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The 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur all-wheel-drive line expands to include a high-performance Speed model. The Flying Spur shares its basic design with the company’s Continental GT coupe and GTC convertible, all built on a platform introduced for 2004. All Flying Spurs come with a turbocharged 6.0-liter 12-cylinder engine, 6-speed automatic transmission with steering-column-mounted shift paddles, and all-wheel drive.

Standard models have 552 hp, the new-for-2009 Flying Spur Speed has 600. Included on both models is an air suspension with driver-adjustable ride height and damper settings. The Speed has high-performance suspension tuning that lowers overall ride height, 20-inch wheels in place of the standard 19s, and unique trim elements.

Available safety features include ABS, an antiskid system, front side airbags, rear side airbags, and curtain side airbags. Bi-xenon headlights are standard, as are a navigation system, wireless cell-phone link, heated front seats with memory, driver-seat lumbar massage, heated rear seat, and four-zone climate controls. Optional are a heated steering wheel, front passenger lumbar massage, power opening and closing trunklid, and satellite radio.

Also available for base cars is the Mulliner Driving Specification package that includes 20-inch wheels, additional chrome interior trim, and quilted leather seating. For 2009, standard-model Flying Spurs receive minor exterior and interior styling revisions and revised suspension tuning. Also newly available is digital-media-player connectivity and an audiophile Naim for Bentley audio system.

The 2009 Bentley Continental GT coupe, GT Speed coupe, and GTC soft-top convertible are this British carmaker’s “entry-level” offerings and are due to be joined by a high-performance Supersports coupe later this year. These high-end cruisers share a basic design with the brand’s Flying Spur sedan. Continentals have a 6.0-liter turbocharged 12-cylinder engine.

It makes 552-hp in the GT and GTC, 600-hp in the GT Speed (which also gets a sport suspension), and 621-hp in the Supersports, which is about 240 lb lighter than the other coupes. All models come with all-wheel drive and a 6-speed automatic transmission with steering-column-mounted shift paddles. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front and rear side airbags.

Bi-xenon headlights are standard, as are satellite radio, wireless cell-phone link, heated front seats with memory, and rear climate controls. Optional are carbon ceramic brakes, lumbar massage for front seats, heated steering wheel, power opening and closing trunklid, rearview camera, and adaptive cruise control. This evaluation is based on preview test drives.

(Bentley Motors, Crewe. 25 February 2009). The Continental Supersports is the fastest and most powerful Bentley ever. It is the extreme Bentley, a muscular two-seater that delivers supercar performance and a highly focused driving experience. The Supersports is also the first Bentley capable of running on both petrol (gasoline) and biofuel, pioneering the use of FlexFuel technology in the luxury sector. This represents stage one of the company’s commitment to make its complete model range compatible with renewable fuels by 2012.

* The Continental Supersports is the fastest, most powerful Bentley ever with 630PS (621 bhp) 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds) and a 204 mph (329 km/h) top speed.
* The Supersports reaffirms Bentley’s environmental commitment with the launch of its first FlexFuel performance car.
* The Supersports combines the looks of the iconic GT with a distinctive style that reflects its supercar character.
* The Supersports is the extreme Bentley delivering a highly focused driving experience – a muscular two-seater that is 110 kg lighter than the Continental GT Speed.

Available worldwide from autumn 2009, the Continental Supersports will be FlexFuel compatible in the majority of markets from launch with North American cars offering the capability by summer 2010, following regulatory approval. The Continental Supersports began as an ‘under the radar’ project exploring the possibilities of weight reduction on the Continental GT but with more power and torque. A largely experimental process crystallised over a period of 24 months into an official new car programme, driven by the passion and enthusiasm of a small group of Bentley engineers and designers. The results are dramatic. With 630PS (621 bhp) and new ‘Quickshift’ transmission that halves shift times, the Supersports sets new performance benchmarks for Bentley. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds) onto a top speed of 204 mph (329 km/h).

Supercar performance is complemented by an array of chassis enhancements including retuned steering and suspension, utilising lighter weight components, retuned dampers and anti-roll bars. Agility is further sharpened by the 40:60 rear-biased torque split for the all-wheel drive system, a wider rear track, bespoke lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels and a unique electronic stability programme. Carbon ceramic brakes are standard fitment, benefiting steering response, grip and ride comfort, while saving weight. Overall, the engineering team have achieved a weight reduction of 110 kg (243 lb) compared with the Continental GT Speed.

