.
02-09-2007, 12:45 AM
#19
Moderator Alumnus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC (NOVA)
Age: 52
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
No doubt about it. Most wealthy people are very careful with money. The more money they make, the more careful they are with it. And it makes sense. I felt the same way (and was never wealthy) throughout my life. I remember when I got my first job, I thought I was making...oh so much money.... Then the more I made, the more I felt the less I made, not necessarily because I was spending a ton more. How wealthy one feels is a lot about their perception about their financial state, not so much about absolute numbers. After all, all money is relevant because it has to be compared to another number for it to be put in perspective.
I feel like a money sponge. The more I make, the more I think there is good reason of why I should put it away somewhere safe and keep it. It's almost like a curse. I mean look at me, supposedly a car enthusiast and am still with a 2001 CL/S. By now I should have been in at least 2 more cars considering my love for them. I guess the logic part of my brain has won a few times in a row against the auto enthus. part of my brain. However I see that changing in 2007, lol.
I feel like a money sponge. The more I make, the more I think there is good reason of why I should put it away somewhere safe and keep it. It's almost like a curse. I mean look at me, supposedly a car enthusiast and am still with a 2001 CL/S. By now I should have been in at least 2 more cars considering my love for them. I guess the logic part of my brain has won a few times in a row against the auto enthus. part of my brain. However I see that changing in 2007, lol.
02-09-2007, 03:23 PM
#22
Moderator Alumnus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC (NOVA)
Age: 52
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
For me there is a difference between being a stickler (or whatever the right term is) and being financially responsible which I think I have been throughout the years. To be one of the Google guys and to be driving an Accord is not being financially responsible, it's a shame in my opinion. On the other hand, him going out and spendin 25 million dollars in cars would also be stupid or unecessary but then again, personal preference makes the difference in the end.
02-09-2007, 04:04 PM
#23
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by gavriil
For me there is a difference between being a stickler (or whatever the right term is) and being financially responsible which I think I have been throughout the years. To be one of the Google guys and to be driving an Accord is not being financially responsible, it's a shame in my opinion. On the other hand, him going out and spendin 25 million dollars in cars would also be stupid or unecessary but then again, personal preference makes the difference in the end.
02-09-2007, 04:33 PM
#24
Originally Posted by gavriil
F To be one of the Google guys and to be driving an Accord is not being financially responsible, it's a shame in my opinion.
02-09-2007, 06:37 PM
#25
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by phile
It probably has sentimental value, though. I was watching MTV Cribs and Ludacris, among his other cars, still has his Legend, which he bought when he was up and coming.
02-10-2007, 01:36 PM
#26
Moderator Alumnus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Washington DC (NOVA)
Age: 52
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
Originally Posted by phile
It probably has sentimental value, though. I was watching MTV Cribs and Ludacris, among his other cars, still has his Legend, which he bought when he was up and coming.
06-04-2012, 02:38 PM
#27
Senior Moderator
Bentley: Sales, Marketing, and Financial news
Placeholder thread created!
06-04-2012, 02:38 PM
#28
Senior Moderator
Bentley Blowers at 2012 Mille Miglia
Press release...
W.O. Bentley’s gift for creating cars that combined the speed of a thoroughbred racing machine with an enviable reputation for strength and comfort, allowing them to effortlessly cover hundreds of miles, is set to be underlined once again at the 2012 Mille Miglia when two 4½ litre Bentley Blowers take on the classic 1,000 mile endurance test.
Despite having a combined age of over 160 years, the Bentley Blowers are showing no signs of slowing down. The 4½ litre Supercharged ‘Birkin Blower’ – raced extensively by the legendary Le Mans winner and Bentley Boy Tim Birkin – has already successfully completed the Mille Miglia in 2005 and 2011.
The Birkin’s companion car is one of 50 Blowers built for road use and still appears at Bentley events around the world. It started life in 1930 as one of the company’s first showroom demonstrators and is still performing its fair share of ‘test drives’ eight decades later. Rolf Frech, Bentley’s Member of the Board for Engineering, who is leading the Bentley team at the Mille Miglia comments:
“It is a privilege for the team to drive these remarkable cars at the Mille Miglia as they embody so many of the qualities that set Bentley apart from other marques and W.O. Bentley’s brilliance as an engineer. We look forward to driving another thousand miles and setting a decent pace in the true Bentley tradition.”
