BMW's in a tough fight now

[Mark in SBA]

Volkswagen just produced this as their new top-o-the-line Bentley to compete against the Phantom:

<img src="http://www.fibersonde.com/e31/images/offtopic/mulsanne1.jpg">

<img src="http://www.fibersonde.com/e31/images/offtopic/mulsanne2.jpg">

Compare that to this:

<img src="http://www.fibersonde.com/e31/images/offtopic/Phantom1.jpg">

The good news is the depreciation for these cars is insane, so much so that Bentley is cautioning buyers to not go hog-wild on the colors and options lest they make their car, uh, too unique and thus unsaleable.

[Scohen]

[Mark in SBA]

Steve, you have a very wise eye. But of course - the 2011 Bentley Mulsanne is a blatant ripoff of the epitome of style and taste, the Chrysler Cordoba:

<img src="http://www.fibersonde.com/e31/images/offtopic/cordoba2.jpg">

Same lights, same grille!

<img src="http://www.fibersonde.com/e31/images/offtopic/cordoba3.jpg">

Same trunk hump! Same rear fender line. Those Limey &#66;astards!

[lezonebay]

not like it. cheesy a/c knobs and the overall feel was not more upscale then a 1/3 price 760iL.

The Bentley at least looks stylish even though it "copies" the 300C.

The 300C is by far the best looking Chrysler in the last 30 years.

No coincidence that an aftermarket grille is called the "Bentley" grille !

<a href="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969"><img src="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969" border="0"></a>


1997 BMW 840CiA
1990 BMW Z1
2002 Astro Van AWD
1999 Astro Van 2WD
2002 Lexus GS300
2007 Mazda CX9 AWD
1998 Yamaha Blaster+Breeze

1995 850CSI CD00177 (SOLD)

[Mark in SBA]

This year's Mulsanne is the first "real" Bentley since <b>1931</b>, when W.O. Bentley was forced to sell out to Rolls Royce. In between, Bentleys were just rejiggered Rollers, sharing a lot of common parts (engine, body, interiors, etc.).

The last real "W.O." Bentley was the Bentley 8, of which 100 were produced. 78 are still roadworthy and in use:

<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/47f1317f105123ad/4a90c35f419df396/47fe70d4555df05a/78d66694/-cpid/78c45839bfd6c81" id="W47f1317f105123ad4a90c35f419df396" width="384" height="283"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/47f1317f105123ad/4a90c35f419df396/47fe70d4555df05a/78d66694/-cpid/78c45839bfd6c81" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /></object>

Astounding. And you can still get parts from Bentley in Crewe, England. Seriously!

Perhaps the BMW E31 will be the Bentley 8 of it's day, in about 60 years.

[lezonebay]

Rolls Royce equivalent, etc. I always loved Bentley's and since they parted ways thanks to VW stupidity, the brand is actually heading in a better direction.
nothing from the Rolls-BMW came out that I would have liked, but almost all Bentley's since the parting were better and better.

This old WO Bentley is simply amazing. J Leno is a true car-nut, we need more rich people like him.


<a href="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969"><img src="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969" border="0"></a>


1997 BMW 840CiA
1990 BMW Z1
2002 Astro Van AWD
1999 Astro Van 2WD
2002 Lexus GS300
2007 Mazda CX9 AWD
1998 Yamaha Blaster+Breeze

1995 850CSI CD00177 (SOLD)

[MikeUK]

'The Bentley at least looks stylish even though it "copies" the 300C.'

hmmmm.... except, of course, that the 300C copied the new Bentley Continental of the time.
When the 300C first came out (2003/4), there was even rumours that Bentley considered sueing Chrysler over the front styling!
300C's have proved moderately popular over here though, dispite their rather bulky proportions.
1994 850CSi 6 speed Manual (every day in every way it gets a little better...)
1992 850Ci Auto
1996 Range Rover 4.6 HSE Autobiography
Used to be a V12 Jaguar here.... :o(
1976 Golden Jubilee MGB GT V8 Manual
1974 Jensen Interceptor Mk III 7.2 (mopar 440) Auto
1964 Porsche 356S Manual
1953 Sunbeam Talbot MkIIa fitted with 2.4ltr Jaguar XK engine
2000 Lotus Elise S1, Larini sports exhaust, cat bypass & hurricane induction kit

[lezonebay]

so that lawsuit would have been the biggest joke.

not be confused with the aftermarket "Bentley" grille. That is also not a merit for lawsuit but the original grille has nothing to do with Bentley copy.

Chrysler created a modern 300 and successfully. the car is still one of the best looking one on the market.

beats bmw's design by a long stick for sure. <a href="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969"><img src="http://mydrive.roadfly.com/photos/pic.php?u=56726KDZYN&i=8969" border="0"></a>


1997 BMW 840CiA
1990 BMW Z1
2002 Astro Van AWD
1999 Astro Van 2WD
2002 Lexus GS300
2007 Mazda CX9 AWD
1998 Yamaha Blaster+Breeze

1995 850CSI CD00177 (SOLD)

[designapparatus]

[Harold]

The really need Ricardo Montalban to do the ads though. Too bad he's not around any more...

Maybe they can get Jonathan Goldsmith...
"The most interesting man in the world."

[mbarrett635]

I sold Chryslers for a very short time in the summer of 1978 -- the heyday of the Chrysler Cordoba. You could still get one with a 440ci V8 (I think that may have been the last year). We had a red one with white leather interior, and it was one fine looking car -- and it hauled [Oops!]. But when you floored it, and all four barrels opened up on the carb, you could actually watch the gas gauge move, it was sucking down the fuel so fast!<img src="http://images.snapfish.com/343%3C356%3B23232%7Ffp63%3Dot%3E2326%3D447%3D348%3 DXROQDF%3E23238%3B85962%3B8ot1lsi" height=221 width=495>
Mike Barrett
BMW CCA 111632
'96 850Ci
'10 750i
'10 X5 35d
'88 635CSi

[oiseaux]

Thanks for posting, Mark!********************************************* *************
"A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is strong enough to take everything you have."
-Thomas Jefferson
************************************************** ********
BimmerShifter since 1969; currently
'93 850CiA, still wonderful @ 175k miles
<img src="http://www.abyrdhouse.net/Images/93BMW850CiA-05.gif">