At the L.A. Auto Show, which opens next week, Bentley will debut an ultra-luxe drop-top version of its Arnage T, the Azure T (above), dubbed "the world's most elegant convertible." Embracing the concept of "extreme luxury", the 500-hp, twin-turbo Bentley Azure T will be available next year with many customization options. On offer will be a choice of 42 exterior colors, eight wood veneers, and 25 exclusive leathers, though Bentley's Mulliner bespoke shop can outfit the vehicle to your specifications using any "authentic materials." Finishing touches include Le Mans-style vents, diamond-quilted seats and door panels, embroidered seatbacks with Bentley inserts and engine-turned aluminum finish fascia reminiscent of the marque's 1920s racing models. The final price has not yet been set.

Bentley motors recently chartered a private first class Pullman rail car to transport customers and top international dealers from London to its Bentley Worldwide Conference in Crewe, England, and the trip was such a success it's been suggested the company add it as a regular event. The journey, 2 1/4 hours each way, featured onboard dining by chef Anton Mosimann of London's swank Mosimann's eating club, to which many Bentley owners belong.

Should the company elect to feature the luxe rail service, there are many elegant trains available for charter including the beautiful Royal Scotsman (above). Customers purchasing a new Bentley motorcar could then travel onboard to Crewe in high style to select bespoke options and finishes for their luxurious automobiles. What could be more civilized than that?

David Beckham's ultra-luxe customized 2002 Bentley Arnage T (above) is up for sale in the UK. The soccer star outfitted the top-of-the-line $290,000 car with $120,000 worth of options and extras, bringing the total original cost to $410,000. The 450 h.p. twin turbo V12, which has only 25,000 miles on it, is being offered for $170,000, the UK Auto Trader reports. Beckham drove the Bentley to Buckingham Palace in 2003 when the Queen of England decorated him with an OBE, and it is said to be one of only two Arnages pictured on the walls of Bentley's head office in Crewe; the other belongs to the Queen herself.

Among the many extras Beckham had installed are a custom cream leather interior, a refrigerator and TV screens in the rear compartment, "Le Mans"-style wing vents, and a matching cream leather child seat embroidered with his son's name, Brooklyn. He also had his wife's name, Victoria (aka Posh), embroidered into the rear center leather console. Nowadays, Beckham, who is living in Los Angeles and playing for the L.A. Galaxy, drives a customized $500,000+ Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe, as we reported last month.

Musician, producer and designer Pharrell Williams needs not one but two Rolls-Royces to get around town - when he isn't driving one of his other supercars, that is. The producer of acts including Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West and Jay-Z bemoans the fact that the Rolls has become too popular with rappers, but says it still preserves some cachet.

"In the early days, the cars were rarities," Williams tells Motor Trend. Now however, "They're kind of ubiquitous. [But] the saving grace is: It's still a Rolls. Every stitch and every tiny detail are brilliant. It's traditional and consistent quality. They spare nothing. Also, you can drive it just how you're feeling. It can be a luxury vehicle or you can really put your foot in it and it darts out like an arrow. I had a Bentley but it wasn't for me. At the end of the day, a Rolls is a Rolls."

He likes 'em so much he has two, a Phantom for being chauffered in - ""I sit in the back and recline with my gold Blackberry, like Richie Rich" - and a Phantom Drophead Coupe for driving himself, in black with a red leather interior. He also has a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and a Ferrari Enzo. As for the latter, "Man, you have to be in the mood to drive that," Williams tells the mag. "It's so fast, it's like being in a spaceship or a stealth bomber. And there's no radio, so I can't have any tunes. I love it but you really have to be in race car mode."

Wine scion Edouard de Nazelle, a descendant of one Veuve Clicquot's founders, drives this extremely unique vintage Bentley branded with the famed French champagne house's signature colors. The beautiful one-of-a-kind car, a c.1960 S2 Continental "Flying Spur" with coachwork by H J Mulliner, is painted the same color as Veuve Clicquot's world-renowned Yellow Label bubbly (which is in fact more akin to a mandarin orange), contrasted with deep aubergine. The interior is finished in black leather with beautiful burled wood paneling. The Bentley is very similar to the 1961 S2 formerly owned by Sean Connery which as we reported was auctioned off in June.

[via NOTCOT]

London luxury goods maker Dunhill has teamed up with legendary auto marque Bentley on an exclusive new set of leather luggage for Bentley owners. Dunhill's craftsman designed the luxe pieces in collaboration with Bentley's Design & Styling team at the automaker's head office in Crewe, England. The set, made to fit the trunk of Bentley sedans, consists of five pieces: a large suitcase (above), small suitcase, briefcase, weekend bag, and wash bag.