A 1954 company-owned R-Type Continental has also made the journey from England to Italy. Widely regarded as one of the most elegant cars to have sported Bentley’s distinctive ‘Winged B’ emblem, the R-Type was also the world’s fastest four seat luxury saloon when it was launched in 1952 (delivering a top speed of 115mph) and this year marks the car’s 60th Anniversary.
The best of Bentley’s motoring past will be accompanied across Italy by two modern Crewe-built cars – the 6.0 litre W12 Continental GT coupe and the recently launched 4.0 litre V8 GTC convertible – which are playing a pivotal role in cementing Bentley’s position as one of the world’s leading luxury carmakers.
Combining exhilarating levels of performance with all the advantages of a highly sophisticated all-wheel drive system as well as luxurious, handcrafted cabins, today’s Bentley Continentals uphold the marque’s reputation for building cars that can cover great distances quickly and with supreme ease.
Bentley’s newly introduced 4.0 litre V8 engine delivers maximum power of 500 bhp (507 PS / 373 Kw) at 6000 rev/min and an extraordinary peak torque of 660 Nm (487 lb ft) which is available across virtually the entire rev range from 1700 to 5000 rev/min, providing exhilarating performance and effortless power delivery in the Bentley tradition.
Combined with a new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission, this translates into a 0-60 mph sprint time of 4.7 seconds for the GTC convertible and a top speed of 187 mph (303 km/h). At the same time, the new V8 achieves outstanding levels of fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions for the luxury sector and is capable of travelling over 500 miles (800 km) on a single tank of fuel.
Despite having a combined age of over 160 years, the Bentley Blowers are showing no signs of slowing down. The 4½ litre Supercharged ‘Birkin Blower’ – raced extensively by the legendary Le Mans winner and Bentley Boy Tim Birkin – has already successfully completed the Mille Miglia in 2005 and 2011.
The Birkin’s companion car is one of 50 Blowers built for road use and still appears at Bentley events around the world. It started life in 1930 as one of the company’s first showroom demonstrators and is still performing its fair share of ‘test drives’ eight decades later. Rolf Frech, Bentley’s Member of the Board for Engineering, who is leading the Bentley team at the Mille Miglia comments:
“It is a privilege for the team to drive these remarkable cars at the Mille Miglia as they embody so many of the qualities that set Bentley apart from other marques and W.O. Bentley’s brilliance as an engineer. We look forward to driving another thousand miles and setting a decent pace in the true Bentley tradition.”
A 1954 company-owned R-Type Continental has also made the journey from England to Italy. Widely regarded as one of the most elegant cars to have sported Bentley’s distinctive ‘Winged B’ emblem, the R-Type was also the world’s fastest four seat luxury saloon when it was launched in 1952 (delivering a top speed of 115mph) and this year marks the car’s 60th Anniversary.
The best of Bentley’s motoring past will be accompanied across Italy by two modern Crewe-built cars – the 6.0 litre W12 Continental GT coupe and the recently launched 4.0 litre V8 GTC convertible – which are playing a pivotal role in cementing Bentley’s position as one of the world’s leading luxury carmakers.
Combining exhilarating levels of performance with all the advantages of a highly sophisticated all-wheel drive system as well as luxurious, handcrafted cabins, today’s Bentley Continentals uphold the marque’s reputation for building cars that can cover great distances quickly and with supreme ease.
Bentley’s newly introduced 4.0 litre V8 engine delivers maximum power of 500 bhp (507 PS / 373 Kw) at 6000 rev/min and an extraordinary peak torque of 660 Nm (487 lb ft) which is available across virtually the entire rev range from 1700 to 5000 rev/min, providing exhilarating performance and effortless power delivery in the Bentley tradition.
Combined with a new close-ratio 8-speed automatic transmission, this translates into a 0-60 mph sprint time of 4.7 seconds for the GTC convertible and a top speed of 187 mph (303 km/h). At the same time, the new V8 achieves outstanding levels of fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions for the luxury sector and is capable of travelling over 500 miles (800 km) on a single tank of fuel.
06-04-2012, 02:40 PM
#29
Senior Moderator
08-25-2012, 07:43 PM
#30
Senior Moderator
Embiricos Makes Appearance at Crewe Factory
Press release...
