1500th Posts and My Bentley Gets Yellow Wheels

This is the 1500th Bentley Spotting post.

It has taken nearly 6 years to achieve.

Hopefully it has kept all you Rolls-Royce and Bentley enthusiasts entertained.

A big thanks to David Irvine and Andy for their help, encouragement and enjoyable input, and for all others that email in, even though I'm not the best at replying.

For the 1000th post I went on a big road trip, and blogged about it live. Read that one here.

So for the 1500th I wanted to do something big as well and a little in your face.

So I thought about what previous posts were popular, and what I wanted to do to my car.

What is popular on Bentley Spotting are posts that have a bit of shock and awe to them.

The Sultan of Brunei Bentleys gets a lot of traffic, the bullet proof Phantom is popular and what really surprised me was
50000 people checked out the post I did when I made a mesh grille for my Bentley.

Well, I have done something else to my car.

Check it out. I now have yellow wheels on my Bentley Turbo R.



Please put your jaw back in place, and yes it is shocking. And maybe very wrong. But I wanted to do it.

So I did.

Want to know how I did it - well I spend a bit of time editing this video, so turn up the music, and get watching.



And before 'What the...' comments start the product is not paint - it's Plasti Dip, a rubberised plastic coating that just peels right off.

So Rolls-Royce and Bentley purists, it can be reversed in about 5 minutes.



I'm enjoying my Bentley Boy racer, and the fact that there are now 1500 Bentley Spotting articles for all you to read.

Now I need a race spot on it, what maybe some advertising and some go fast stripes?

So, what's your reaction? Shall I have yellow wheels for a while, or peel it off straight away?

Dodgy Shadow of a Ute

From the front it looks like a tired shadow.



From the side you notice the wondering coachline and the back half is missing.



Oh no, it's unfortunate.



Not much thought has gone into the design of this ute!



If you want it - get it here.

Bentley Continental GT3

Here is Paul Jones, Product Line Director of the Continental Series car from Bentley Motors talking about the GT3.



Racing is in the DNA.

Driver: San Francisco | Bentley Arnage T

I think this 3D computer game footage is pretty cool.

Rock the Arnage T.



Quite an aggressive driving style!

Bentley Turbo R Hooper 2 door Coupe

Check out this amazing car.



It is a 1989 Bentley Turbo R two-door by Hooper & Co.



VIN number SCBZR0A0KCH26285



The factory started building this car on the 14 November 1988.



It left the factory on the 30 January 1989, where it was sent to Hooper & Co. for construction into this amazinf 2 door version.



After this additional construction was completed, Hooper then sent the car back to the factory for inspection.

Crewe gave the car the all clear, and the warranty start date was 17 May 1989.



It is certainly a rare car.

Top Gear take the Bentley Continental GT Speed Rallying

Watch out!



Here is a sneak peek at an upcoming Top Gear episode.

James May is in the co-drivers seat where they take a Bentley Continental GT Speed out to a World Rally Championship event.



Looks like it will be a cool episode!



Will have t wait till next year fro it to go to air.

Rolling

There's a famous shot of the 1977 1800TU registered Silver Shadow II rolling into a corner in the brochure 'Deeper into the Shadow' :

 

 

 

Here it is. You can almost hear the tyres roll.....

 

 

 

"Rrrrrrrrrrrrroahhhhrrr...."

 

Well, last year I did try to duplicate this image in still life - without getting run over.

 

Here are the results:

 

 

 

 

 

Or this one...?

 

 

I tried.

Almost, but my number plate was too low, right?

 

(Posted by David Irvine)

 

Ink Blot Test

 

Hermann Rorschach (8 November 1884 – 1 April 1922) was a Swiss Freudian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, best known for developing a projective test known as the Rorschach inkblot test. This test was reportedly designed to reflect unconscious parts of the personality that "project" onto the stimuli. In the test individuals are shown 10 inkblots, one at a time, and asked to report what objects or figures they see in each of them.

 

 

Or is that a Brad Pitt photo...?

 

So where are we going here?

 

 

 

Have you ever stared at your Rolls-Royce or Bentley wood veneers?

 

 

 

 

What do we see in our book matched veneers?

 

 

 

Sorry, don't see it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So how many of you are now running out to the garage to stare?

I'm gonna have nightmares over this now.

 

 

(Posted by David Irvine)

 

 

 

 

Bentley Continental GT3 at the 2012 Paris Motor Show

Amateur Bentley Spotting is a bit more real than PR videos.

Here is the best car spotter in the world Shmee150 doing his thing.



Thanks Tim!

ARRt Deco

'Art Deco.'

From houses:

 

 

And office buildings:

 

 

(Andy's great shot of the Michelin building with appropriate Crewe Product.)

 

To fashion:

 

 

To furniture:

 

 

To cars:

When I was young, a special edition car was just a last run of cars with extra stickers and odd stripey interiors. Like the Austin Allegro Equipe:

 

But Rolls-Royce makes proper Special Edition Cars. Bespoke Cars...

Here's the latest. The "Art Deco Movement" cars:

 

 

From Carscoop.blogspot.com :

 

"The term Art Deco was coined in Paris after the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, which translates to International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts.

It describes an artistic and design movement that begun in the 1920's and influenced many aspects of 20th century design such as industrial products, fashion and architecture – a well-known example of which is the Chrysler Building in New York City.

Since Art Deco was born in the City of Light, Rolls-Royce, which claims its cars influenced the movement, deemed it appropriate to unveil a new Art Deco-inspired series at the 2012 Paris Auto Show.

"In Paris we have elegantly captured the essence of one of the great periods in 20th century design", said Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös. "These Art Deco-inspired cars stand as a testament to the breadth of the Rolls-Royce bespoke offering, reinforcing the marque's position as the world's leading manufacturer of luxury goods."

The bespoke Rolls-Royce Ghost features a two-tone paint with the roof and pillars finished in Jubillee Silver and the rest of the bodywork in Cobalto Blue, while the interior has specially crafted marquetry.

The Phantom Series II is offered in a choice of Infinity Black, Arabian Blue, Powder Blue or Arctic White exterior colors and features a bespoke twin coach line with an Art Deco motif, Art Deco embroidered headrests, piano black veneers and an illuminated Spirit of Ecstasy crowning the front grille.

The brand's design director Giles Taylor commented: "Art Deco was defined by theatre, glamour and a sense of excitement. Working to create contemporary interpretations of these classic themes has been enormously rewarding for everyone in my bespoke design team."

All Art Deco Rolls Royce cars will be fitted with fine cashmere and leather upholstery and specially sourced, rich-grained wood veneers and 'mother of pearl' or silver inlays. "

By Andrew Tsaousis

 

But why not go all the way with a Lalique radiator mascot?

 

(Posted by David Irvine)