In the rarefied realm of ultra-luxurious convertibles, our normal consumer buying advice isn’t really relevant. Take the 2009 Bentley Continental GTC, for example, a German-engineered, British-badged four-passenger ragtop that starts just shy of $200,000. If you ask us, that $200,000 would be much better spent on, say, a Boxster S, a BMW 335d, a Corvette Z06 and maybe an MX-5 Miata just for kicks. But at this lofty price point, it’s not about bang for the buck — it’s about indulging yourself in stately Bentley opulence that few cars can match. If that sounds appealing, then the Continental GTC is an excellent choice. Indeed, the Bentley’s dramatic exterior shape makes ordinary cars look like extras hired to accentuate its regal bearing. The quad circular headlamps, flowing tail and imposing 19-inch wheels combine to make a vehicular statement like few others.

The Continental GTC continues to impress inside, where rich cowhide, gleaming wood and classic analog instrumentation combine to create an extraordinarily opulent environment, even by the standards of ultra-luxury convertibles. It can all be customized to your own specification — colors, veneer choice — to increase your car’s level of exclusivity. Under the hood, the all-wheel-drive GTC, like other Continentals, has a twin-turbocharged W12 power plant. It’s a distinctive-sounding engine that generates gargantuan low-end torque. Handling isn’t exactly sports-carlike, but it’s pretty impressive for a car that weighs nearly 5,500 pounds. Retuned steering for 2009 makes the GTC noticeably more communicative during hard driving — not that Bentley drivers are likely to engage in such uncivilized behavior.

However, for a relatively small amount given the GTC’s soaring base price, you can step up to the GTC Speed, which gives you more performance without sacrificing comfort or civility. Our stubbornly logical brains keep coming back to the value equation. A Jaguar XKR convertible, for example, will keep pace with the Bentley in a straight line and leave it behind when the road gets curvy, all for about half the price. But there are plenty of XKRs tooling around out there — too many for comfort if you’re looking to set yourself apart. Other than the Aston Martin DB9 Volante, whose seats are far less useful than those in the Bentley, there really isn’t anything out there for $200,000 that can match the Bentley’s exclusivity. With this in mind, we can understand why the Continental GTC might be a sensible purchase for those with sufficient means.

Bentley Brooklands is an evolution in the auto industry. The car is designed to offer you the ultimate on-road luxury and style. This limited production model has hints of the Arnage sedan and all of its upgraded chassis and interior give you a classy driving experience.When a company with the lineage and prestige of Bentley introduces a new model, car fanatics the world over take note. They’re bound to get even more excited when the company’s latest luxury coupe displays classic Bentley styling cues.

The Brooklands packs an engine that gives axle-twisting torque a whole new meaning. The 6.8-liter twin-turbo V8 comes from the Brooklands’ stablemates, the Arnage and the Azure. But it’s updated with quicker-spooling turbochargers, less restrictive intake and exhaust systems, a revised camshaft and recalibrated engine management. Official output is 530 hp and 774 pound-feet of torque. While that may seem like overkill, bear in mind that the V8 has some serious poundage to haul around .The Brooklands is more than 17 feet long — enough to swallow a full-sized SUV whole — and weighs almost 3 tons. With a base price of $348,085, why would anyone buy a Brooklands instead of a decadent executive luxury car, say, or an ultra-high-performance sports car? Bentley’s Brooklands offers you the combo that comprises axle-twisting torque! The 6.8-liter turbo V8 – 530 hp – 774 pound-feet torque combo enables you to speed from 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds! Bentley Brooklands’ EPA economy is rated at 12 mpg in the metros and 20 mpg on the speedway.

