Is the Continental a New Breath of Life for Bentley?

Bentley, crafters of exquisite automobiles since the turn of the twentieth century has caused controversy with its continental series because of its relatively low price tag for the luxury car market. Many pundits have argued that it is the iconic car maker’s exclusiveness of price, backed up of course by its peerless engineering and luxurious coachwork, which has made Bentley the icon that it is. It has often been said that driving a Bentleys is the equivalent to flying Concord, that its performance was above and beyond the rest of the pack and its interiors were first class all the way. Bentley have broken with a long tradition of top specification with a price tag to match with the continental series and it has left many people wondering if the company is undergoing a crisis of identity.

Owning a Bentley has always been synonymous with having the kind of financial clout that is the exception rather than the norm, its status and image have always been amongst the very highest. Names such as Aston Martin and Rolls Royce have the same kind of reputation, and all of these have adapted to the changing car market by holding onto the exceptional quality and price tags attached to their brand. Is Bentley breaking from this, albeit, very exclusive pack?

The continental is still a luxury car, coming with a hefty price tag of $150,000, but can it truly hold a candle to Aston’s DB5, their equivalent model, it would seem not. Some fans of Bentley have also voiced their concerns over the direction the company is taking in regards to its market position. Some have voiced specific concerns about the perceived value of the higher end models if the Continental series is expanded. The Continental is still a serious car, boasting the sort of engineering you would expect from a Bentley, it performs well and looks stunning, especially the convertible model, but for the rich this is always going to be a second car, perhaps for running about town. If this is the direction the company is going to take over the next few years are we going to see its market position being eroded, perhaps down to the level currently enjoyed by Mercedes or BMW? Many hope not as the Bentley holds a really soft spot for many of the people who have owned one, its elegance and quality of engineering, as well as its smooth driving and handling have made it a firm favorite for many years amongst luxury car owners.

It does not come as a surprise to see Bentley launching a new flagship design that revives the Mulsanne label, and will eventually substitute the Arnage. The automobileis anticipated to be on sale in the course of the year 2010. Coupe and convertible options are anticipated to follow gradually as replacements for the Arnage-based Brooklands and Azure.

The new automobile will certainly preserve the legendary 6.75 L 8 cylinder motor, although greatly improved to fulfill the new European emission levels . To accomplish the particular CO2 and pollution levels decrease in addition to enhanced energy usage, the greatly enhanced engine is certainly lighter in weight and includes cylinder de-activation and adjustable cam phasing.

The new Mulsanne is additionally significant because it is the very first flagship automobile to be separately developed by Bentley in almost eighty years; the previous being Bentley’s legendary eight litre version in 1930. The actual cost of the automobile in the uk will begin from £220,000, which includes taxations as well as delivery expenses. It is known every single vehicle will require almost nine weeks to construct and clients will possess a range of 100 plus color options, twenty one carpeting colors, nine wood veneers as well as 20 plus inner surface buckskin hides, and be able to stipulate a customized color pattern.

The Mulsanne underlines Bentley’s desire to return to it’s roots of top notch automobiles and thus, enhance and protect the brand.

Author Bio: Mary Louise is a freelance writer working on various projects including that of VERYBEST.COM. She enjoys writing about the very best in luxury products, the finest services, exciting people, and travel destinations like Gstaad.

Category: Automotive
Keywords: Bentley, Bentley Continental, Bentley Continental GT,very best,finest,luxury