Rolls Royce/ Bentley owners - why??
Discussion
SilverPhantom said:
2woody said:
it's a bit like "if you need to ask, you'll never understand".".
He is spot on.Let you heart rule your head once in a while, throw away the magazines, forget the 0-60, mpg etc buy one because you need one, what ever it is.
derestrictor said:
What?
Prefer an unpretentious uber Kraut to some posturing facsimile of something once worthy, now ruined c/o ubiquity and the grasping hordes that delivers none of the majesty of an RT, say?
Every day and every night.
I will tell you something that you may not wish to hear. I would prefer a nice Shadow 2 to any kind of Spirit/Mulsanne, and I would prefer an S1/S2 Continental to that. It might also be noted that from the perspective of most of the public, an RT would seem a lot more pretentious than a new Mulsanne. None of the above are ubiquitous, unlike a Mercedes saloon, which to all intents and purposes is a non-car. I grant you its not pretentious, but so what? Prefer an unpretentious uber Kraut to some posturing facsimile of something once worthy, now ruined c/o ubiquity and the grasping hordes that delivers none of the majesty of an RT, say?
Every day and every night.
Had a look at a Mulsanne last night by the way and it is impressive in just about every way. I am just not 100% sure that when you are inside it SMELLS right. Maybe its me and maybe I am used to the smell of the older ones.
cardigankid said:
derestrictor said:
What?
Prefer an unpretentious uber Kraut to some posturing facsimile of something once worthy, now ruined c/o ubiquity and the grasping hordes that delivers none of the majesty of an RT, say?
Every day and every night.
I will tell you something that you may not wish to hear. I would prefer a nice Shadow 2 to any kind of Spirit/Mulsanne, and I would prefer an S1/S2 Continental to that. It might also be noted that from the perspective of most of the public, an RT would seem a lot more pretentious than a new Mulsanne. None of the above are ubiquitous, unlike a Mercedes saloon, which to all intents and purposes is a non-car. I grant you its not pretentious, but so what? Prefer an unpretentious uber Kraut to some posturing facsimile of something once worthy, now ruined c/o ubiquity and the grasping hordes that delivers none of the majesty of an RT, say?
Every day and every night.
Had a look at a Mulsanne last night by the way and it is impressive in just about every way. I am just not 100% sure that when you are inside it SMELLS right. Maybe its me and maybe I am used to the smell of the older ones.
Thing is though, whilst the great TPS/Poka-yoke/Yazaki line at Crewe is churning out GT's and Spurs like a sausage machine, it pays for a few blokes in brown overalls with an HB tucked behind one ear and a woodbine tucked behind the other to make proper Bentley branded Rolls Royce's like the Mulsanne.
Yes, that's true, but I still don't think that they produce a bad product.
I understand that there is now a plan to put the 6.75 litre V8 into the CGT, which will be interesting. I would also be very interested to see what happens at Crewe and just how different the CGT line is to the Mulsanne line. After all, a high end CGT, say a GTC Supersports, must be north of £160k, which is 'only' £60k short of what would buy you a Mulsanne.
I understand that there is now a plan to put the 6.75 litre V8 into the CGT, which will be interesting. I would also be very interested to see what happens at Crewe and just how different the CGT line is to the Mulsanne line. After all, a high end CGT, say a GTC Supersports, must be north of £160k, which is 'only' £60k short of what would buy you a Mulsanne.
cardigankid said:
Yes, that's true, but I still don't think that they produce a bad product.
I understand that there is now a plan to put the 6.75 litre V8 into the CGT, which will be interesting. I would also be very interested to see what happens at Crewe and just how different the CGT line is to the Mulsanne line. After all, a high end CGT, say a GTC Supersports, must be north of £160k, which is 'only' £60k short of what would buy you a Mulsanne.
I don't think that the 6.75 will be fitted to the Continental GT. They are doing a V8, but a twin turbo of smaller capacity. Circa 4,000cc I think.I understand that there is now a plan to put the 6.75 litre V8 into the CGT, which will be interesting. I would also be very interested to see what happens at Crewe and just how different the CGT line is to the Mulsanne line. After all, a high end CGT, say a GTC Supersports, must be north of £160k, which is 'only' £60k short of what would buy you a Mulsanne.
I admit I am very old fashioned. Nothing past a Bentley Turbo R or RT appeals. My father in law owns a very nice 1980 Shadow 11 that I have driven more recently in the past 2 years than in the past 20 years that he has owned it. I remember driving it some 14 years ago to a dinner dance and I hated it. Rolled like a boat and tyre scream at 30mph around roundabouts. Taste changes. Nowadays I really enjoy the sense of occasion. The ticking clock really is the only thing that annoys me.
I have owned a few uber Mercs. But none have that leather smell and that real luxury feel. In truth I used to feel the need to prove their performance prowess far to often, something that is so unecessary in the Shadow 11. They were quick cars in their day. 300 SEL 6.3, 450 SEL 6.9 and a W140 series Brabus 7.3S. 586 bhp but completely lethal.