Each is handcrafted in brown natural grain leather with matching interior trim, in a fluted design similar to that found on the leather seats of the $250,000 Bentley Arnage. The custom-designed hardware features a unique lock mechanism with a knurled edge and an inset Bentley "B". The entire set will run you about $9,000 and is now available to order from your friendly neighborhood Bentley dealer with a 2-4 week delivery time.

Since it first opened in 1961, Barbados' luxurious Sandy Lane has played host to a never-ending stream of royalty, socialites and movie stars. Arguably the Caribbean's plushest resort, Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas, David Niven, Jackie Kennedy, Frank Sinatra and Queen Elizabeth all took sojourns there in years past, while the list of current habitués is no less impressive, including Tiger Woods who tied the knot there in 2004.

The ne plus ultra in exclusivity, luxury, privacy and white glove service is embodied by the palatial neo-Palladian-style main building of cream coral stone set in a grove of mahogany trees on a beautiful stretch of beach in the middle of Barbados' "platinum coast." A chauffered limousine (a Bentley for high-rollers) picks you up at the airport and you're greeted at the front desk with cold towels and fruit punch, a preview of coming attractions, so to speak.

Sandy Lane was rebuilt in 2001, and it's currently in the midst of a multimillion dollar makeover including upgrades to rooms, the spa, restaurants and public spaces. When it re-opens on October 3, in addition to 16,000-sq.-ft. of new marble, one of the biggest improvements will be an open plan, multi-cultural, all-day dining facility featuring a residential-style kitchen in the manner of a Caribbean Palladian conservatory, with a wine store, beach bar, sushi bar, lobster and live seafood tank, a fresh herb garden and a wood burning oven.



The resort's 112 rooms average 900 square feet and feature marble floors and bathrooms, mahogany plantation furniture, private verandahs, plasma TVs and all the bells and whistles. The property features two Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole golf courses, nine championship tennis courts, a 47,000 square foot spa, a John Frieda salon, shops galore (Joan Collins still owes money in one of them) and seven bars and restaurants to choose from. On the beach, attendants will fetch you drinks, clean your sunglasses and even spritz you with Evian water should you so desire.

In addition to the main accommodations, there's also a five bedroom villa that sleeps 14 with a private pool, butler, housekeeper, chef and 24-hr. security guard for $25,000 a night during the holiday season. But if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it.

The other day we mentioned that Sean Connery's 1961 Bentley is being auctioned off this weekend at a Rolls-Royce rally. The event is the annual gathering of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club (RREC), which takes place at a stately manor house named Kelmarsh Hall near Northampton, England through Sunday. Prizes are given for the best in class. The Club was formed in 1957 by a small group of Rolls-Royce and Bentley enthusiasts and now boasts a membership of over 10,000 people in 52 countries worldwide. Some snobs sniff over the fact that ownership of either car is no longer a requirement, but we find it to be a very democratic attitude. The Club's one-time entrance fee is £30 (or about $60) and a year's membership for overseas enthusiasts costs £54 (or about $108). Membership confers unrivaled access to events such as the Rally, technical information, historic records, workshop manuals, a special automotive insurance policy and more. You can apply here.

A beautiful 1961 Bentley S2 saloon that belonged to actor Sean Connery is going up for sale this Saturday in England. The car is being offered at Bonhams' Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Select Pre-War Motor Cars and Automobilia Sale during the Rolls-Royce Enthusiast's Club's Annual Rally at historic Kelmarsh Hall near Northampton. The stately S2 model saloon, above, finished in two-tone Shell Grey/Tudor Grey with a contrasting red leather interior, is estimated at only $24,000 - $30,000.

Also included in the auction: A rare 1919/20 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Alpine Eagle, est. $280,000 - $320,000, the highest-priced lot; the ex-Earls Court Motor Show 1962 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Touring Limousine, one of only 13 built, est. $116,000 - $130,000; a 1963 Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur Saloon with coachwork by H J Mulliner, est. $130,000 - $140,000; and the steal of the sale, a 1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow Saloon, formerly the property of Lord Leverhulme, Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, which has been ridden in by several members of the Britsh Royal Family including the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and the late Princess Di, est. only $26,000 - $30,000.

[via Kempt]

London auction house Bonhams is staging a Grandes Marques classic car auction in the principality of Monaco today featuring some of the world's most collectible automobiles. The star attraction - i.e. highest-priced lot - is an historic 1932 Bugatti Type 55 Super Sport that raced at Le Mans in 1934, which is estimated at about $4 - $5 million. However there are several very beautiful and more modern motorcars being sold for a fraction of that price.

