Bentley Destroyed in Cash for Clunkers Program

A 1997 Bentley Continental R — a car that when new sold for $250,000 — was destroyed in the Cash for Clunkers program, according to data gathered by the federal government and discovered by the Detroit Free Press. Keep in mind that the Bentley’s owner only got a $4,500 credit at best.

This trade-in, obviously, makes absolutely no sense. According to the program’s rules, the vehicle had to be drivable, which means the Bentley was probably worth a lot more than $4,500. As Howard Krimko, a former chairman of a luxury car club, told the blog Wheels, “The seats for the car would be worth more than that.”

What’s even more mystifying is that dealers had the option of buying the car outright. Why wouldn’t they just take the car? The report listed no details on the condition of the car or where it was turned in, so curious parties will be maddened until someone steps forward and identifies the party responsible. Could this trade-in be illegitimate or even made up?

A few other vehicles of note that owners scrapped through the program include a 1997 Aston Martin DB7 Volante (that sold for $135,000 when new) and a 1987 Buick GNX (one of 547 ever built).

Exotic Clunkers Also Got the Crunch Under Program (Detroit Free Press)

2010 Bentley Mulsanne: First Look

The same 2010 Bentley Mulsanne that made its world debut at California’s Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance in August has begun a tour of major U.S. markets to stir up interest among Bentley loyalists. One such market is our hometown of Chicago, where we got our first in-person look (and photos, below) at the new "grand Bentley" flagship sedan (or saloon, if you must), which takes the place of the Arnage (1998-2009). This tan model and a blue one shown at this month's Frankfurt Motor Show are two of 20 prototypes around the world. The Mulsanne, which is pronounced mull-sahn, begins production next spring and will hit the U.S. in summer.

Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Bentley Continental GTC

Normally, Cars.com only reviews vehicles that fall into the general category of “Your average Cars.com employee could afford it.” Or at least somewhere close to that range. Somehow, though, reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder finagled his way into a $270,000 2010 Bentley Continental GTC – and, coincidentally, the price tag reminds him strongly of his childhood. Is Wiesenfelder secretly a Rockefeller? Find out by reading his full review of the GTC.

2010 Bentley Continental GTC Review

Bentley Debuts E85-Capable Continental Supersports

Bentley unveiled a new vehicle today, the Continental Supersports, that is the automaker’s first step toward developing an entire trim range of biofuel vehicles.

The Supersports is essentially a Continental GT, but with one important addition; it’s E85 capable. This is a big deal for Bentley, which is trying to burnish its environmental image; its models are some of the worst gas-guzzlers on the market.

The Supersports packs an ethanol-capable twin-turbocharged W-12 that produces 621 hp, making the coupe the fastest, most powerful Bentley ever.

That powertrain pushes 4,939 pounds of car from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. When it’s time to stop, Bentley says the standard ceramic brakes are the largest, most powerful ones ever fitted to a production vehicle.

Fastest Bentley Ever Will Run on Biofuel

If you’re going to produce an absurdly expensive luxury racer that can claim the mantle of “fastest and most powerful” in your history, why not make it run on biofuel?

This is Bentley’s somewhat suspect reasoning behind its yet-to-be-named racer. As Jalopnik.com points out, this means the car will have to top the Continental GT Speed in acceleration (0-60 mph in less than 4.3 seconds), top speed (202 mph), horsepower (600 ponies) and torque (553 pounds-feet).

And it will run on a yet-to-be-named biofuel. Likely this will be some kind of ethanol, but we’ll know for sure when the car debuts at the 2009 Geneva auto show.

Here’s our question, though: Does a car that can go more than 200 mph really need a green halo hanging over it? Do the obscenely rich buy extravagant and unnecessary cars because they’re powered by switchgrass instead of gasoline? Even if you’re Matt Damon and enamored by an ultra-luxury green vehicle, why would you forgo a plug-in hybrid or electric car in favor of one that runs on a fuel you’ll have to spend extra time hunting down?

