Unveiled at the Geneva International Auto Show the Bentley Continental Flying Star is one hell of a head turner. The custom fabricated uber-wagon was build by Italian Car maker Touring Superleggera at the request of one very persuasive customer and the end result is simply stunning. I love this thing… it’s big, muscular and in your face with the power to back up the attitude. Don’t believe me? How does 560 hp / 479 lbs. tq. grab ya’.

This car is a hammer, pure and simple. It was made to go like hell while carrying you, four friends and their golf clubs to any course on the planet in style. Cars like this are why car guys are car guys. It’s different, with thinking and design that’s completely out of the box. I have a feeling that the Bentley Continental Flying Star will be one of those rare beasties that will gain quite a cult following over the years. Problem is, they’re only making 20 of them per year, so you guys best get your orders in now.

And yes… they’ll be expensive.

Source: Autoblog.com / Zercustoms.com

Do you need a four seater convertible that will get you and three of your closest friends from zero to sixty in under four seconds? Need a ragtop that will break the 200 mph barrier (though probably not with the top down)? Well then, roll out the Gulfstream G5 and get your ass across the pond to Geneva in March, where Bentley is set to roll out the 2011 Continental Supersports convertible.

Prices on the fastest drop top Bentley ever built haven’t been announced, but if you’re in the market for one you probably don’t care what the price tag says.

Source: Autoweek

Well, the good news is that production will be limited to just three cars.

According to an inexplicably proud Mansory, Vitesse is the French word for “velocity” and although they did not admit as much, Rosé is apparently the French word for “abomination to the senses.” Together, along with what was once a beautiful stock Bentley Continental GT, they combine to form the Mansory Bentley Vitesse Rosé, which was introduced this week to a speechless audience at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

If you can imagine it, the exterior paint job isn’t even the most egregious design flaw. The interior of the Vitesse Rosé is covered in pink and purple, plus a few carbon fiber accents to really confuse its sexuality. Not even the engine, not even the glorious W12 famous for its ability to generate peak torque at just 1600 rpm, managed to escape unscathed. Oh, the humanity.

Source: Mansory

If any of our readership has been putting off their purchase of a Bentley because they were waiting for something fresh for the company, listen up: the Bentley Mulsanne is the newest of the big rigs from Crewe to hit the road, and we caught its world debut at Pebble Beach right on the awards stage. Still powered by a 6.75 liter V-12 (although “significantly reengineered”), this is the new flagship of the resurgent Bentley, which has pretty much flourished under Volkswagen Group ownership. We have a full gallery of hot reveal shots to show you, and a press release, after the jump.

Bentley had set up a large crate as a diversion, which hid an original 1930s Bentley Mulsanne 8-liter. As it rolled out, we wondered if the box could hold another car … but Bentley pulled a fast one and introduced the car from the back of the neck-craning crowd, rolling it in behind a full band full of Black Watch style bagpipers. The new Mulsanne is huge and made a big splash on the well-heeled attendees. It will replace the former flagship, the Arnage, in Bentley’s line, and when it goes on sale in 2010 it will represent the last of the old, pre-VW Bentleyes to be reworked.

Press Release:

NEW BENTLEY MULSANNE MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE, CALIFORNIA 16 August, 2009 (Bentley Motors, Crewe, England) Today, Bentley Motors unveiled the Mulsanne, the company’s all-new flagship grand tourer, at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance in Monterey, California. The Mulsanne is inspired by the company founder W.O. Bentley’s crowning achievement in
1930, the 8-litre. And it was W.O.’s own sensitively conserved company car that shared the podium with the new Mulsanne in Pebble Beach. This early motoring masterpiece represented the last big Bentley that was designed, engineered and built from the ground up by Bentley engineers – until now.