For example, the gorgeous 1961 Aston Martin DB4 Competition Saloon pictured here, est. about $320,000 - $360,000, similar to the DB5 driven by James Bond (Sean Connery) in Goldfinger. Among our other favorites, as featured in the gallery below: A 1962 Bentley S3 Continental 'Flying Spur' Saloon, est. about $280,000 - $320,000; a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupé, est. about $690,000 - $760,000; a 1966 Maserati Mistral 4000 Spyder, est. about $420,000 - $500,000; a 1994 Bugatti EB110GT Coupé, one of only 154 built, est. about $340,000 - $420,000; and a 1971 Ferrari 365GTB/4 'Daytona' Berlinetta, est. about $400,000 - $480,000.

Cute, streamlined, and boasting zero emissions, the new electric Bentley Greenpower tops out at 40mph while running on two 12-volt batteries that power its lightweight motor. Built by a group of Bentley factory apprentices (who are now referred to as Team Bentley) the one-wheel-drive car is comprised mostly of carbon fibre and features a bright chromed grill, Bentley leather interior and a custom Bentley-branded steering wheel. The car will participate in several races throughout the summer with the final one happening at Goodwood in October.

Via Edmunds

In the past five years, once-staid Bentley has been the car of choice for those with six figures to spend on transportation. But could the current economic downturn finally be starting to affect the luxury carmaker? The Times reports that Franz-Josef Paefgen, chief executive of Bentley, has said the English brand is noticing less sales in their number one market, the good old U.S.A. Traditionally, cars at the highest end of the market are more immune to the economy than those in the middle-to-upper range. Just a couple of months ago, we heard news that 2007 was the the best year ever for Bentley. The luxury car company sold 10,014 units worldwide, outselling Rolls-Royce, which also broke through the 1,000 mark for the first time last year, by around 10 to one.

But Dr .Paefgen says that Bentley, which is owned by Volkswagen, is now experiencing lower demand in their two top U.S. markets, New York and California. Bentley sells about 45 per cent of their cars in the US. Many of Bentley's deep-pocketed customers are in the financial sector which is an area that has taken deep hits recently.

Bentley's saving grace may come from China and Russia which are both just beginning to to really catch fire. In 2007 in China, sales grew by a blistering 93%, offering the automaker hope for a growing market.

While I was learning about the world of luxury at the Luxury Summit, John Neff from Autoblog was driving it. Last week he had the experience of driving a 2009 Bentley Brooklands 550 miles to from New Jersey to Cleveland, Ohio where it would be picked up and driven back to Bentley's North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. He had the honor of taking the car for its maiden voyage on U.S. soil. Talk about a road trip.

The car is one of only 550 that will ever be built, there are just two in the United States right now. Our man was cool and collected behind the wheel of a car that costs close to $400,000 with options. His post on Autoblog breaks down all the important details but it's the road trip stories I like such as the fact that a man in a Dodge Caravan followed him for 15 miles into a rest stop and that every tollbooth operator on his journey remarked on the car. If you are paying that much for your wheels, you likely want just that sort of attention. Oh, and be warned, the gas consumption is pricey too, filling the 25-gallon fuel tank with 20 gallons of 93-octane premium gas cost $75, and this is not a car known for its high mileage.

Mike Tyson is sadly one of the best examples of a man who earned a lot of money and then spent it all away. The man with the powerful fists declared bankruptcy in 2003 and many of his purchases have hit the public marketplace. He was the first owner of this 1999 Bentley Continental SC now up for sale on Auto Trader. The car is one of only 73 ever built and cost over $500,000 when it first came out. Tyson's Continental SC has lamb's wool rugs, a phone and a removable glass roof. It is listed at £135,000 (around $272,000). Wow, even with all that depreciation that is still one very expensive car.

This year's Naples Wine Festival didn't top last year's record of $15.6 million but $14 million isn't too shabby in this economy. The Florida festival always brings the big spenders. Tickets to the festival cost $7,500 per couple but the real money, which is all donated to less fortunate families and children, comes the extravagant auction items. Some of the high-end wine lots included $190,000 for a three-liter bottle of 1990 Vega Sicilia, plus a visit to the winery, $220,000 for a case of 1961 Bordeaux and $240,000 for six magnums of Screaming Eagle cabernet and two commemorative Harley Davidson motorcycles and gear. The festival also always features high-end cars. This year Mr and Mrs Monte Ahuja bid $450,000 for the rights to own the first U.S.-delivered Bentley Brooklands coupe. The auction also features walk-on parts in television shows, front-row seats at fashion shows and trip to the Oscars. Perhaps what's most amazing about this event is that all that money comes from just 500 guests bidding on over 70 lots. Over eight years the auction has raised nearly $70-million for children and families.