2009 Bentley Brooklands is designed to seat four very comfortably. The premium luxury coupe flaunts a trim that is loaded with customized features. The 20-inch wheels, navigation system in-built and the xenon headlights give the Bentley Brooklands a very powerful impression. The car also flaunts powered reclining rear seats made from exotic leathers and some great exterior paint finishes.The answer is that this Bentley makes a statement the others don’t. It’s a modern representation of that bygone automotive era when women wore long dresses and cars had skirts. Back then, affluent gentlemen desired a large, luxurious coupe that was supremely dignified, yet powerful enough to be the king of virtually any highway. Today, whether the driver wears a tailored suit to the boardroom or a tracksuit to the set of a hip-hop video, the Brooklands brings the same goods — all one needs to do is come up with enough cash to match its stratospheric price tag.

The 2009 Bentley Azure convertible is what Bentleys used to be. There aren’t any newfangled VW-sourced W12 engines here, the Azure is a rolling time warp back to when the Brits owned their own car companies and did things their way. In those days, “land yacht” wasn’t an epithet to the folks at Bentley — it was a benchmark. Perhaps that’s why the Azure is 18 feet long and has the aerodynamics of a cardboard box. It also has room for four adults, and it’s powered by a 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that has been in service in one form or another since 1959.

Just don’t ask how much it costs. Chances are your house was cheaper than this opulent open-roof cruiser. For the record, the Azure starts in the neighborhood of $330,000, which makes it a phenomenal bargain compared to the $434,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe. It’s also a phenomenal rip-off compared to the quicker, sharper-handling BMW M6, which goes for a third of the Azure’s price, or even Bentley’s own Continental GTC, which can be had for less than $200,000. But then, it’s pointless to talk about value at this rarefied price point. Azure buyers probably already have an M6, or at least they’ve bought one for their teenage kids. Image and exclusivity are the names of this game, and the Azure’s certainly got those bases covered. Whereas the Azure used to be based on the old (pre-VW merger) Continental, the current car is related to the Arnage sedan.

That might sound like progress, but in reality the Arnage is the most dated car in Bentley’s lineup. The Arnage-sourced 6.75-liter engine (how quaint of them to use hundredths) traces its roots all the way back to 1959. At least the transmission is a modern six-speed unit. Not surprisingly, the Azure’s handling is distinctly nautical, a shortcoming that likely won’t bother Azure buyers in the slightest. Beyond its imposing exterior, the Azure’s calling card is its cosseting cabin. Generous helpings of burl walnut and soft leather make this an interior fit for royalty, or at least for those who elect not to buy a Drophead Coupe. The Azure lacks the Rolls-Royce’s rear suicide doors, though, so ingress and egress are less than dignified for backseat occupants. Expect further frustration when trying to operate the unfriendly and unattractive audio and navigation controls.

The standard features of the Bentley Arnage RL include 6.8L V-8 450HP engine twin turbo, 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, 4-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), navigation system, side seat mounted airbags, rear side-impact airbag, driver and passenger side airbag head extension, airbag occupancy sensor, automatic, 18″ alloy wheels, cruise control, and an ABS and driveline traction control.

Bentley is one of those revered automotive nameplates with a rich history. In the company’s early days, it was known for daring racing cars. But when the company was sold off to Rolls-Royce under shifty circumstances, much of the Bentley personality was lost. Fortunately, since falling under Volkswagen’s control in 1998, Bentley once again has reclaimed its own identity. From the beginning, Bentleys have been known as a driver’s car as opposed to a chauffeur’s car. Such is the case with the 2009 Bentley Arnage line. Despite being the brand’s big four-door model, the Arnage continues Bentley’s bold touring car tradition thanks to its massive 6.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 and surprisingly sharp handling. But alas, 2009 marks the end of the line for the current Arnage, just as this platform begins to show its age among the company’s newer and sharper models.

As the sun sets on the Arnage empire, Bentley celebrates the end of this era with the release of the Arnage Final Series. Limited to only 150 hand-built examples that combine power and prestige, it is sure to be an instant classic. Returning to take a bow are the “regular” Arnage R, sportier Arnage T and stretched RL models. Also returning is the line’s superlative-inducing peak of 500 horsepower, palatial interior design and truly unique customization options. As far as ultra-luxury sedans go, the Bentley Arnage straddles the narrow divide between the higher-performing AMG S-Class from Mercedes-Benz and the exorbitantly priced Rolls-Royce Phantom and Maybach 62 limousines. Deciding on one of these tributes to conspicuous consumption comes down to personal preference, as there is no real underachiever or contender in the group.