ENDS

[Press Release Courtesy of Bentley Motors]

Come live vicariously through us as we, the most prestigious automotive blog in the world, grace the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with our stately presences. We’re sure to be the star attractions – forget the live unveiling of several never-before-seen new cars, and the endless rows of priceless works of automotive art sprawled out on the golf course greens like so many unobtanium sandtraps. Surely Jay Leno and the other celebrities will probably manage to jostle themselves into the photos of our expert appraisals of the class frontrunners, but we won’t be too upset. We’ll take a break from being the life of the Concours every so often to update you, our faithful readers. So check back often, and follow us at http://twitter.com/ridelust and in our Pebble Beach live coverage to catch all of the latest updates.

So what do we mean by “coolest” trim badges? Well, we figure there are two criteria for a badge being cool – either it looks really cool aesthetically, or it sends a message to the unwitting fool behind you that you’re capable of smoking him off the line quicker than Cheech and Chong can get through an ounce of Thai Stick. Click through to see what we consider the 10 worthiest badges of all time to be. And if you manage to stick all of these badges together on some poor car (only if you have permission!), send us a picture and I’ll make my boss send you a prize.

AMG – Mercedes

AMG used to hide their branding on cars, embracing an understated, sleeper mentality. The earliest full AMG model (rather than just AMG optional parts) was the AMG Hammer, based on the W124 (E-Series), which start of a venerable tradition of cramming huge, completely inappropriate motors into surprisingly small Mercedes models. However, the inconspicuous AMG model is no more. Nowadays, go to any San Fernando Valley shopping mall, stand in the middle of the parking lot, and swing your faux Versace handbag in an arc, and you’re guaranteed to hit several AMG-branded Merc SUVs. That atrocity aside, AMG badges still usually mean the thing is going to hustle, and we’re going to say that anything with an “AMG 6.3″ badge on it is decidedly “cool,” no matter how many of its drivers are soulless conspicuous consumption automatons.

M – BMW

In a lot of ways, the M badge has remained more exclusive than the “village bicycle” AMG badging – BMW doesn’t have an M version of every single freakin’ car (ie, 1-Series, 7-Series). We’re not happy about the X6 gaining an M badge, but hey, it’s got a twin-turbo V8 in it, so we won’t complain too much. What’s important is that the M badge signifies that the engine has been handbuilt by the M-Teknik division, and essentially blueprinted, in addition to the more obvious modifications that set M-cars apart from their more pedestrian base models. From the M1 to the latest V10 M5, this badge means business.

GT-R – Nissan

Ah, this list wouldn’t be complete without Nissan’s highest trim level, reserved for the lairiest trim of the venerable Skyline range. It stands for, perhaps unsurprisingly, Gran Turismo Racer (or Racing). And indeed, from the R32 on, GT-Rs were indeed very capable as tourers and racers. The GT-R was always the top of the line, debuting on the hakosuka of 1969, retiring in 1973, and revived in 1989 on the R32. Of course, now its evolved into its own model, dropping the Skyline moniker, but that doesn’t diminish our reverence for the badge.

Si – Honda

We can hear you squealing, “not the Type-R?” Well, no, and for a good reason – the Si graced the hindquarters of many more Hondas that the Type-R, allowing generations of adrenaline-seeking teenage pizza delivery drivers to explore the limits of both their vehicles and common sense, all whilst delivering that trademark Honda rev-happiness. The CRX Si perhaps exemplifies the Si badge in the US, and the fact that it’s nearly impossible to find an unmolested one is testament to its draw for thrill-seeking but budget-minded hoons of all creeds.

Super Sport – Chevrolet

OK, we know that in the last couple of years, GM was slapping SS badges on nearly everything. It’s surprising that we never saw Rick Wagoner with an “SS” badge slapped onto his forehead, come to think of it. We’re thinking of the SS badge in terms of what it meant during the heyday of Camaros and Malibus – more power. (Of course, it’s worth noting that in some cases, like on early Novas, it was merely an appearance package.) SS meant different things in different years, but usually it meant a tuned 350 or a 427. If you’ve been around more than 4 months, you’ll know that a 427 can turn most tires into pools of steaming liquid fairly rapidly. Later on, the SS badge could mean a Corvette motor in a Camaro, or a burly 454 in the Silverado SS 454. Mmmm.