Bentley, please explain.

Fastest Bentley Ever Will Run on Biofuel (Jalopnik.com)

Feel-Good Video: Bentley Continental GTC

We have to really thank Joe Wiesenfelder for his latest video. He walks us through why it’s not such a bad thing there isn’t an extra $200,000-plus burning a hole through your Gap khakis. Think of it as car-guy therapy. Now if we could just find a way to charge for car-guy therapy, we could probably afford to buy that Bentley.

Exotic Recall: 520 Bentleys Have Bum Wheels

When we write about recalls, it’s usually as a public service. Because only 520 people worldwide are affected by the recent Bentley recall, we’ll just say this is really intriguing news for those of us who wish we could roll like Gordon Ramsay. The celebrated TV chef owns a Bentley Arnage, a luxury sedan priced near $220,000, which is being recalled because the wrong bolts were used on the wheels.

Since Bentleys are virtually hand-­built, someone must have been having a bad day at the office. Actually, the recall involves 520 Arnages built over the past 18 months, so that bad day stretched out quite a bit. Bentley has already contacted owners, but for just a few minutes we can hold on to the belief that Bentley owners are just like the rest of us, dealing with everyday headaches like recalls.

The Wheels Come Off as 250,000 Cars Recalled Over Safety Risks (Scotsman.com)

Go Faster: Bentley Continental GT Speed

What do you do when your game-changing $170,000 luxury coupe has been overexposed by everyone from Paris Hilton to Cars.com? You make it faster. That’s exactly what Bentley did with its new take on the Continental GT. While the current GT has a still outstanding 552 hp, the Continental GT Speed gets 600 hp from the same engine thanks to some tweaks under the hood. That improves the zero to 60 time to 4.3 seconds from a modest 4.6 in the standard GT.

The Continental GT Speed also rides on a lower, more performance-oriented suspension and retains the “base” car’s all-wheel drive system. There’s also a darkened chrome grille and Speed-specific wheels.

A photo gallery can be found below and if you need to know how much you’ll have to pony up for a new Speed — well, they say if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. Seriously though, no price has been announced yet.

Blogging Bentley: Continental Flying Spur a $196,395 Treat

It isn’t often we have a car in the garage that carries a price tag commensurate with Hyundai’s entire lineup. And considering I’m the low man on the car-reviewing totem pole, it’s even less likely that when we do, I get to drive it. My recent assignments included a Nissan Murano, Honda Element and Chrysler Pacifica — nice cars all, but they’re not necessarily setting the auto world on fire. But last Friday, my luck changed a bit: I was handed the keys to a Bentley Continental Flying Spur.

It sat in a deserted corner atop the 2,000-space parking garage near our Chicago offices, and by midmorning some fellow had decided his Cadillac DTS was fit to share its company. Never mind that the Caddy’s 275-hp V-8 delivers less than half the output of Bentley’s 552-hp, twin-turbo W-12, but let’s not waste any more virtual ink comparing the two.

A New Old Man Bentley Coupe: Bentley Brooklands World Debut

Bentley’s recent success has revolved around the new Continental GT and its Hollywood connection to Paris Hilton and other young celebs. Well, the old men in Palm Beach and the Hamptons now can ride in a Bentley two-door without fear of being mobbed by paparazzi. The new Brooklands four-seat coupe will also be a bit more exclusive than recent Bentleys. There will only be 550 built, with production starting in 2008.

Bentleys are all hand-made and can be custom ordered to meet almost any customer demand, but all Brooklands will feature the company’s most powerful engine, a 530 hp twin-turbo V-8, and standard 20-inch wheels. The design is a bit more old-fashioned than the Continental, but the sloping rear and pillar-less windows add a bit of flash to an otherwise elegant design.

There’s no price announced yet, but expect it to be much more than the Continental line. We’d guess upwards of $200,000. For those that like to window shop, there’s a full photo gallery below.