RANK BENTLEY CAR PICTURES: October 2009

2005 Bentley Arnage Blue Train Series Images

2005 Bentley Arnage Blue Train Series PICTURES

Crewe, 31st October 2005 - Some 75 years since the adventurer and Le Mans winner Woolf Barnato raced and beat the famous Blue Train on its journey across France, Bentley Motors and its coach building division Mulliner are celebrating his achievement with a powerful, distinctive and luxurious grand tourer based on its flagship four-door saloon: the Arnage Blue Train Series.

In specification, the Blue Train Series Arnage features the 450bhp version of Bentley's remarkable 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, allied to the chassis and suspension set-up of the refined and supple Arnage R. With a 0-60mph acceleration of 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 168mph the Blue Train Series Arnage has the performance to satisfy the most demanding of drivers. A mountainous 645lb ft of torque (875Nm) available at 3250rpm means that the Bentley's performance is instantly accessible.

2005 Bentley Arnage Blue Train Series PICS

2005 Bentley Arnage Blue Train Series PHOTOS

2005 Bentley Arnage Blue Train Series IMAGES

2005 Bentley Arnage Blue Train Series WALLPAPERS

2003 Bentley Continental R Wallpapers

2003 Bentley Continental R PICTURES

The Bentley Continental R was a large, expensive, luxury coupé made by Rolls-Royce from 1991 to 2002. It was the first Bentley with a body that was not shared with a Rolls-Royce model since the S3 of 1965, the first to use the GM 4L80-E transmission, and the quickest, most expensive, and most powerful Bentley of its day. A convertible derivative, the Bentley Azure, was launched in 1995.

Origin

Many elements of the Continental R design were first seen at the 1984 Geneva Motor Show in Rolls-Royce's "Project 90" concept car, a mock-up of a future Bentley coupé. An enthusiastic reception led the company to develop the vehicle for production as the Continental R 1991. Based on the Bentley Turbo R floorpan, an aerodynamically shaped coupé body had been styled. The Continental debuted at the 1991 Geneva Motor Show, reportedly upstaging the W140 S-Class also launched there. Customer response was enthusiastic, and the Sultan of Brunei purchased the red show car right off the Geneva stand.

2003 Bentley Continental R PICS

2003 Bentley Continental R PHOTOS

2003 Bentley Continental R IMAGES

2003 Bentley Continental R WALLPAPERS

2003 Bentley Continental GT Pictures

2003 Bentley Continental GT PICTURES

Bentley Continental GT is a grand tourer coupé with two doors and a 2+2 seating arrangement released in 2003, replacing the previous Rolls-Royce-based Continental R and T.

The Continental GT has a 6 L W12 engine with twin turbochargers which develops 552 hp (411 kW) at 6100 RPM and 479 lb-ft (650 N-m) at 1600 RPM. Never before had a 12 cylinder engine been employed on a Bentley car. Acceleration from 0-60 mph takes 4.7 seconds (0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 s), the top speed is 198 mph (312 km/h). It has all-wheel drive, the first Bentley to do so, and a six speed automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted gearshift paddles for instant override. The engine and air suspension are loosely based on owner Volkswagen's flagship car the Phaeton.

2003 Bentley Continental GT PICS

2003 Bentley Continental GT PHOTOS

2003 Bentley Continental GT IMAGES

2003 Bentley Continental GT WALLPAPERS

2003 Bentley Azure Final Series Images

2003 Bentley Azure Final Series PICTURES

The Bentley Azure was a large, four-seat convertible luxury car. Production ended in 2003. The Azure was based on the Bentley Continental R and later T models with nearly the exact same styling and engines, with the exceptions that the T and slightly more power, 420 hp (313 kW), and slightly more torque 650 ft·lbf (881 N·m).

Pininfarina designed and built the Azure's top. The Azure was priced at $347,645 — $36,355 more than the Continental R. There were two versions: the Bentley Azure produced from 1995 to 2002 and the Bentley Azure Mulliner produced from 1999 to 2003. The Mulliner version comes from Bentley's in-house customizing department with a few visual differences.

The car has a 6.75 L Garrett turbocharged/intercooled V8 engine, producing 400 hp (298 kW) and 645 ft·lbf (874 N·m) of torque. The car is rear-wheel drive and is controlled via a four-speed automatic gearbox. The Azure can reach 60 mph (98 km/h) in 6.1 seconds.

2003 Bentley Azure Final Series PICS

2003 Bentley Azure Final Series PHOTOS

2003 Bentley Azure Final Series IMAGES

2003 Bentley Azure Final Series WALLPAPERS

2003 Bentley Arnage RL Wallpapers

2003 Bentley Arnage RL PICTURES

In 2001, the Arnage RL, a long-wheelbase limousine model, was launched. Available only as a bespoke ("Mulliner") model, each RL was customised to the desires of the buyer. The RL, however, was also the first of a new series of Arnages which would break Bentley from its BMW-rooted past permanently, as well as presenting a challenge to that company's attempt to revive Rolls-Royce sales.

The RL was larger than any contemporary limousine, notably including those from its former sister company. Wheelbases ranged from 3336 mm (131 in) to 3566 mm (140 in) and even 3844 mm (151 in), the latter two including a 100 mm (3.9 in) increase in the height of the roof. The suspension was retuned for the added weight, allowing the larger car to still handle well.