A nice Bentley turbo R or RT would be my choice. It just has to wait a while. For me in the current nanny state world. Fun at sensible speed and a sense of occasion is the key. I was 49 last Monday so that could explain some of my reasoning.
I have owned a few uber Mercs. But none have that leather smell and that real luxury feel. In truth I used to feel the need to prove their performance prowess far to often, something that is so unecessary in the Shadow 11. They were quick cars in their day. 300 SEL 6.3, 450 SEL 6.9 and a W140 series Brabus 7.3S. 586 bhp but completely lethal.
A nice Bentley turbo R or RT would be my choice. It just has to wait a while. For me in the current nanny state world. Fun at sensible speed and a sense of occasion is the key. I was 49 last Monday so that could explain some of my reasoning.
There's no doubting that age, to name but one, factor, seasons the old palate.
The only modern vehicle I've driven capable of reprising the RT's inexplicable but undoubted sense of occasion is/was the current Phantom and it was technically 'better,' albeit ghastly on every conceivable level that mattered.
And it is/was a sense of occasion born of sheer scale, wrong trousers and the bejewellment of strategically shaven simia.
That the RT has similar bulk and mass in its arsenal is obvious, indeed but as you crest the gawping ugnaughts and imbibe the swelling thrum of Elgin and all his questionably acquired marbles, the sense of pervasive primacy feels as natural as the rolling countryside and as justified as the massacre at Umberto Gorge.
A palleative, not panacea, as you survey the gory reality of our smashed Albion but in your cocoon of something now long gone, the pain subsides.
My God, what a motor...
The only modern vehicle I've driven capable of reprising the RT's inexplicable but undoubted sense of occasion is/was the current Phantom and it was technically 'better,' albeit ghastly on every conceivable level that mattered.
And it is/was a sense of occasion born of sheer scale, wrong trousers and the bejewellment of strategically shaven simia.
That the RT has similar bulk and mass in its arsenal is obvious, indeed but as you crest the gawping ugnaughts and imbibe the swelling thrum of Elgin and all his questionably acquired marbles, the sense of pervasive primacy feels as natural as the rolling countryside and as justified as the massacre at Umberto Gorge.
A palleative, not panacea, as you survey the gory reality of our smashed Albion but in your cocoon of something now long gone, the pain subsides.
My God, what a motor...
Balmoral Green said:
Thing is though, whilst the great TPS/Poka-yoke/Yazaki line at Crewe is churning out GT's and Spurs like a sausage machine, it pays for a few blokes in brown overalls with an HB tucked behind one ear and a woodbine tucked behind the other to make proper Bentley branded Rolls Royce's like the Mulsanne.
same engineers, same designers, same bosses, same factory, two product lines, slightly different briefs. The night and day you perceive isn't quite right.BarnatosGhost said:
Balmoral Green said:
Thing is though, whilst the great TPS/Poka-yoke/Yazaki line at Crewe is churning out GT's and Spurs like a sausage machine, it pays for a few blokes in brown overalls with an HB tucked behind one ear and a woodbine tucked behind the other to make proper Bentley branded Rolls Royce's like the Mulsanne.
same engineers, same designers, same bosses, same factory, two product lines, slightly different briefs. The night and day you perceive isn't quite right.Designers are given idea briefs from their peers. The peers in turn relay the brief they have had from their masters in the fatherland and by the look of the current line up the influence does not appear to be disimilar to the range of teutonic designed boring looking autos being produced in Inglestad.
However in saying this, the engineering is not being compromised
.
Edited by roadmap on Monday 18th October 10:35
BarnatosGhost said:
Balmoral Green said:
Thing is though, whilst the great TPS/Poka-yoke/Yazaki line at Crewe is churning out GT's and Spurs like a sausage machine, it pays for a few blokes in brown overalls with an HB tucked behind one ear and a woodbine tucked behind the other to make proper Bentley branded Rolls Royce's like the Mulsanne.
same engineers, same designers, same bosses, same factory, two product lines, slightly different briefs. The night and day you perceive isn't quite right.The major criticism I have of the VW cars, is that they are a little too like a top of the line Phaeton, whilst very successful and as BG has pointed out, good for production of “proper” Bentleys, I do wish they’d made them a little more Bentley boy and a lot less Footballers wife
AndrewW-G said:
BarnatosGhost said:
Balmoral Green said:
Thing is though, whilst the great TPS/Poka-yoke/Yazaki line at Crewe is churning out GT's and Spurs like a sausage machine, it pays for a few blokes in brown overalls with an HB tucked behind one ear and a woodbine tucked behind the other to make proper Bentley branded Rolls Royce's like the Mulsanne.
same engineers, same designers, same bosses, same factory, two product lines, slightly different briefs. The night and day you perceive isn't quite right.The major criticism I have of the VW cars, is that they are a little too like a top of the line Phaeton, whilst very successful and as BG has pointed out, good for production of “proper†Bentleys, I do wish they’d made them a little more Bentley boy and a lot less Footballers wife
GT could have been more 'bentley', but it would have been less capable and more expensive. You could argue for the sake of character that those are allowable losses. However, the shape of the car market is such that, when GT was conceived, the market at £100k was over 20 times larger than the market at £200k. To make the car viable it could dominate the market completely at the lower price level but not do much business at all at the higher price. If it did 300mph and had a blow job function it still wouldn't sell thousands and make crewe viable at £200k.