SVT – Ford

Another in-house tuning operation, SVT means Special Vehicles Team – a crack set of engineers who liked to make things go fast. SVT developed from SVO, which doesn’t mean they crawled out of some hippie’s diesel Mercedes tank … Special Vehicle Operations, son. They made the Mustang SVO with the turbo Pinto engine … you rememb…? Aww, nevermind. You’re too young. They switched over to SVT in the early ’90s, and made several different high-performance vehicles: the F150 Lightning, Contour SVT, Focus SVT, and the awesome Ford GT supercar. Along the way they tuned a whole series of Mustangs known as SVT Cobras. The latest creation harkens back to the Lightnings of old (dead since 2004), the Ford Raptor SVT, which looks pretty badass. No question SVT is on this list, and we’re not just placating blue oval fans. They’re the real deal.

Cosworth – Ford Europe

Our chums across the Atlantic probably know all about this one, as they’ve been hankering after Cossies since the shop opened its doors in ‘58 and began collaborating with Ford of Britain and Lotus on a whole series of up-spec’ed little demons. They tuned the engine in the famous Ford-Lotus Cortina, developed the race-dominating Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 Formula One engine, and tuned a variety of other later Fords like the Sierra RS Cosworth pictured here. They didn’t work exclusively for Ford – their American-market attempts were a mixed bag though: the Chevy Vega Cosworth was a flop. However, the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16V was a screamer and was only slightly less raw than the E30 M3 of the time. Since Cossie has been synonymous with fast for so many years in Europe, they’re going on the list. (For you ‘Mericans, many Cossies sold in Europe are left-hand-drive and now available to import into the US.)

Turbo R – Bentley

A Bentley is on the list? Stow that incredulity, buddy. The Bentley Turbo R was no joke. To begin with, Bentleys are hugely expensive and quite understated, so it speaks volumes that they slapped a “Turbo R” badge on the back of any of their offerings. “Turbo R” sounds more like something that would grace the trunklid of a Suzuki Kei-car … but there’s a reason. A development of the Mulsanne Turbo, this baby packed a 6.75 liter V8 that was then turbocharged to make an unbelievable (for the time) 296 HP and 486 ft-lbs or torque. That was more than enough to motivate the big Bentley to 60 MPH in the seven-second range, which is impressive since the car weighed about as much as a supertanker full of oil. Any 5200 lbs car that can do that is OK in our book.

Hurst/Olds – Oldsmobile

Oldsmobile hasn’t been associated with fast since Richard Nixon was in the White House, but the Hurst/Olds has passed in and out of favor enough over the last couple decades that the gaudy gold-splashed cars have gone from lame to kitchy-cool. Conceived in 1968 as a way to get around GM’s infamous restrictions limiting engine size in smaller cars (the Yenko cars were another), the Hurst/Olds was in intermediate size car packing an optional W-45/6 455 CID engine making 390 HP and channeling it through a Hurst Dual-Gate-equipped Turbo Hydromatic 400. Of course, you need to have a bouquet of chest hair poking out of a polyester shirt to really roll in a Hurst/Olds, but a thrift store run is a small price to pay for the excesses inherent in a Hurst/Olds.

RS – Audi

Ah, the Audi RennSport models. In some ways, the “S” models are what are supposed to compete with BMW’s M-cars, but the RS-series complicates things because they’re so outlandishly tuned that BMW is forced to chase the RS cars’ performance to avoid losing the power race. Created by Audi’s version of a Skunkworks team, the quattro GmbH engineers only slap RS badging on limited-edition, ultra-high-performance Audis. The original RS car was the RS2 Avant, a wagon version of the car we knew as the Audi 80, making an astonishing 311 HP out of a highly modified Audi turbo five-cylinder. The current bad boy in the RS lineup is the RS6, which contains a twin-turbocharged 90 degree V10 developed from a Lamborghini design. It makes 571 HP and keeps BMW executives up late with cold sweats. So yes, just about anything with an RS badge on it is going to be a hot, nasty dose of addictive petroleum-based excitement. We highly approve.

Your favorite badge not on the list? Drop us a line and if we get enough interest we’ll work on a second post! Unlike politicians, we have no shame in espousing vigorous populism!

