My Bentley Blue Train Coupe from last year. While a pillarless bodystyle such as I've created here has zero chances of entering production, I suspect that Bentley will choose the Continental platform, as I have, for its Panamera/Rapide competitor.
My Bentley Greenbrier 5 door hatch. Luxury and utility in a manageable size.
My Bentley Excellence Saloon from almost five years ago.
A U T O MO T I V E N E W S — Once again, Autoblog.com is reporting that Bentley is indeed working on a Panamera/Rapide competitor. I remind my readers I was there first! : )
I remember the Excellence from the Combustion Chamber -- I liked it then and I like it now. One of the things I like is name -- evocative of the Facel-Vega Excellence that we've had some discussion about before. I have to admit I'm not completely sold on the four-door coupe concept -- I much prefer a two-door coupe, preferably pillarless, but it looks like the four-door coupe is the thing right now. What will be next?
ReplyDeleteHave you been able to get to where you can get the new CA? I'm not sure I like the author's take on why Packard chose the path it did, but I'll be curious to see what you think of it. He's got the facts right, I guess, but, as is frequently the case with current old car magazines, there's a tone of disapproval that I find disturbing.
Paul, NYC
i haven't gotten that issue yet. I'll be really interested to read the Packard article. There is frequently a disapproving tone to their articles! I think they're a bit cranky. Even the letters section is a bit crotchety! Still the best reference source around. I'm re-reading some old issues from the 80s and early 90s and I've found a couple of mistakes I didn't notice back then. I wonder it it's new information I've learned or if they got it wrong? That's an incredibly low score btw, for mistakes. I find far too many in other old car rags.
ReplyDeleteI guess I can be crotchety, too!
Loving the 4 door coupe look, much nicer than the Rapide and Panarama with a taste of both old and new.
ReplyDeleteI hope Bentley does build something very similar to this rendering.
I agree that CA is still the best source but agree about their tone. Not too many mistakes and they own up to them if they are pointed out. But Hemmings is rife with mistakes -- I think the writers are all 12 years old and, oddly enough for people putting out an old car magazine, have very little knowledge of or sense of history. They should just send all of their editorial content to me and I'll edit it for accuracy. I find similar mistakes in Old Cars Weekly -- a whole article in the latest issue talking about a 1936 Packard 120 Touring Coupe (my favorite bodystyle of the early 120s) with the stock 384 cubic inch straight 8. Of course, the 120s used a 282 cubic inch straight 8. In fact, they used that engine from 1935 through at least 1950 -- I'm not sure if the low-line 51s used that engine or not -- I'll have to research it!
ReplyDeletePaul, NYC
I just got the newest issue of CA. I'll be able to discuss it all in about 24 hours, lol.
ReplyDeleteThis is probably old to you.
ReplyDeletePackard's last concept:
http://jalopnik.com/5665161/how-packards-last-concept-shaped-a-generation-of-car-design