One of the rarest and most valuable Bentleys in the world, the 4¼-Litre ‘Embiricos’ special, is making an historic appearance at the marque’s home in Crewe. Fresh from taking part in the Louis Vuitton ‘Serenissima Run’ in Venice and featuring at the Le Mans Classic as part of the Bentley lineup, this magnificent car takes pride of place in the Lineage Showroom at the firm’s Pyms Lane factory until September.
Throughout the 1930s Bentley Motors, then owned by Rolls-Royce, was producing fast, refined and well-built Grand Tourers from its Derby factory. While many customers sent their chassis to traditional coachbuilders such as Vanden Plas, H.J. Mulliner or Park Ward for elegant bodywork, enthusiasts from across the Channel, where the roads were longer and faster, were eager to explore the new world of aerodynamics. With the support of the factory, one such owner decided to investigate the possibility of a streamlined high-performance Bentley. The result was the most famous Bentley of the Derby era.
André Embiricos was a wealthy Greek racing driver living in Paris. Walter Sleator, the company’s Paris agent, put him in touch with Georges Paulin, a designer working for coachbuilders Pourtout Carrossier. Under Paulin’s guidance Pourtout produced a strikingly sleek, aerodynamic body for a 4¼-Litre Derby Bentley that would be suitable for fast touring and track records alike. To keep weight down the fastback body with split rear window was crafted in Duralumin, an age-hardenable aluminium alloy.
The ‘Embiricos’ Bentley fulfilled all the criteria for a Bentley high performance grand tourer, achieving a timed 114.64 mph (184.5 km/h) over an hour at Brooklands, yet being civilised enough for Embiricos to use as a road car. Embiricos sold his unique Bentley late in 1939 to H.S.F. Hay who raced it in three post-war Le Mans 24-hour races, achieving a commendable 6th place in 1949.
Although a one-off, reaction to the Embiricos Bentley encouraged the company to explore more streamlined styles for future production models. In 1939 Bentley designer Ivan Evernden worked with Paulin on a sleek Mark V prototype called Corniche. Unfortunately it was in France when WWII broke out and destroyed during a bombing raid on Dieppe while awaiting shipment to Britain. Post-war, many of the lessons of the Embiricos Bentley reached fruition in the glorious lines of the 1952 R Type Continental, and as such continue to be reflected in the iconic shape of today’s Continental GT coupe.
Richard Charlesworth, Director of Royal and VIP Relations and Head of the Bentley Heritage Collection, commented:
“It is an honour for Bentley to exhibit this unique Bentley for the first time, thanks to the generosity of its esteemed owner. Its sleek form was extremely advanced for the time, and its DNA can still be seen in modern Bentley coupes today. We are looking forward to showing the Embiricos to our factory visitors, and to the public at the upcoming Windsor Castle Concours of Elegance.”
Throughout the 1930s Bentley Motors, then owned by Rolls-Royce, was producing fast, refined and well-built Grand Tourers from its Derby factory. While many customers sent their chassis to traditional coachbuilders such as Vanden Plas, H.J. Mulliner or Park Ward for elegant bodywork, enthusiasts from across the Channel, where the roads were longer and faster, were eager to explore the new world of aerodynamics. With the support of the factory, one such owner decided to investigate the possibility of a streamlined high-performance Bentley. The result was the most famous Bentley of the Derby era.
André Embiricos was a wealthy Greek racing driver living in Paris. Walter Sleator, the company’s Paris agent, put him in touch with Georges Paulin, a designer working for coachbuilders Pourtout Carrossier. Under Paulin’s guidance Pourtout produced a strikingly sleek, aerodynamic body for a 4¼-Litre Derby Bentley that would be suitable for fast touring and track records alike. To keep weight down the fastback body with split rear window was crafted in Duralumin, an age-hardenable aluminium alloy.
The ‘Embiricos’ Bentley fulfilled all the criteria for a Bentley high performance grand tourer, achieving a timed 114.64 mph (184.5 km/h) over an hour at Brooklands, yet being civilised enough for Embiricos to use as a road car. Embiricos sold his unique Bentley late in 1939 to H.S.F. Hay who raced it in three post-war Le Mans 24-hour races, achieving a commendable 6th place in 1949.
