Selasa, 17 Januari 2012
Bentley plans for the future with hybrid models and hopes to snag Maybach customers
Bentley is extensively prepping for their future with a couple of new paths to higher sales. Just recently, the company has downsized from a W12 to a V8 engine and their next course of action is to offer a plug-in hybrid model. In an interview with Car and Driver, Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer reported that the hybrid system could be based on Volkswagen technology and that it could combine either a W12 engine or a V8 engine with an electric motor placed between the engine and transmission. This system will allow an electric-only range of 16 to 19 miles - a relatively good range considering we are talking about very heavy vehicles.
Another new direction Bentley is taking, and probably the stranger of the two, is their announced plans to steal customers from Maybach. This bit of news came shortly after Mercedes announced that the last Maybach unit would be produced in early 2013. Bentley hopes that this termination of production will get stars like hip-hop artist Jay-Z, actor Samuel L. Jackson, and King Juan Carlos to turn their attention from the old Maybach models to Bentley’s line-up. We would think that Rolls Royce would be a good candidate as well, but Bentley wouldn’t be a bad way to go either.
"The withdrawal of Maybach is a business opportunity for us and we’re going to use it," Bentley Chief Executive Wolfgang Duerheimer told Reuters. And they aren’t too worried about Mercedes’ decision to offer an S600 Pullman because "they wanted something more exclusive than a Mercedes in the first place, so Rolls or Bentley would seem an obvious substitution."
In this war, Bentley has the advantage of planning a large luxury SUV that will be placed over the top Cayenne and it will be "highly customizable, including a wealth of interior materials and a choice of four- or five-passenger configurations."
Kamis, 05 Januari 2012
Gearworld’s Best of 2011: Supercar of the Year
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Going through all of the glorious supercars of 2011 was no easy task, especially since it felt like every random country of the world was developing their own supercar. Each vehicle we came across deserved to have their time to shine on the list for best supercar of 2011, but as time went on, it was clear which ones stood out above all of the rest.
A couple of the supercars on the list shouldn’t surprise anyone, especially since they were created by one of the top supercar makers in the world. Then there are the relative newbies to the group that have received enough recognition to warrant praise from the average car enthusiast, but the final vehicle would probably not be recognized by many and its home country may actually cause ridicule to ensue. The end result, however, was enough to give it a spot on our list.
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