Did'ya hear about the Bentley SUV Concept?

You know this is major news if non-automotive outlets are reporting this- even if they don't have the slightest clue of what they're talking about.

The only thing about the Geneva Motor Show that everyone is talking about is the Bentley EXP 9 F (the correct name for the Bentley SUV). Bentley was nice enough to send out a press release, and with that- I will enclose the meat-and-potatoes of the release.

Unmistakably a Bentley – yet a Bentley like none before it – the EXP 9 F could herald a third Bentley model-line alongside the bespoke Mulsanne and the high performance Continental GT, GTC and Flying Spur.

A new class of Bentley allowed the styling team to adopt a more progressive design approach. The exterior is a bold, dynamic statement, combining clean, muscular surfaces with signature character lines, while retaining the qualities of luxury and power – a pure Bentley.

Key Bentley cues such as the matrix grille, round lamps and the strong power-line and haunch along each flank are reinterpreted for EXP 9 F. The ‘hewn from solid’ design language and innovative detailing, emphasise the robust character of this high-luxury SUV.

The designers were inspired not only by the more functional nature of EXP 9 F but by the ‘visible engineering’ of the famous Blower Bentleys. For example, the day-time running lamp apertures also act as the charge cooler air intakes for the twin-turbo W12 engine, each with a dramatic, mesh-covered turbine fan design and ‘rifled’ inner surface finish.

The turbine theme continues with the stunning 23-inch alloy wheels, the design of which complements the sculptured coachwork. The multiple spokes are reminiscent of the shape of turbine fan blades while the centrally mounted wheel nut is a visual reference both to Bentley’s Le Mans racers of the 1920s with centre-lock spinner and to the single nut found on the modern-day Speed 8’s high-tech racing alloys.

Soft-touch leather contrasts with highly durable surfaces with the concept car design experimenting with the use of saddle leather for the seat backs, top roll and loadspace – while analogue bezels and dials are paired with TFT ‘virtual’ instrumentation.

Even the luxurious silk wool floormats are reversible – with one side finished in durable, ribbed saddle leather for use when the driver and passengers are dressed for the great outdoors.

Although the EXP 9 F concept is based around the Bentley 6.0 litre, twin-turbocharged W12 engine with an 8-speed transmission, both the company’s recently-launched 4.0 litre, twin-turbocharged V8 or a hybrid drivetrain could meet the performance requirements of a pinnacle luxury SUV.

Watch the video, and then I'll give you my two cents...



The interior lives up to its name- plush and uber luxurious. However, that exterior needs work. First of all, a boxy front end doesn't look good on a SUV. It's like they took the Bentley Arnage front end and slapped it on a SUV. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The rear looks like the Range Rover Sport, but with different tailpipes and lights. This SUV looks like two different vehicles- Boxy in the front, curvy in the back. If anything, Bentley should have taken the front end of the Continental GT/Flying Spur and kept the rear.

I hope that Bentley will fine-tune this concept before it hits the production line.

Bernie's Top 5 Concept Car Picks from the Geneva Auto Show

Yesterday, the 81st annual Geneva Auto Show ended. It is always hosted at the Geneva Palexpo, a convention center located next to the Geneva Cointrin International Airport in Switzerland. The Geneva Auto Show is one of the biggest Auto Shows in the world, and it forces automakers to bring out their top projects for the public to view and for me to critique.

Every year, there's a large amount of vehicles that debuts. Most of them are production vehicles, a.k.a. ideas that were green-lit to be sold to the general public, and my favorite- concept cars. I'm going to get into my favorite vehicles that made its debut, but for now, it's concept car time.

Before I begin, let me tell you what a concept car is. According to the great folks at wikipedia, "A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car prototype made to showcase a concept, new styling and new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced." Think of when the Chrysler Imperial was suppose to come out as a more top of the line version (also a better version) of the Chrysler 300.

So I took a look at the concept vehicles that made its debut this year and I came up with my top 5 that I'm supporting... for now.

The Toyota FT-86 II Concept... I like this because of the design and also because it would be a good look for Toyota. Since they've scraped both the Celica and the Solara (I was mad over the Solara), Toyota doesn't have any sports cars. Yeah, you can say that there's Scion and Lexus, but Toyota itself, doesn't have one. And no, the Camry Sport doesn't count, because no matter how much horsepower you add to it, it's still a family sedan. And most importantly, it'll still be a practical sports car.

Volkswagen Microbus Concept Car. Doesn't it look familiar? Well VW did introduce this vehicle in the 60s, and they did drive a vehicle like this in Scooby Doo. But this version is completely modernized and I love it... We all know that I'm a bit eccentric, so my liking something like this wouldn't be anything new.

The Jaguar XE. I'm in love with the design. The shape is crazy, especially in the silver pictured above. It looks like a refined version of the Porsche Panamera. I need something like this in my life, but knowing me, I'll get some crazy speeding tickets in it, and the last thing I would need is a suspended license. The once thing I don't like is that it is so low to the ground. Imagine driving on the Cross Bronx Expressway in this. What a way to tear up the undercarriage. **Sad face**

Even though this next car is rather small, I still featured it.

The Alfa Romeo 4C Concept, and I'm really not an exotic car person. On top of that, this is a four cylinder sports car (is there really such a thing?) that puts off 200 horsepower. Technically, I could out race this car with my GMC Envoy. But there's something about this car that I like. Probably because it looks cute, like a VW Beetle. The Alfa Romeo 4C is a cute concept car.

I gave you three sports car and a van, so I'm sure that an SUV has to be somewhere.

And here it is...

Although it looks like all of the other Range Rover Sports, the Range_e Concept is rather different. According to the good folks at Land Rover, with a total output of 334-hp and a top speed of around 120 mph, the Range_e averages a fuel-economy of 71 mpg and 690 miles of driving on a full tank. The Range_e also has the same full 4WD capability as the standard Range Rover Sport. Need I say more? I do like the Range_e, but I'm in love with the Range Rover Evoque.

Because I have such great taste, there's rumors going around that all five of these fine vehicles will hit the assembly line. Please note that I'm adding "To Attend the Geneva Auto Show" on my list of goals, right behind "To Attend the Tokyo Auto Salon" and "Climbing to the top of the Empire State Building"