Bentley (and parent company VW) looks like it could be considering an attempt on the Dakar rally (at least according to the good folks at
Autoblog Spain
). Which sounds like complete madness until you consider the following things:
Bentley is hard at work on its first-ever SUV
The 4x4 Bentley flagship is on the cards for a 2015 launch, with a chunky W12 motor and a platform shared with Audi, Porsche (and most likely VW) - and a rally-raid programme would be an excellent way to publicise a new off-roader
VW is concentrating on the WRC
After years of dominance with the VW Race Touareg, Volkswagen is moving into the WRC with the Polo - and this means the Dakar programme is unlikely to continue. With a VW badge, at least...
Don't Forget the Bentley Le Mans win in 2003
VW has form taking Bentley into competition using other cars' technology - remember that the EXP Speed 8 was based heavily on the all-conquering Audi R8.
Put all those factors together and you've got a compelling argument for VW taking the Race Touareg project, handing it over to Bentley and saying: "There you go. Re-brand it, re-skin it and go and win the Dakar."
After all, it can't be any weirder than that Rolls-Royce we featured last week...