Bentley has released a teaser of its new SUV, which looks to be fairly toned down compared to the EXP 9 concept. The EXP 9, as you may remember, was the last word in tastelessness, a great signal that you just liquidated your offshore account ahead of looming international sanctions.
All snark aside, the upcoming SUV will break new ground in the market, by providing buyers with an SUV positioned above the Range Rover, which is arguably the apex luxury off-roader. Bentley will leverage the same architecture as the Audi Q7, and is looking to sell about 3,500 units (similar volume to the Continental GT and Flying Spur) at a price of roughly $230,000 – there should be plenty of margin baked into the car itself, and maybe, just maybe, they won’t have to sell co-branded Breitlings anymore.
No no no this won’t work unless its a tiny transverse front wheel drive model with giant wheels and bug eye headlights.
So no one want’s to buy a $150,000 sport car (see previous Viper story) but a $250,000 SUV is a go.
They want to buy a $150,000 sports car, just not a Viper.
Pretty much. This will be the Kardashian machine to replace the G-Wagen.
So it’s not gonna look like a re-born ’62 Studebaker after all?
Sadly it looks like the reborn ‘retro_Lark’ is all gone from the new frond end :(
I always thought it was hilarious that they copied so much of the Lark on the original concept, not just the front, but even the pressings along the side of the car.
It will sell.
of course it’ll sell … there’s enough nouvoriche ignorants out there ..
..
and they’ll prepare some editions: ‘abu dhabi white\'(..) ‘raging dragon\'( for chinesse $uccesful bu$$inessman:) and ‘golden rims edition\'(russian oligarch edition:) ..
For years, the wives of the newly rich have pouted as their husbands have been able to spend $200,000 on B-crested two-seaters that were twice as heavy and half as competent as cars costing a third as much. “Why can’t _I_ spend an extra hundred thousand dollars on my SUV like you can on your prosthesis/coupe, and get something that our neighbor’s G500 could run circles around just like their 911 is a far better car than yours (and will be worth more in three years after yours has depreciated by 70%?”
Now their great nightmare of injustice is over. Get to it, ladies.
I bet that Bentley’s so obese, it makes the LR4’s GVW look like a Kia Rio.
I bet its so obese, when it drives around the block, it drives AROUND the block!
Amiright?
As a Q7 owner, I am now 2 steps short of being a Bentley owner which makes me 3 steps short of being a Rolls-Royce owner.
I’m moving up in the world.
What about when the Lamborghini Urus shows up? Does that knock you down a level, or is Lambo so batsh$t crazy, it doesn’t even matter?
Batsh*t crazy
I have been wanting to accomodate that into a comment for quite a while.
And you… you beat me to it.
Dam you!
A vulgar Lambo SUV (like the ol’ LM002) makes much more sense than a vulgar Bentley.
It’s almost like, if they could talk –
Lord Falcon: “Gentlemen, we have a fine brandy selection this evening.”
Bill Urus: “BEER OR I WILL KICK YOR ASS!”
Are you sure that the LM002 is more offensive than the LaForza?
Absolutely. The LaForza was designed by the same man who gave us the Fiat Barchetta and the Saab 900, as well as the Aston Martin Lagonda Coupe.
It was also fitted with a (mostly) reasonable Ford V8.
And since I mention Lagonda, I must show you this. :D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aston_Martin_Lagonda_Stationcar02.jpg
Corey- that Lagonda Estate in the picture serves the following business plan well. (NOTE: You will not get rich, but- BUT- you will make a little cash.)
I’d say yank the motor first, but I don’t see much use for a wheezy, British 5.3L v8.
Here’s the recipe:
*One large parking lot in a high traffic area, preferably a fairground.
*A collection of baseball bats
*Assortment of safety glasses. Safety first.
*one rope. You will need to rope off the area.
$10, two swings.
Couple in the fact that it’s an Aston Martin- well, hot dog! Everyone would love to take a whack at it :)
Just smash your tension away…
Good times.
By the way, there’s always the demolition derby route, but this car would be the first out. Cars from the UK grab the most “special of interests” in the derbies here stateside.
The Lagonda Estate was a one-off custom build! I’d never smash.
Well, I hate to say this, but…
pass me that bat.
Although a dozen or so stripped out Oldsmobiles and Chevrolets smashing it into oblivion would be a much nobler death for the eyesore.
“And since I mention Lagonda, I must show you this. :D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aston_Martin_Lagonda_Stationcar02.jpg”
My God, it looks like a Volvo 740 on meth
@CoreyDL: Eeew, hideous! That D pillar… And that’s why station wagons need bespoke rear fenders and usually bespoke rear doors.
@Lie2Me: No, that doesn’t look anything like a 745, because the 700 series went the other route: If you feel you can live with a ridiculously high and angular roof line on your sedan, you can use rear doors designed for a station wagon on the sedan too.
There *is* going to be a vulgar Lamborghini SUV, on this same platform, yet:
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/01-lamborghini-urus-beijing-2012628opt.jpg
You could get a Grand Cherokee and pretend it’s a Maserati Kubang for a lot less
I think it shall be called the Falcon. I also think it’s plenty ugly and vulgar.
It should have a blower and a 4 1/2 liter engine. Both in homage to the original blower Bentley that Bugatti referred to as the world’s fastest trucks. See? A tie-in with tradition.
Ah, a fat Continental.
Excellent.
The big fog lights or running lights or whatever they were were distinctive on the old one.
Okay. I’m not opposed to a Bentley SUV at all. But the Q7, Touareg and Cayenne all use the same PL71 architecture, with the Q7 using the “4L” subarcitecture, possibly because it’s longer than the other two and a dedicated seven-seater. So will Bentley’s SUV be the size of the Q7, or the Cayenne and Touareg? I’d think it was the latter, since no one really wants to drive a Bentley that’s also a people-carrier.
Considering that its supposed to be a even higher end alternative to a Range Rover, Land Cruiser or G wagon; they’ll probably modify the 4L sub architecture into a 195″ 5 seater that can accommodate the 6.75 and the latest off road features.
Bloody awful to see Bentley deteriorate under German management.
God please make this SUV/CUV thing jump the shark.
If the Pontiac Aztek couldn’t do it, I don’t know what will. A new fad is needed, maybe a Transit Connect with a lower roof line and windows all around, opposing bench seats and a folded lunch table, like the old Kombi. Give it AWD and call it a Commuter-Camper, with a propane generator, flat screen and wi-fi, and insinuate it could be a bug-out vehicle for Armageddon.
That’s truly a ridiculous idea. There’s no need to mock me. It should have a solar generator, not propane.