Arguably they built too many cars and engineered too much cost into each unit when the going was good, but the original concept for the car and its price was very well judged.
BarnatosGhost said:
The night and day you perceive isn't quite right.
I think there's a world of difference between the cars built on the shared VAG W12 platform, and the cars built on the Rolls Royce V8 platform. The family lineage and DNA of each separate and disparate model range ought to be self evident. Certainly as different as night and day.I have a copy of Karl Ludvigsen's 'Bentley's Great Eight'. The full story of the 'Bentley' V8 engine, a great read. Thing is though, it's the full story of the Rolls Royce V8 engine.
We don't really need the same airbrush in here do we?
Balmoral Green said:
BarnatosGhost said:
The night and day you perceive isn't quite right.
I think there's a world of difference between the cars built on the shared VAG W12 platform, and the cars built on the Rolls Royce V8 platform. The family lineage and DNA of each separate and disparate model range ought to be self evident. Certainly as different as night and day.
I have a copy of Karl Ludvigsen's 'Bentley's Great Eight'. The full story of the 'Bentley' V8 engine, a great read. Thing is though, it's the full story of the Rolls Royce V8 engine.
We don't really need the same airbrush in here do we?
it pays to look at it from the manufacturer's point of view.
Whilst there's a lot of enthusiasm at Crewe for cars built the proper way, they'll be switched-on enough to realise that this isn't going to pay the rent.
And, there's also the market to consider - they will have worked out that there is a large market for "footballer's wives" cars which, thankfully, they're able to produce and sell in large numbers.
Whilst there's a lot of enthusiasm at Crewe for cars built the proper way, they'll be switched-on enough to realise that this isn't going to pay the rent.
And, there's also the market to consider - they will have worked out that there is a large market for "footballer's wives" cars which, thankfully, they're able to produce and sell in large numbers.
While we may regret that things are not as they once were, you have to accept that everything changes in order to survive, and without the involvement of VAG what would Bentley be? A Phantom with a dodgy radiator grille, if you are lucky. Don't you think that what we have is better - and also that as much of the old ethos has been preserved as possibly could have been? God bless the Jerries.
Imagine some 'British' asset stripping operation like Alchemy or a Russian spiv had got them. Like when BL got Jaguar. What would be left? Nothing.
Imagine some 'British' asset stripping operation like Alchemy or a Russian spiv had got them. Like when BL got Jaguar. What would be left? Nothing.
Edited by cardigankid on Friday 22 October 22:33
MJK 24 said:
cardigankid said:
Yes, that's true, but I still don't think that they produce a bad product.
I understand that there is now a plan to put the 6.75 litre V8 into the CGT, which will be interesting. I would also be very interested to see what happens at Crewe and just how different the CGT line is to the Mulsanne line. After all, a high end CGT, say a GTC Supersports, must be north of £160k, which is 'only' £60k short of what would buy you a Mulsanne.
I don't think that the 6.75 will be fitted to the Continental GT. They are doing a V8, but a twin turbo of smaller capacity. Circa 4,000cc I think.I understand that there is now a plan to put the 6.75 litre V8 into the CGT, which will be interesting. I would also be very interested to see what happens at Crewe and just how different the CGT line is to the Mulsanne line. After all, a high end CGT, say a GTC Supersports, must be north of £160k, which is 'only' £60k short of what would buy you a Mulsanne.
cardigankid said:
MJK 24 said:
cardigankid said:
Yes, that's true, but I still don't think that they produce a bad product.
I understand that there is now a plan to put the 6.75 litre V8 into the CGT, which will be interesting. I would also be very interested to see what happens at Crewe and just how different the CGT line is to the Mulsanne line. After all, a high end CGT, say a GTC Supersports, must be north of £160k, which is 'only' £60k short of what would buy you a Mulsanne.
I don't think that the 6.75 will be fitted to the Continental GT. They are doing a V8, but a twin turbo of smaller capacity. Circa 4,000cc I think.I understand that there is now a plan to put the 6.75 litre V8 into the CGT, which will be interesting. I would also be very interested to see what happens at Crewe and just how different the CGT line is to the Mulsanne line. After all, a high end CGT, say a GTC Supersports, must be north of £160k, which is 'only' £60k short of what would buy you a Mulsanne.
but you are right, VW running Crewe is a far better long term proposition than the Russians or Indians
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