Although a one-off, reaction to the Embiricos Bentley encouraged the company to explore more streamlined styles for future production models. In 1939 Bentley designer Ivan Evernden worked with Paulin on a sleek Mark V prototype called Corniche. Unfortunately it was in France when WWII broke out and destroyed during a bombing raid on Dieppe while awaiting shipment to Britain. Post-war, many of the lessons of the Embiricos Bentley reached fruition in the glorious lines of the 1952 R Type Continental, and as such continue to be reflected in the iconic shape of today’s Continental GT coupe.
Richard Charlesworth, Director of Royal and VIP Relations and Head of the Bentley Heritage Collection, commented:
“It is an honour for Bentley to exhibit this unique Bentley for the first time, thanks to the generosity of its esteemed owner. Its sleek form was extremely advanced for the time, and its DNA can still be seen in modern Bentley coupes today. We are looking forward to showing the Embiricos to our factory visitors, and to the public at the upcoming Windsor Castle Concours of Elegance.”
08-25-2012, 07:43 PM
#31
Senior Moderator
02-08-2016, 08:21 PM
#32
Senior Moderator
1925 Bentley 3 Litre MH 7580
Very cool...At the London Classic Car Show...
Bentley Motors’ first works entry Le Mans 24hr car will be playing a starring role at the London Classic Car Show this February.
This incredibly important piece of Bentley’s motorsport history will be making a public appearance at the London Classic Car Show, where Georgina Riley will be taking the wheel. Georgina is a member of the Bentley Belles racing team – a four-strong all-female historic racing team that has competed in the likes of the Mille Miglia, the Le Mans Classic and the Benjafield’s 24 hours race in Portimao.
The London Classic Car Show is a rare opportunity to see many famous, beautiful and iconic cars in one place. Not only are the cars on display, they are also fired up and driven, giving crowds the chance to see, hear and smell them on the move.
William Medcalf Vintage Bentley has looked after the Bentley 3 Litre Team Car for the last 14 years, having given it a complete and historically sympathetic restoration in 2001, and fully rebuilding it again in the last couple of years. The car remains remarkably original, and William Medcalf preserved as much of that as possible while working on it.
The car retains its original Vanden Plas four-seater body, and it was fitted with a lower, more aerodynamic windscreen than was standard, in a bid to improve its speed. It also came with a large, 25-gallon fuel tank, stiffened suspension and an engine that was uprated to ‘Supersports’ specification.
The car raced in the 1925 running of the Le Mans 24hr race, although unfortunately failed to finish, retiring on lap 19. A last-minute rule change meant that cars had to run with their hood up for the first 20 laps, which affected their fuel efficiency. Despite leading the race from the off, Number 10 inevitably ran out of fuel dashing W.O. Bentley’s hopes.
Herbert Kensington Moir and Dudley Benjafield, the founder of the British Racing Drivers’ Club and winner of the 1927 Le Mans 24hr race, were the Bentley Motors Works drivers for the race.
After Le Mans, MH7580 was driven hard as a company demonstrator before being sold into private hands. The car has always been in active service and in the 1970s completed over 1000 miles in a day just to prove her stripes. It was also named ‘Car of the Show’ at the Bentley Drivers’ Club Concours at Hatfield House in 2005. In 2013 MH7580 was driven by William Medcalf and Paul Carter non-stop for 24 hours at the Portimao race circuit, covering over 1400 miles, in preparation for the inaugural Benjafield’s 24 hour race that took place the following year.
This year it will be making an exciting return to racing at Le Mans after more than 90 years, when it takes part in the Le Mans Classic, alongside other notable cars of the period.
William Medcalf said: “It has been a privilege to work on such an important part of British motorsport history, and it will be fantastic to see it make a rare appearance in front of British crowds. The London Classic Car Show’s special setup means that attendees will not only be able to see this car up close, but watch it on the move as well.”
This incredibly important piece of Bentley’s motorsport history will be making a public appearance at the London Classic Car Show, where Georgina Riley will be taking the wheel. Georgina is a member of the Bentley Belles racing team – a four-strong all-female historic racing team that has competed in the likes of the Mille Miglia, the Le Mans Classic and the Benjafield’s 24 hours race in Portimao.
The London Classic Car Show is a rare opportunity to see many famous, beautiful and iconic cars in one place. Not only are the cars on display, they are also fired up and driven, giving crowds the chance to see, hear and smell them on the move.
William Medcalf Vintage Bentley has looked after the Bentley 3 Litre Team Car for the last 14 years, having given it a complete and historically sympathetic restoration in 2001, and fully rebuilding it again in the last couple of years. The car remains remarkably original, and William Medcalf preserved as much of that as possible while working on it.
