Amari Design Crafts Supercharged Bentley Continental GT with 760-Horsepower

A new company in the tuning scene called Amari Design has presented its take on the Bentley Continental GT through the release of two teaser photos. The UK-based firm’s upgrade package includes a body kit, interior revisions and a variety of modifications under the hood.

By adding a supercharger, a sports exhaust system and a new ECU, Amani Design says output is lifted to 750-horsepower. The car also rides on beefier alloy wheels and tires, though the tuner has not yet released specific details.

Exterior modifications include a new bodykit with a front bumper, lip spoiler, hood, fenders, side skirts, quarter panel extensions, rear bumper with a carbon fiber diffuser and a fixed boot spoiler. Inside, the interior is said to be upgraded with carbon fiber trims and upholstered seats in a combination of Napa leather and Alcantara.

More details on the tune are to be released at a later date.

Via Worldcarfans

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Bentley Celebrates Ice Speed Record with New Special Edition Supersports Convertible

To celebrate the 205.5mph (330.7km/h) world ice-speed record that was set two weeks ago by Finland’s four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen in a Continental Supersports convertible, Bentley has unveiled a new special edition version of its drop-top model that will be built in a limited run of 100 units.

To be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1, the new Supersports ‘Ice Speed Record’ will be available in a choice of three bespoke paint colours - Beluga, Quartzite and Arctica White. Whatever color you choose, the soft-top is finished in a dark grey 'metallic look'. The special edition also gets new 20-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels with a dark tint finish that are wrapped in Pirelli 275/35ZR20 ultra high performance tires.

Inside, unique features to the ‘Ice Speed Record’ model include the high-gloss carbon fibre in a red weave finish on the dashboard, centre console and roof panel. The same theme continues with the red piping on the seats and doors, and Pillar Box Red contrast stitching to seats, door casings, steering wheel and gearshift paddles.

Furthermore, the front seats and floor mats feature embroidered ‘Supersports’ legends while the signature Breitling dashboard clock also has a red accent.

The new Supersports ‘Ice Speed Record’ special comes fitted with Bentley's 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged bio-fuel W12 engine that runs on both petrol (gasoline) or E85 bio-ethanol or any combination of the two. It produces 640-horses and 800Nm (590lb ft) of torque. Paired with a Quickshift six-speed automatic transmission, it launches the all-wheel drive convertible from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.0s) and reaches 100mph from a standing start in only 9.5 seconds (0-160 km/h in 9.4s).

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Kankkunen Breaks World Ice Speed Record with Bentley Continental SuperSports

In 2007, four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen shattered the world ice speed record by achieving an average two way speed on a 1000m long straight on the frozen waters of the Baltic Sea, off the coast of Finland, of 199.86 mph (321.6 km/h) in a Bentley Continental GT. Fast forward to 2011, and Kankkunen has done it again breaking his own record at the same location with a Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible. This time, Kankkunen surpassed the 200mph mark reaching a top speed of 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h).

“The last time, I narrowly missed the magical 200 mph mark in a Continental GT. When I heard about the Supersports I was determined to go record breaking again with the Bentley Boys. This time, with over 600bhp under the bonnet, a Quickshift transmission and the security of the all-wheel drive system, the Supersports convertible was the perfect car to go for the record,” said Kankkunen.

“200mph came up after 5km on sheet ice. Then it was just a question of getting everything right in the timing zone and hoping the snow kept away. There’s nothing to beat driving a Bentley at these speeds; the conditions may be perilous but the car responds so well to the slightest adjustment which gives you the confidence to push even harder.”

As was the case with the previous record-breaking drive in the Continental GT, Kankkunen and his team used a regular car with some minimum modifications including a heavy-duty safety roll-cage, along with Pirelli winter tyres (Pirelli SottoZero II 275/40R20) and a rear bumper-mounted parachute, plus front and rear spoilers

[From Bentley Press Release]

JUHA KANKKUNEN: BRIEF CV

• Juha Matti Pellervo Kankkunen, born 1959 in Laukaa, Finland
• One of the most experienced rally drivers of all times
• Four times rally World Champion (1986, 1987, 1991, 1993)
• 23 times World Rally Winner
• Started his career in 1978
• First World Rally win in 1985 (Safari Rally)
• Won Dakar Rally in 1988
• World ice speed record in 2007, in a Bentley Continental GT