Born from a long line of stately cruisers, the Bentley Continental Supersports is quickly making history for its unparalleled combination of traditional luxury and supercar handling. The fastest car to bear the Bentley logo in the company’s 90-year history, the two-seat Continental Supersports is a 4,938-pound, 621-horsepower behemoth that manages to burn past the 1-mile mark in under 18 seconds. Although certainly no featherweight, the Continental Supersports is still a full 242 pounds lighter than Bentley’s former sportiest offering, the Continental GTC Speed, and boasts considerably more power under the bonnet. For the rare environmentally-conscious Bentley enthusiast, the Continental Supersports’ massive turbocharged W12 is expected to become E85 compatible by the summer of 2010, though it’s doubtful potential customers will be eligible for any “green” tax breaks.

Bentley never was intended for the hybrid crowd, though, so we can’t knock its $250,000 price tag or likely single-digit MPG rating. Instead, we’ll revel in who it is intended for – petrol heads like us who love the rumble of a monstrous super car. To demonstrate the Continental Supersports’ fearsome power, famous Le Mons veteran, “Bentley Boy” Derek Bell, took the CSS for a spin at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and gave us a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the underwear-soiling performance of Bentley’s baddest buggy to date. Hit the jump to check out the exclusive video footage.

Source: Bentley

In a thinly disguised attempt to quickly shed excess inventory, Bentley Motors has announced they will be holding a “one-off parts and accessories fair” at their headquarters outside of Cheshire. Stocked with some 7 million Bentley and Crewe-based Rolls-Royce parts for cars manufactured from 1955 on, Bentley’s PR department did a masterful job of making a quick garage sale for extra cash sound like an exclusive after-hours event at Bergdorf’s.

Explained Director of Aftersales at Bentley Motors, Steve O’Hara eloquently, “Even Bentley employees describe our parts and accessories operation as a ‘goldmine’ and are slightly overawed by the sheer number and variety of parts and accessories we can supply. However with so many Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars enjoying far longer lives than a typical vehicle and owners seeking to keep them in the best possible condition, we need to be able to support these customers and many more generations of owners. We take real pride in being able to provide anything from a humble speedometer cable through to replacement body panels anywhere in the world. This event will be a real one-off. It is very rare for us to be able to open the doors like this so we hope that Bentley and Rolls-Royce aficionados will make the most of the opportunity.”

Source: Bentley Motors

Boy I hope this is a fake or a screw up or a bad trip. Some sly cat in Crewe managed to sneak some photos of the upcoming Grand Bentley over to CAR Magazine, and it looks kind of…odd. I tend to believe it since the fenders bare a strong resemblance to the original teaser image, and especially with three different colored cars all captured on camera. The headlamps are huge with LEDs on the perimeter. The upper grille says “I’m hiding a massive 6.75-litre V8″, but the lower grillework looks like an overdone Strut package. Click over for a peek at the rear and interior.

The rear of the car has a gentle downward slope to the boot with smaller tail lamps just like the Arnage. Interior details are few, but I’m sure it will be over-the-top and handcrafted to Bentley standards. Judging from the legroom in the back, rumors of the extended wheelbase not being available at start of production may be true. Look for the Grand’s big goofy grin to be unveiled at 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August.

[carmagazine.co.uk via worldcarfans]

I once struck up a conversation with a gentleman in a pink seersucker suit who owned both a Maybach 57 and a 62. He had a 57S on order at the time as well. He mentioned offhand the mind-bending depreciation on his 62 and that it had lost about $140,000 in one year. “On the other hand, my Phantom has held up very well.” The all-new Grand Bentley is for that guy.

No information has been leaked aside from the photo, but expect this flagship to replace and exceed the currently aging Arnage. Power could come anywhere from a V8 all the way up to a de-tuned version of the W16 Veyron engine. Bentley has seen record profits with the release of the Continental GT and Flying Spur, but Rolls-Royce has been hard at work with new models as well. It’s time to hit them where it hurts by delivering a car that can truly compete with the Phantom. Expect the Grand Bentley to debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August.