The car retains its original Vanden Plas four-seater body, and it was fitted with a lower, more aerodynamic windscreen than was standard, in a bid to improve its speed. It also came with a large, 25-gallon fuel tank, stiffened suspension and an engine that was uprated to ‘Supersports’ specification.
The car raced in the 1925 running of the Le Mans 24hr race, although unfortunately failed to finish, retiring on lap 19. A last-minute rule change meant that cars had to run with their hood up for the first 20 laps, which affected their fuel efficiency. Despite leading the race from the off, Number 10 inevitably ran out of fuel dashing W.O. Bentley’s hopes.
Herbert Kensington Moir and Dudley Benjafield, the founder of the British Racing Drivers’ Club and winner of the 1927 Le Mans 24hr race, were the Bentley Motors Works drivers for the race.
After Le Mans, MH7580 was driven hard as a company demonstrator before being sold into private hands. The car has always been in active service and in the 1970s completed over 1000 miles in a day just to prove her stripes. It was also named ‘Car of the Show’ at the Bentley Drivers’ Club Concours at Hatfield House in 2005. In 2013 MH7580 was driven by William Medcalf and Paul Carter non-stop for 24 hours at the Portimao race circuit, covering over 1400 miles, in preparation for the inaugural Benjafield’s 24 hour race that took place the following year.
This year it will be making an exciting return to racing at Le Mans after more than 90 years, when it takes part in the Le Mans Classic, alongside other notable cars of the period.
William Medcalf said: “It has been a privilege to work on such an important part of British motorsport history, and it will be fantastic to see it make a rare appearance in front of British crowds. The London Classic Car Show’s special setup means that attendees will not only be able to see this car up close, but watch it on the move as well.”
02-08-2016, 11:25 PM
#34
Team Owner
That engine looks awesome!
It's probably an 8.0L V12 that puts out 67hp
It's probably an 8.0L V12 that puts out 67hp
02-19-2016, 10:58 AM
#35
Senior Moderator
1931 Bentley 8 Litre
Very neat...
Press release:
Press release:
Style and performance go hand-in-hand with the latest Bentley offered for sale by William Medcalf Vintage Bentley, world-renowned authority in all things vintage Bentley.
The 1931 8 Litre Bentley comes with a long list of racing pedigree that includes a selection of course records and class wins over an illustrious competing career. It is a perfect example of the high-end vehicles offered for sale by William Medcalf Vintage Bentley.
However, any future owner will also get a touch of period luxury with their new car, as it also comes with a set of Louis Vuitton luggage. The two suitcases are made to fit on the rear luggage rack of this pristine and majestic car, and are in immaculate condition.
The matching cases are held firmly in place by bespoke metal fastenings front and rear, and come with immaculate leather covered handles and metal catches and hinges.
William Medcalf Vintage Bentley is selling the car with a large file of history, which shows it has been lovingly and well maintained throughout its lifetime. It comes with the original 8 Litre engine, which was the largest of its type made by Bentley. Only 100 of its type were made, and it was sold with the claim that the four-seater version could be put into top gear then accelerate from 0-100mph while fully loaded with passengers and luggage. This version is being sold with a lightweight two-seater sports body.
Its racing history includes a trip to Ghent in 1969, and the car comes with a detailed account from the then owner, which describes how he took it over to a timed kilometre competition. Troubles with weather and ferry crossings meant that the car didn’t arrive in France until the day before the event was scheduled to take place. A non-stop, fast-paced trek from Le Havre meant that the car arrived at the last possible moment, late on the evening the night before the competition. This didn’t stop the car from setting a new Bentley course record, with a two-way average speed of 125mph, coming fourth overall against much new cars.
William Medcalf said: “As soon as I saw this car it was clear it was a perfect example of the brand and the wide-ranging appeal that vintage Bentleys hold. The Louis Vuitton luggage helps it offer a real taste of 1930s luxury, while the undoubted performance of the 8 Litre engine means it could easily add to its already decorated racing career.”
The Louis Vuitton Bentley is offered for sale alongside several other noteworthy cars in the West Sussex showroom. These include a completely original and unrestored 4 ½ Litre drophead that was discovered in a house in Kew, South London in 2015. It has been mechanically overhauled so it is driveable, but everything else about it has not been touched, meaning it is entirely original and unchanged from when it was delivered to its first owner in 1928.