HISTORY OF WORLD ICE SPEED RECORDS

• 2011: Bentley Continental Supersports convertible: 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h) driven by Juha Kankkunen
• 2007: Bentley Continental GT: 199.83 mph (321.6 km/h) driven by Juha Kankkunen
• 1995: Bugatti EB110 Supersport: 184 mph (296 km/h)

BENTLEY’S EARLY HISTORY OF RECORD BREAKING

• 1924: John Duff in a Bentley 3-litre took records at Brooklands between 87mph (139.7 km/h) and 93 mph (149.3 km/h) and a Double-Twelve race victory at 86.69 mph (139.2 km/h)
• 1925: A Bentley 3-litre established a 24-hrs record at Montlhery at an average speed of 95 mph (152.9 km/h).
• 1927: The 24-hrs Grand Prix de Paris at Montlhery was won by a Bentley 41/2 –litre at an average speed of 52.5 mph (84.5 km/h)
• 1928: A Bentley 3-litre driven by Dudley Froy became the first car to average more than 115 mph (185.1 km/h) over a distance of 100 miles (160.9 km) at Brooklands
• 1929: Mrs Victor Bruce drove solo in a Bentley 41/2-litre at Montlhery to set a Class C record at over 89mph (143.2 km/h)
• 1932: Tim Birkin in a Birkin blower single seater broke the Brooklands Outer Circuit lap record with a speed of 137.96 mph (221.47 km/h)
• 1934: Walter Hassan in a Barnato – Hassan single seater set a new Brooklands Outer Circuit record of 142.6 mph (228.9 km/h). It achieved a faster lap time of 143.11 mph (230.3 km).

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Bentley Opens its Crewe Headquarters to the Public with New Design Exhibition

If you're a petrol head and live in or are considering a trip to England, you may want to make plans to visit Bentley's headquarters in Crewe and check out a new design exhibition called "An Unbroken Line", which offers a rare glimpse inside the company's usually secret studios.

The exhibition follows the development of a Bentley from the first sketch right through to the final product, and includes drawings from the prototype phase of models such as the new Continental GT that are being shown to the public for the first time ever.

Furthermore, the exhibition also captures key moments of the company’s lineage with signature characteristics that define a Bentley to this day such as the positioning of the headlights, the use of inverted needles on the dashboard and the pronounced ‘powerlines’ that sweep down the flanks of the car.

Dirk van Braeckel, Bentley’s Director of Design and Styling, commented: “What I particularly like about the exhibition is the sheer number and variety of interesting objects we’ve been able to bring together for the very first time, it is quite a collection. It is also fascinating to see just how talented the early Bentley designers really were - the beauty of their concept sketches and sheer precision of their technical drawings still inspires my own team to this day.”

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VeilSide 4509 GTR is a Toyota Supra IV with an Identity Crisis

Japanese tuners sure love breaking the mold and shocking people with their creations. Revealed at the Tokyo Auto Salon, the 4509 GTR is the product of VeilSide, a Japan-based tuning firm established in 1990 by Yokomaku Hironao. It is based on a fourth generation Toyota Supra Turbo from 1993 and has received a complete makeover with the exterior design borrowing styling elements from the Bentley Continental with a hint of an Audi R8 here and there.

The body parts are made out of carbon fiber and fiberglass, while the look is completed by the new black wheels sized 20-inches up front and 22-inches at the back. The alloys are wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza rubber, 255/30R20 at the front and 295/25R22 at the rear.

Inside, VeilSide's tune sees the addition of new sports seats upholstered in leather and diamond quilted alcantara, a sports steering wheel, modified instrument panel and more.

The 4509 GTR also benefits from a plethora of performance upgrades for the powertrain as well as the chassis. The Toyota Supra's twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine gets an HKS turbo kit complete with an intercooler and a variety of other mods, which help boost output to an impressive 680-horses at 6,250 rpm and 745 Nm or 594.5 lb-ft of peak torque. A new racing clutch, custom sports exhaust system, braking system and sports suspension round off the package.

Source: VeilSide

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