2003 Bentley Arnage RL PICS

2003 Bentley Arnage RL PHOTOS

2003 Bentley Arnage RL IMAGES

2003 Bentley Arnage RL WALLPAPERS

2002 Bentley State Limousine Photo Gallery

2002 Bentley State Limousine PICTURES

The Bentley State Limousine is a car created by Bentley for Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom on the occasion of her golden jubilee in 2002. The vehicle's twin-turbocharged, 6.75-liter V-8 has been modified from Bentley's Arnage R version to produce 400 hp and 616 ft·lbf of torque. Maximum speed is 130 mph.

The royal State Limousine is three feet longer than a standard Bentley Arnage, 10 inches taller, and six inches wider. It is equipped with broad suicide doors, which are hinged at the rear and open almost 90 degrees. The car has been given an armor-plated cladding, a mine-resistant floor, bazooka-proof glass, and a cabin that can be sealed against a gas attack. These security and safety measures hike the car's weight to almost 4000 kg, and it rides on run-flat tires. Only two of these cars were ever built to a bespoke design, both for the Queen, making it even rarer than the legendary Rolls-Royce Phantom IV, of which only 18 were built, exclusively for royalty and heads of state.

2002 Bentley State Limousine PICS

2002 Bentley State Limousine PHOTOS

2002 Bentley State Limousine IMAGES

2002 Bentley State Limousine WALLPAPERS

2002 Bentley EXP Speed 8 Photo Gallery

2002 Bentley EXP Speed 8 PICTURES

The Bentley EXP Speed 8 is a LMP race car that competed in the Le Mans series from 2001 to 2003, taking first place in 2003. It has a strong resemblance to and shares some technology with the Audi R8C (which cars won Le Mans the preceding 3 years). The Speed 8 marked Bentley's return to racing after a 73-year absence.

Technical data

The most developed version of the Bentley Speed 8 was powered by a 4.0-liter V-8 producing 600 hp, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The car weighed 900 kg (1984 lb) in with the minimum weight mandated for 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Racing history

In 2001 Bentley returned to the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race, after a gap of 73 years, for a three-year campaign with the EXP Speed 8. The car, a closed-top sports prototype, built to the ACO LM GTP regulations, had a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V-8 race engine from parent company Audi, who were campaigning their successful R8 prototype since 1999. The same basic V8 engine was also used in the Audi R8, although separate developments were made to each engine. Developing around 600 hp, the Bentley achieved 105 mph in first gear, and went on to a top speed of over 220 mph. The two-car entry gained 3rd place in 2001, with the other car retiring in a fireball after a strong run in the rain. In 2002 the lone entry achieved 4th place, now powered by a 4.0-liter turbocharged version of the V-8 engine and carrying revised bodywork. Both 2001 and 2002 races were won by the works Audi Sport Team Joest team. Being the only entrant in its class—all other prototypes were of the open-cockpit variety—the Speed 8 always finished 1st in the LM GTP category.

2002 Bentley EXP Speed 8 PICS

2002 Bentley EXP Speed 8 PHOTOS

2002 Bentley EXP Speed 8 IMAGES

2002 Bentley EXP Speed 8 WALLPAPERS

2002 Bentley Continental T Wallpapers

2002 Bentley Continental T PICTURES

Bentley were determined to leave no gap in their range of luxury high performance cars. This led to the devolpment of the even more powerful Continental T, with more emphasis on sportiness and slightly less on luxury.

Performance of the 1996 Bentley Continental T were without equal. The Continental T had 590 ft·lbf (800 N·m) and from 1997 650 ft·lbf (881 N·m) positioned this car at the top. There existed no other passenger motor car in the world which came even near this figure. The Bentley Continental T was a 2+2 coupé developed from the Bentley Continental R with a more athletic outward appearance due to a 4 in (10 cm) shorter wheelbase and extended front and rear wheel arches. The driver found an engine-turned dash with chrome finish instruments, (as opposed to the wood finish in the Continental R) as a delicate reminiscence of the heyday of Bentley. The Continental T's engine responded to a separate push-button starter. All Continental's were aimed at crossing continents with ease and luxury.

Introduced in 1999 the Bentley Continental T Mulliner could be specified by a discerning Bentley driver by comparison to the basic model. Modified shock absorbers in combination with stiffer torsion bars (front +40%, rear +20%) did permit to use the engine's most impressive power even under conditions, which previously might have been considered as beyond the limit.

2002 Bentley Continental T PICS

2002 Bentley Continental T PHOTOS

2002 Bentley Continental T IMAGES

2002 Bentley Continental T WALLPAPERS

2002 Bentley Continental GT Prototype Pictures

2002 Bentley Continental GT Prototype PICTURES

The Continental GT has a 6 L W12 engine with twin turbochargers which develops 552 hp (411 kW) at 6100 RPM and 479 lb-ft (650 N-m) at 1600 RPM and permanent four-wheel drive. Never before had a 12 cylinder engine been employed on a Bentley car. Acceleration from 0-60 mph takes 4.7 seconds (0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 s), the top speed is 198 mph (318 km/h). It has all-wheel drive, the first Bentley to do so, and a six speed automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted gearshift paddles for instant override. The engine and air suspension are manufactured by Bentley, using some components from owner Volkswagen’s flagship cars the Phaeton and the Audi A8.