The car is available for viewing at William Medcalf Vintage Bentley’s showroom in Liss, West Sussex.
The 1931 8 Litre Bentley comes with a long list of racing pedigree that includes a selection of course records and class wins over an illustrious competing career. It is a perfect example of the high-end vehicles offered for sale by William Medcalf Vintage Bentley.
However, any future owner will also get a touch of period luxury with their new car, as it also comes with a set of Louis Vuitton luggage. The two suitcases are made to fit on the rear luggage rack of this pristine and majestic car, and are in immaculate condition.
The matching cases are held firmly in place by bespoke metal fastenings front and rear, and come with immaculate leather covered handles and metal catches and hinges.
William Medcalf Vintage Bentley is selling the car with a large file of history, which shows it has been lovingly and well maintained throughout its lifetime. It comes with the original 8 Litre engine, which was the largest of its type made by Bentley. Only 100 of its type were made, and it was sold with the claim that the four-seater version could be put into top gear then accelerate from 0-100mph while fully loaded with passengers and luggage. This version is being sold with a lightweight two-seater sports body.
Its racing history includes a trip to Ghent in 1969, and the car comes with a detailed account from the then owner, which describes how he took it over to a timed kilometre competition. Troubles with weather and ferry crossings meant that the car didn’t arrive in France until the day before the event was scheduled to take place. A non-stop, fast-paced trek from Le Havre meant that the car arrived at the last possible moment, late on the evening the night before the competition. This didn’t stop the car from setting a new Bentley course record, with a two-way average speed of 125mph, coming fourth overall against much new cars.
William Medcalf said: “As soon as I saw this car it was clear it was a perfect example of the brand and the wide-ranging appeal that vintage Bentleys hold. The Louis Vuitton luggage helps it offer a real taste of 1930s luxury, while the undoubted performance of the 8 Litre engine means it could easily add to its already decorated racing career.”
The Louis Vuitton Bentley is offered for sale alongside several other noteworthy cars in the West Sussex showroom. These include a completely original and unrestored 4 ½ Litre drophead that was discovered in a house in Kew, South London in 2015. It has been mechanically overhauled so it is driveable, but everything else about it has not been touched, meaning it is entirely original and unchanged from when it was delivered to its first owner in 1928.
The car is available for viewing at William Medcalf Vintage Bentley’s showroom in Liss, West Sussex.
02-19-2016, 11:00 AM
#36
Senior Moderator
01-16-2018, 12:27 PM
#37
Senior Moderator
1930 Bentley Speed Six Blue Train Special by Gurney Nutting
Wow.
Press release...
Barnato was at a dinner party on board a yacht near Cannes in March 1930 when the subject of racing the famous Blue Train came up, as both Rover and Alvis had recently beaten the train from St Raphael to Calais. Barnato wasn’t impressed, calling the achievement ‘no great shakes’. He wagered £200 that at the wheel of his Speed Six he could beat the train to Calais with ease.
Knowing how canny Barnato was, none of his companions would take the bet - so he resolved to do the run anyway, to prove his point. The next day at 5:45pm, as the Blue Train left the railway station at Cannes, Barnato and his companion, amateur golfer Dale Bourne, left the Carlton Bar in Cannes and set off in the Speed Six.
During the 185 miles from Cannes to Lyon, the two men encountered heavy rain which slowed their progress. At around 4am, between Lyon and Paris, near Auxerre, the team lost time searching for their pre-arranged refuelling rendezvous. Despite this setback, some dense fog near Paris and a puncture which used their only spare tyre, Barnato and Bourne finally reached Calais at 10:30 in the morning. They had covered over 570 miles at an average speed of 43.43 mph, an impressive achievement on the dusty and rough roads of the time.
Barnato had arrived in Calais so far ahead of the train that he decided to continue on to London. After crossing the Channel in a packet steamer, being waved through Customs and driving hard for almost 700 miles, Woolf Barnato parked his Speed Six outside the Conservative Club in St. James’ Street at 3.20pm. Just four minutes later the Blue Train arrived at the station in Calais.
Barnato had won his unofficial dare, although the French Motor Manufacturer’s Association fined Bentley Motors around £160 for racing on public roads and barred Bentley from the Paris Salon of 1930. Barnato claimed that he had raced as a private individual and not as the Chairman of Bentley…a claim that failed to convince the authorities.
