The V12 AMG S65 Is Proof Mercedes Is Dipping Into Bentley Territory

But how does it compare to an actual Bentley?

In the world of the 1 percent there is no such thing as not enough. While those pesky 99 percenters like to go on about how nobody really needs $1 billion, they fail to see that “enough” is not the point. It’s all about excess, and that’s something an automaker like Bentley knows well. But while the British brand has traditionally focused on the upper echelons of the super rich, Mercedes caters to those at the bottom of that tax bracket and in many cases, those who reside outside of it entirely.

However, in a true spirit of excess, the Tri-Star has recently been undergoing a push upwards to sell to the 1 percent and soak up the profits whether large or small. Cars like the Maybach S600 and Maybach S650 Cabriolet are proof of this, but for those too impatient to wait for the latter of the two cars, Mercedes already makes a drop top S-Class that’s fit for a king.

That would be the S65 AMG Cabriolet. While the badge only has a single difference between it and the S63 AMG Cabriolet, the two are separated by a $71,500 gulf and four cylinders. Not that the extra engine space makes for any difference in performance, but Mercedes knows well that the truly wealthy love bragging rights. Speaking of that, how does it compare to the ultimate car for braggers, the Bentley Continental GT Black Edition? While the two cars are nearly equals in terms of price, the Mercedes is refined to the point where it could win over most Bentley owners. However, it's the cumulative experience that dictates the winner, and that may come as a surprise to many.

Wheelsandmore Debuts Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible

Early in 2010, Wheelsandmore launched their performance upgrades for the Bentley Continental Supersports. And just about one year later, the German tuner has now developed a tuning package for the convertible version. Before any tuning, the Continental Supersports convertible was already the most powerful and fastest four-seat convertible on the market. It's also the fastest ever built.

And now, Wheelsandmore has taken a crack at improving its already blistering performance. They started off by performing an ECU, stainless steel exhaust, and special sport catalysts upgrade. This resulted in an increase of power, now up to 702 hp (originally 630 hp) and 880 lb-ft of torque. The tuner also added three-piece, C-Sport wheels that be customized to any color and surface buyers prefer. Lastly, the suspension upgrade allows for it to be switched up and down by using an electronic lowering module called "LowMaXX."

This device allows the car to lift about 0.79 inches automatically at 44 mph, allowing the Bentley to recover comfort and safety. Pricing for the upgrade package was not announced.

New Bentley Flying Spur Poses For Our Spy Cameras

Bentley's new super sedan will share the same platform as the current Porsche Panamera.

After the launch of the all-new Bentley Continental GT, it’s only inevitable that a new version of its larger sedan sibling, the Flying Spur, is also in the works in what will be the model’s first redesign since it was introduced in 2005. A prototype version of the super sedan was recently spotted being put through its paces during winter testing in snowy Sweden, where it caught the attention of our spy cameras. Look closely, however, and you can see some of the tape starting to strip away, revealing the Flying Spur’s beige body.

The extensive camouflage does a good of hiding the design details, but we already have a good idea how the front end will look. It should adopt similar styling to its coupe counterpart, which will make it look a lot sportier than its predecessor. Beyond the restyled exterior, the new Flying Spur will also have significantly different underpinnings as it will share the same platform as the current Porsche Panamera, so it will also shed some weight. Reserved for the group's luxury sports sedans, the MSB-F platform also supports electrification and autonomous driving systems. There’s also a good chance that the new Bentley Flying Spur won’t just share the same platform as the Panamera, but also some of its engines.

That means we can most likely expect some plug-in hybrids and diesel engines to form part of the line-up. Of course, the range-topper should retain the model’s familiar 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12. In the new Continental GT, the W12 unit delivers 626 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque allowing it to sprint from 0-62 mph in 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 207 mph. Expect to see the new Bentley Flying Spur debut either later this year possibly at the 2018 Paris Auto Show in October, or early 2019.

Bentley Mulsanne WO Edition Is Steeped In 8 Liters Of Heritage

Only 100 examples will be made in tribute to the company's founder

Bentley is coming up on its centenary year. But before it does, it's looking back on one of its earliest motor cars with the Mulsanne W.O. Edition. Crafted by Bentley's Mulliner customization division, the special Mulsanne draws its name and inspiration from the company's founder and the 8 Liter limousine that was his personal ride and the last he ever designed. The W.O. Edition even includes a piece of the crankshaft from that very car, encased in a marquetry cabinet with machined metal trim in the rear center armrest.

Aside from the showcase, the interior features two-tone leather in Fireglow and patinated Fireglow Heritage, with Beluga hide trim and dark burr walnut veneer. It also comes with a bottle fridge, a set of glass tumblers, rear-seat privacy curtains.

The bodywork is finished in onyx-black paint wth an optional chrome grille and trim strip, though customers can specify theirs in any color Bentley offers, if they so choose. It's also available on the standard Mulsanne, the extended-wheelbase model, or even the Mulsanne Speed. Either way, though, only 100 examples will be made. Look for its debut in Monterey next month, with deliveries set to commence as Bentley kicks off its 100th anniversary next year.

The 2017 Bentley Flying Spur V8 S Made Us Forget About The W12

Yeah, seriously. We were surprised too.

We’re interested in any car that’s big, bold and brash, and Bentleys, in general, fit that description perfectly. So imagine our delight when we were invited to check out the new 2017 Bentley Flying Spur V8 S. It’s like the "regular" V8 Flying Spur, only more powerful and featuring optimized electronic stability control, a re-calibrated damping system, and a few exterior and interior styling tweaks. Speaking of V8s, the Flying Spur V8 S is powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with 521 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque, with power going to all four wheels through an 8-speed slushbox.

