RideLust

If you’re filthy stinking rich and want to oppress the proletariat in a drop top, your choice is limited to Rolls Royce or Bentley (because even a high end Mercedes is just so, common). For years, the Bentley Azure has been full of open top luxury, but hardly cutting edge in terms of style. A revised Azure, based on the upcoming Mulsanne sedan, looks to change that. Gone are the quad front headlights and over-done character line, replaced by larger dual headlights and a restyled body. The lines of the new Azure flow, instead of competing for attention as they do on the current model. Gone (thankfully) is the overdone front fascia and lower body cladding, which would have been more fitting on a Pontiac than on a Bentley.

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I was having a conversation with a buddy of mine this afternoon when we started to talk about race cars. Race cars as a general rule are purpose built machines that are built to maximize performance. Details are calculated to the tenth degree to ensure that every part works in conjunction with each other, with the final goal being that of, “The Win”. Though not intentional, race cars sometimes blur the line between technological marvels and beautifully sculpted machines. For this reason we began to think about what our top picks would be if it were left up to us to decide which car should take top honors. There are a host of amazing competition automobiles out there, but the 10 you see below would be my top picks.

I also know that I’ve left some stellar race cars off of this list. Due to this I would like to invite all those who view this to not only comment on your favorites, but let me know what you’d like to see added.

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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’.

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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.

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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. Read More…

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.

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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.

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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. Read More…

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. Read More…