Few cars embody the glamour, speed and power of the pre-war Bentley era better than the ‘Blue Train’ Bentley Speed Six. Barnato’s achievement was so exceptional that a 2015 re-run by Car Magazine in a Continental GT3-R only just managed to beat Barnato’s average speed set in 1930.
For years the Bentley that beat the Blue Train was thought to be a Speed Six coupé built by coachbuilders Gurney Nutting. The low roofline and 2+1 cockpit with a single ‘side-saddle’ rear seat gives it a lean, low and purposeful profile; this unique design was cited by Bentley’s design team as one of the inspirations for the modern-day Continental GT.
Press release...
Bentley 'Blue Train' Speed Six
Woolf Barnato – heir to a vast fortune from the Kimberley diamond mines in South Africa – was the ultimate ‘Bentley Boy’. A brilliant sportsman, bon viveur and generous host, he became Chairman of Bentley Motors in 1926 when the company was struggling for capital. W.O Bentley considered him the best of all the team’s drivers, and Barnato’s 100% record at Le Mans – three wins in three starts – confirms WO’s judgement.Barnato was at a dinner party on board a yacht near Cannes in March 1930 when the subject of racing the famous Blue Train came up, as both Rover and Alvis had recently beaten the train from St Raphael to Calais. Barnato wasn’t impressed, calling the achievement ‘no great shakes’. He wagered £200 that at the wheel of his Speed Six he could beat the train to Calais with ease.
Knowing how canny Barnato was, none of his companions would take the bet - so he resolved to do the run anyway, to prove his point. The next day at 5:45pm, as the Blue Train left the railway station at Cannes, Barnato and his companion, amateur golfer Dale Bourne, left the Carlton Bar in Cannes and set off in the Speed Six.
During the 185 miles from Cannes to Lyon, the two men encountered heavy rain which slowed their progress. At around 4am, between Lyon and Paris, near Auxerre, the team lost time searching for their pre-arranged refuelling rendezvous. Despite this setback, some dense fog near Paris and a puncture which used their only spare tyre, Barnato and Bourne finally reached Calais at 10:30 in the morning. They had covered over 570 miles at an average speed of 43.43 mph, an impressive achievement on the dusty and rough roads of the time.
Barnato had arrived in Calais so far ahead of the train that he decided to continue on to London. After crossing the Channel in a packet steamer, being waved through Customs and driving hard for almost 700 miles, Woolf Barnato parked his Speed Six outside the Conservative Club in St. James’ Street at 3.20pm. Just four minutes later the Blue Train arrived at the station in Calais.
Barnato had won his unofficial dare, although the French Motor Manufacturer’s Association fined Bentley Motors around £160 for racing on public roads and barred Bentley from the Paris Salon of 1930. Barnato claimed that he had raced as a private individual and not as the Chairman of Bentley…a claim that failed to convince the authorities.
Few cars embody the glamour, speed and power of the pre-war Bentley era better than the ‘Blue Train’ Bentley Speed Six. Barnato’s achievement was so exceptional that a 2015 re-run by Car Magazine in a Continental GT3-R only just managed to beat Barnato’s average speed set in 1930.
For years the Bentley that beat the Blue Train was thought to be a Speed Six coupé built by coachbuilders Gurney Nutting. The low roofline and 2+1 cockpit with a single ‘side-saddle’ rear seat gives it a lean, low and purposeful profile; this unique design was cited by Bentley’s design team as one of the inspirations for the modern-day Continental GT.
Facts & Figures
- Gurney Nutting Speed Six Coupé a one-off design
- Powered by same 180bhp engine as the Le Mans winning Speed Sixes
- Interior fitted with a side-saddle single rear seat - and cocktail cabinet
- Achieved 43.43mph between Cannes and Calais on pre-war Routes Nationales
- Controversy over which Speed Six Barnato drove to win the bet
- Barnato and co-driver Bourne reached the Conservative Club four minutes before the Blue Train reached Paris
- Collector Bruce McCaw owns both ‘Blue Train’ Bentleys – the Gurney Nutting and the Mulliner cars
- Bentley was fined for ‘racing on public roads’ and barred from Paris Salon
01-16-2018, 12:28 PM
#38
Senior Moderator
01-16-2018, 12:29 PM
#39
Senior Moderator
01-16-2018, 12:29 PM
#40
Senior Moderator