By Davey G. Johnson, AutoWeek

While the official line from Christophe Georges, Bentley Motors president and COO is, "We are exploring the potential, but the vehicle has not been approved," we hear that Bentley is scrambling to ready its new SUV for an unveiling at the Geneva motor show next month.

While Bentley is keeping mum on the new ute's moniker for the moment, we're going to go ahead and suggest that the company call it the Bentley John o' Groats.

Our pie-in-the-sky naming wishes aside, we have word that the new machine reportedly will ride on the same wheelbase as its Audi Q7 corporate cousin, will feature a W12 powerplant and will have "legitimate off-road capability." The potentates of nations with janky infrastructure wouldn't have it any other way, after all.

By Greg Migliore, AutoWeek

Stricter fuel-economy and emissions regulations are prompting carmakers around the world to downsize in the name of efficiency, but Bentley is the only one offering a 500-hp V8 as the solution. That's because downsizing is a relative term for the British luxury-car maker, which will reveal Continental GT and GTC variants with eight-cylinder power in January at the Detroit auto show.

The twin-turbo engines displace 4.0 liters and pump out 500 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque. The cars are expected to be able to sprint to 96 km/h in less than five seconds and clock a top speed of more than 290 km/h. A variable-displacement feature allows the engines to run on four cylinders when less power is needed. They'll be paired with a close-ratio eight-speed gearbox.

By Greg Migliore, AutoWeek

Bentley will team up with bespoke furniture maker Linley to make an extremely limited run of 10 Continental Flying Spurs for the Chinese market.

The move highlights the increasing importance of China and its growth potential for luxury makers racing to stake a foothold in the market.

Related link: 2012 Bentley Continental GT first drive

The Flying Spurs are customized using the expertise of Linley's design and furniture background, and the interior gets a special veneer and a box in the rear console with a humidor, a cigar cutter and an ashtray. There's also a built-in refrigerator in the rear armrest and console.

The companies said the collaboration could be extended in the future.

By Jake Lingeman, AutoWeek

Most of us will never own an ultraluxury car such as a Bentley, but for a slightly lesser price you can still have something built in Crewe.

Bentley Motors and its employees from the tooling, woodshop and styling departments have created a range of collector items the will cross the auction block to raise funds for the Prince's Trust charity. The items include Bentley artwork, a chess set and Bentley camshaft lamps.

By Greg Migliore, AutoWeek

The next generation of Bentley's superlative Continental GTC convertible is set for unveiling at the Frankfurt motor show and is enhanced with more power and a modified chassis.

Output grows to 567 hp--up from 552 hp--from the 6.0-liter W12 powerplant. Torque also increases by 37 lb-ft to a rating of 516 lb-ft, reinforcing what Bentley has billed for years as a "wave of torque." The open-air four-seater is available for order now and it arrives late this year.

The last version of the convertible launched in 2006, and the British luxury maker has layered on several fresh amenities, including 20-inch wheels and two 21-inch designs as options. The aluminum front wings are seamless, and the interior features leather hides and wood veneers. Bentley says there is a wide array of color combinations to choose from, including 17 soft-touch-leather colors. There's also a neck-warmer feature for motoring in cooler conditions.

The chassis has been modified for what the company claims is a more dynamic open-air driving experience. Power is sent to the ground via all-wheel drive with a 40:60 front/rear bias.

"The GTC has always been the most emotional model in the Continental range and a showcase for Bentley design," CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said in a statement.

By Mark Atkinson, MSN Autos

Bringing a brand downmarket can have disastrous effects – look at Cadillac’s descent from world’s best to laughing stock in barely 30 years. Only in the last decade has the company taken great strides at improving its image, but there are still plenty of consumers who would still never buy one. That was the great risk that Bentley faced when it launched the Continental GT – a mishmash of platforms, engines and more taken from more plebeian (and German) brands like Volkswagen and Audi, and priced closer to a loaded Mercedes-Benz S-Class than an Azure. Thankfully, the Continental was good (enough) to generate three different bodystyles (coupe, convertible, sedan), and various in-house hot versions to generate some serious sales.

More photos: 2012 Bentley Continental GT

By Justin Couture

This year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has been one of the most exciting in years. Aside from having a collection of the finest classic cars on the planet gathered in one spot on display, the event also saw the international launch of a number of vehicles including ones from Bugatti, Spyker, Infiniti and Devon Motors. But perhaps the biggest announcement of all came from Bentley, which unveiled its new flagship model, the Mulsanne.

Named after the famed back stretch at the Circuit de la Sarthe (the track on which the 24 Hours of LeMans is run) where racers regularly top 320 km/h, the Mulsanne is a tribute to the classic 1930s Bentley 8-Litre, the company’s crown jewel and the last vehicle developed by company founder W.O. Bentley before pairing up with Rolls-Royce. The Mulsanne’s styling is said to be inspired by the 1950s Bentley Continental S1, with graceful, flowing flanks and oversized front headlamps.

By Justin Couture

Over the past decade, Bentley’s sales have skyrocketed, thanks in part to the launch of its affordable (If you can call $200,000 affordable) Continental line. Available in coupe, sedan and convertible body styles, and in regular and high-performance “Speed” derivatives, it revitalized the brand in ways few imagined. While Continentals are certainly desirable, Bentley hasn’t forgotten about its halo product, the Arnage (pictured at the bottom).

The thing is, the Arnage isn’t exactly the freshest luxury car on the block. Tracing its lineage back, it pre-dates Bentley’s takeover by Volkswagen Group in the late ‘90s, and compared to the likes of the Maybach or the Rolls-Royce Phantom, it looks decidedly … classic. Though the current car is able to pass all emissions and safety standards thanks to a late-life refresh that included the introduction of a new gearbox and engine tweaks, the time is right for Bentley to launch a completely new successor.

By Justin Couture, MSN Autos

In a bid to keep its title as the producer of the world’s fastest four-seater convertible, Bentley has announced an even faster version of its Continental GTC, the Continental GTC Speed. Set to debut at the Detroit auto show next week, the GTC Speed features a 600-horsepower, 553 lb.-ft. of torque twin-turbocharged 6.0L W12 engine. In addition to making it the fastest four-seater convertible, it’s also the most powerful drop-top Bentley has ever built.

With its roof up, the GTC Speed has a top speed of 322 km/h (200 mph). This decreases slightly to 317 km/h (195 mph) when the convertible top is open. The extra power enables the GTC Speed to travel 10 km/h faster with the roof up, and eight km/h faster with the roof down than the standard version. The GTC Speed also accelerates to 100 km/h from still in 4.8 seconds, a reduction of 0.3 seconds compared to the standard, non-Speed Continental GTC.