Bentley follows Aston Martin with debuts and concepts that point to the future at Pebble Beach.

• North American debut of new 2016 Continental GT
• Historic Blower makes dynamic appearance at Quail rally
• EXP 10 Speed 6 concept showcased at two prestigious events on the Peninsula

The new 16 MY Bentley Continental GT makes its North American debut at this year’s Monterey Auto Week, alongside inspiring models from Bentley’s past and future.

In a nod to Bentley’s illustrious heritage and celebrating its 85^th anniversary, the iconic 1930 Blower Bentley makes its dynamic appearance in the Quail Rally. The week will culminate with a look to Bentley’s future; the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept will be situated on the Concept Lawn at The Lodge on Sunday, a vision of iconic Bentley design cues fused with progressive craftsmanship techniques to showcase modern British luxury.

Michael Winkler, President and CEO, Bentley Motors, Inc. comments: “The future of Bentley is now, and Pebble Beach is the perfect backdrop to showcase the new Continental GT alongside gems from our past and concepts for our exciting future.

The new Continental GT is a testament to Bentley trademarks of luxury and performance and we’re excited to share it with friends of Bentley during this gathering of fine automobiles.”

New 2016 Continental GT Highlights

The Continental GT has been refreshed for 2016 with a complement of new exterior design features. Adjustments to the front bumper and radiator shell lend a more assertive and confident stance to the front of the car. 

At the rear the bumper has been reshaped and widened for an added sense of power, and now features full-width brightware. The revisions to the exterior aesthetic are completed with the addition of 20” and 21” wheels.

Visual upgrades continue inside the cabin, with a new and contemporary straight-fluting pattern adorning the four generous seats, while the Mulliner Driving Specification (standard on GT Speed) gains a tightened, “small-diamond” quilting pattern reminiscent of a tailored British jacket.

The mighty 6.0-litre twin turbo W12 powertrain has received a power and torque increase, from 575 PS (567 bhp / 423 kW) and 700 Nm (516 lb.ft) to 590 PS (582 bhp / 434 kW) and 720 Nm (531 lb.ft), to maintain the model’s reputation of effortless performance. 

The power upgrade is accompanied by improvements to fuel economy of up to 5% and lower CO₂ emissions of 329 g/km and combined fuel economy of 20 mpg (14.1 litres/100 km).

Bentley at Monterey Auto Week

Throughout the week, at the Quail Rally, the 1930 Bentley Blower will be continuing its summer of prestigious motoring events with a dynamic appearance alongside the flagship Mulsanne Speed, 2016 Flying Spur and the new Continental GT.

On August 14, Bentley will also debut its entire 2016 model range alongside the EXP 10 Speed 6 to the illustrious crowd at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering.

On Saturday, Bentley will present the most extreme example of the Continental family, with the GT3 R, alongside its racing counterpart the GT3 at The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion held at the Laguna Seca Mazda Raceway paddock.

The highly lauded EXP 10 Speed 6 design concept will be presented on Concept Lawn Sunday at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance for the conclusion of Monterey Auto Week.

Auctions of Vintage and Classic Cars

Pebble Beach is renowned for its auctions of collectible classic and vintage automobiles. In 2015, five classic Bentleys are being auctioned by RM Auctions between Friday August 15^th and Saturday August 16^th.

• 1931 Bentley 4½-Litre Supercharged Two-Seater Sports in the style of Vanden Plas (presale estimate: $4,500,000 - $5,500,000) 
• 1953 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback Sports Saloon by H.J. Mulliner (presale estimate: $1,000,000 - $1,200,000) 
• 1956 Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupe by Park Ward (presale estimate $900,000 - $1,200,000)
• 1934 Bentley 3½-Litre Sports Saloon by Park Ward (presale estimate: $150,000 - $200,000) 
• 1931 Bentley 4-Litre Tourer by Vanden Plas (presale estimate: $500,000 - $650,000)

Aston Martin looks to its second century with a host of new cars at the Pebble Beach® Automotive Week.

• Market debut of new 2016 DB9 GT; to be showcased at The Aston Martin Estate
• North American debuts for innovative DBX concept and new Lagonda Taraf
• Following starring role at the New York Auto Show, the Aston Martin Vulcan track supercar returns to the US

Aston Martin’s new 2016 DB9 GT will make its global debut as part of the marque’s presence at the Pebble Beach® Automotive Week from 13 August, accompanied by a glimpse of Aston Martin’s Second Century with the DBX concept, Lagonda Taraf and Aston Martin Vulcan supercar all set for appearances.

The DB9 GT is the luxury British sports car maker’s most compelling production ‘DB’ to date, designed to offer world-class grand touring and hand-built excellence. 

Claiming the title of the most potent DB9 yet devised, by virtue of its uprated 6.0-litre V12 engine which now boasts 540bhp – the DB9 GT continues a distinguished tradition of luxury, excitement and style with a raft of engineering, equipment and styling developments calculated to make this the very best of what DB9 can be.

Aston Martin’s ‘Second Century’ plan was announced by Dr. Andy Palmer after completion of his first 150 days as CEO of Aston Martin. 

A comprehensive strategy for the ongoing growth and development of the 102-year old sport car maker, the plan laid out the principle mid-term actions, particularly in the area of new product development that will drive the growth of the company.

The DBX concept – now confirmed for production – underlines Aston Martin’s growth plans by signaling an expansion into the luxury GT crossover market as part of a wider strategy to develop the strongest and most diverse product portfolio in the company’s history.

Offering a challenge to the existing status quo in the high luxury GT segment, the DBX promises stylish, comfortable, practical and environmentally responsible luxury GT travel.  

The DBX, which made a surprise global debut at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year and has generated interest beyond expectations, will make its first appearance in North America at the Aston Martin Estate from Thursday 13 August. 

The 800+bhp Aston Martin Vulcan makes its second bow in North America following a New York debut in April and will also be on display at the Aston Martin Estate alongside DBX. 

Styled entirely in-house by the Aston Martin design team led by Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman and with a design language hinting at the next generation of Aston Martin sports cars, the Aston Martin Vulcan is powered by the most potent iteration yet of the company’s naturally-aspirated, 7.0-litre V12 petrol engine. 

With a powerplant developed in conjunction with Aston Martin Racing, this front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car draws extensively on the brand’s rich GT motorsport experience. 

Marking a first appearance in the North American market, the new Lagonda Taraf super saloon draws inspiration from the highly sought-after William Towns-designed Lagonda of 1976 and features many of the same cutting edge engineering techniques seen in modern Aston Martin sports cars, such as the extensive use of carbon fibre body panels.

The car is hand-built by the finest craftsmen and women at Aston Martin’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Gaydon, Warwickshire, UK in a dedicated building previously given over to the creation of the One-77 supercar. 

The Lagonda Taraf will be exclusively available for viewings to customers and invited guests at the Aston Martin Estate (13 & 15 August) as well as leading the marque’s presence at  Quail: A Motorsports Gathering (14 August). 

The British marque will again host guests at the exclusive Aston Martin Estate. This exquisite private venue, situated high above Carmel with panoramic views across the Monterey Bay, provides the ideal backdrop for showcasing Aston Martin’s latest sports car range to customers and friends of the brand.

This grand estate will also serve as the location for a myriad of exclusive events including private viewings of new Aston Martins and test drives of the marque’s current line-up of handcrafted high performance sports cars. 

Supported by Belvedere, Conrad Sanchez, Ghurka, Gulfstream, LMC Home Entertainment Systems, Louis Roederer, Sea Ray, Sotheby’s, The Trunk Club featuring Eton and VIZIO, more than 1,000 customers are expected to visit during the week.