What’s cool about this AWD system is that it has a 40/60 percent power bias to the front/rear wheels. Performance is a blistering fast 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds, and top speed is 190 mph. Yes, in a 5,300-lbs sedan. Now, we previously reviewed the Flying Spur with the batsh-t crazy twin-turbo W12 and its 616 hp and 590 lb-ft of twist output.

Yes, it may hit 60 from a standstill in just 4.3 seconds and maximum speed of 199 mph, but here’s the thing: that sucker is even heavier, tipping what could also be used as an elephant scale at 6,500 lbs. Point being, weight also affects handling, and because of that huge factor alone, we think the new V8 S is the sweet spot in the Flying Spur lineup. You get all of the exuberant luxury of the W12, nearly identical performance numbers, and a better overall driving experience. Special thanks to Los Gatos Luxury Cars for letting us film the car.

Bentley Promises 2019 Flying Spur Will Be More Distinctive

This could be the last Bentley without electrification.

The Flying Spur has become a bit of a forgotten model for Bentley. In fact, Bentley only managed to sell 253 of them in all of 2017. Since being detached from the Continental name, the Flying Spur has struggled to find an identity. The Continental GT has already been completely refreshed, but we are still waiting for the next-generation Flying Spur. According to Autocar's Mark Tisshaw, a new, reinvented Flying Spur is on its way for the 2019 model year, and it will be the last Bentley launched before the company embraces electrification.

While the next generation Continental GT and Flying Spur will almost certainly have some form of hybridization, the 2019 Flying Spur will likely arrive with old school gas engines. The latest Continental GT uses a new version of the company's 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 producing 626 horsepower and 664 lb-ft. There will likely be a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 model, though it has yet to be announced. If the 2019 Flying Spur doesn't have any form of electrification, we wouldn't be surprised if it shared engines with the Continental GT. Bentley is targeting models like the Rolls-Royce Ghost and Mercedes-Maybach S600, both of which are powered by turbocharged V12 engines.

The new Flying Spur will reportedly possess similar body styling to the new Continental GT, albeit with more distinct surfaces and sharper creases. Bentley wants to be sure this Flying Spur is easily differentiated from the Continental, so there is no longer any confusion between the two. In addition to the W12 and V8 engines, the Flying Spur may also receive a V6 plug-in hybrid drivetrain later in its life, though it likely won't arrive at the car's launch. Once the Flying Spur is completed, Bentley will focus on the next generation of its design language, which will fully embrace electrification. This Flying Spur will truly be the end of an era.

Rare Bentley Continental 24 Transformed Into 754-HP Beast

But should tuners be modifying rare limited-edition models?

To celebrate its return to the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring race last year, Bentley launched a special ‘24’ edition of the Continental GT. As you’ve probably guessed, production was limited to just 24 examples, so it’s exceedingly rare. Based on the second-generation Continental GT, the limited-edition grand tourer features a striking two-tone exterior with a matching interior, while a twin-turbo 6.0-liter W12 pumps out 700 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque. 0-62 mph takes just 3.5 seconds before the Continental 24 tops out at 209 mph.

One tuner, however, has made the limited-edition grand-tourer even more special. German company Wheelsandmore has given the Bentley Continental 24 a 54-horsepower upgrade by revising the ECU and using pre-muffler replacement pipes and a flap exhaust with remote control. As a result, the British grand-tourer now produces a whopping 754 horsepower, making it more powerful than the mighty McLaren 720S. As well as extracting more power from the 6.0-liter W12 engine, Wheelsandmore has given the Continental 24 a murdered-out makeover. The exterior is finished in a black shade with contrasting red ‘Continental 24’ decals adorning the side of the luxury car.

The tuner has also fitted air suspension, which can be electronically lowered and raised from inside the car. It's been designed to work with the new wheels and tires replacing the original’s color-painted wheels. Completing the package is a set of 10.5×21-inch wheels wrapped in 275/35 Pirelli high-performance tires. Alternatively, customers can also opt for a 10.5×22-inch set with 285/30 Continental tires. Whether tuners should be allowed to modify rare limited-edition cars is up for debate, but in this case we think it’s an improvement over the original car. The Continental 24’s brash exterior was an acquired taste, but the German tuner's take is much more appealing in our eyes. There’s no word on price, but the Continental 24 retailed for $280,000.

The 2018 Bentley Continental GT Will Have Some Radical Changes

But that W12 engine remains.

We’ve long known the Bentley Continental GT is undergoing a complete redesign, and will debut this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. We also know it’ll be built on the same (and lighter) platform as the also new Porsche Panamera. But according to Autocar, we should also plan for what’ll essentially be a completely re-engineered vehicle packed with tons of technology. For starters, this new platform allows for both all- and rear-wheel-drive, something the current VW Phaeton-based platform didn’t provide.

Rear wheel steering and a new air suspension, like those on the Panamera, will also be carried over to the Bentley. Finally ditching the current Continental GT’s aging platform, its successor will once again be offered as both a hardtop coupe and convertible, but more importantly, it’ll be Bentley’s "most advanced model to date." A Bentley official told Autocar that it’s "second to none in terms of engineering. We have been careful to safeguard the traditional qualities built up over the years while adding features that extend its capability to a whole new level." For example, the new GT will offer several powertrain options, such as a gasoline-electric hybrid that also allows for zero-emissions driving.

The twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 will not only return, but it’ll be upgraded with new tech in order to meet the latest emissions standards regulations. Other new technologies will include driver assistance systems, such as autonomous driving capability. Exterior styling is said to be influenced by the Speed 6 Coupe Concept that debuted in 2015 at Geneva. The interior, obviously, will have the finest materials and fit and finish Bentley offers. We’ll probably receive additional 2018 Continental GT updates throughout the summer before the early fall debut.