2002 Bentley Azure Convertible on 2040-cars

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Bentley Continental, Mulsanne get Le Mans limited editions

Bentley is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with two special edition model. Both the Mulsanne and Continental lines can now be fitted with six new specification packages to mark the event, each named after a famous racer from the automaker's past. Each package one combines select exterior colors with with special interior combinations that pay homage to the gents who took the company's cars to victory in France.
John Duff, Dudley Benjafield, Woolf Barnato, Tim Birkin, Glen Kidston and Guy Smith all get their own namesake packages. You can see the full run down in the press release below. So far, there's no indication as to exactly how much each pack will cost, but we have a hard time imagining a dollar figure scaring off any potential buyers.

Bentley SUV given green light by VW board

The "will they, won't they" saga over Bentley's SUV plans appears to finally be over. They will. That's according to the German business newspaper Handelsblatt, which is reporting that the controversial SUV will be built after receiving the go-ahead from Volkswagen's board.
Known internally as "Falcon," the still-unnamed Bentley SUV will be based on the EXP 9 Concept that received wildly mixed reviews at its 2012 Geneva Motor Show unveiling. Since the EXP 9's unveiling, there have been a steady stream of leaks and rumors suggesting that the bold-faced vehicle will get a redesign prior to going into production, but it remains unclear how different the final vehicle will look.
According to Automotive News, Bentley is itself stopping short of confirming the green-light report, though it does admit that the SUV's production outlook appears "very positive." Production will likely take place in Slovakia at a plant owned by parent Volkswagen.

Bentley fires staff priest before Christmas

This sounds like a scene out of A Christmas Carol, but it appears to be real. The resident chaplain for Bentley at Crewe was removed from his post - just days before Christmas. Reverend Francis Cooke had visited Crewe once a week for the last decade, but was relieved of his duties when it was feared by management that his presence at the factory might offend a multi-faith workforce.
According to Rev. Cooke, "The reason I have been given is that there are too many people of different faiths to warrant a Christian chaplain." Cooke pointed out that no complaint had ever been brought against him, and that he helps all faiths at the factory - not just Christians.
Bentley issued a statement, addressing its decision, "We have a wide range of faiths and want to take a multi-faith outlook. It would be very difficult to have somebody from each faith."