The Panamera is an incredible performance machine and the execs running the show over at Volkswagen intend to exploit all that the 4-door Porsche has to offer. According to a new report by Autozeitung, VW is planning three new models based on the Panamera: one for each of its high-end brands. In other words, look for a Panamera-based Lamborghini, Bentley and Audi in the years to come.

We expect a little swag when we buy a new car – an air freshener, some fuzzy dice, maybe if you’re lucky, a gas card good for a free fill up. If you’re buying a new Bentley, be prepared to suit up, thanks to a partnership between the auto maker and Astor & Black.

It’s easy to look good in a Bentley. But now, it’s easy to look good in Bentley, with the companies new line of branded merchandise.

Apple’s iPad has certainly become a huge success and now every company in the world has jumped on the bandwagon to reach out to as many potential consumers as possible. Bentley is one of those companies, releasing an iPad app for their new 2011 Bentley Continental GT.

Bentley is planning to expand its product lineup with a third model that will slot in beneath British brand’s current offerings. Company CEO Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen admitted as much to the folks at AutoExpress, during the official launch of the 2012 Continental GT at the Paris Auto Show.

Bentley‘s new V8 powered variant of the Continental GT may get an Audi derived dual clutch gearbox. Engineers are apparently looking into solutions that will allow the Conti’s unibody structure to accept the Audi S-tronic transmission, which is sized differently than the ZF automatic used in the W12 car.

As if the standard Bentley Continental GT Speed wasn’t enough, Bentley went ahead and put out the Continental Supersports, boasting 630-hp in a luxurious coupe. If you ever get the opportunity to place yourself in the driver seat of a Continental Supersports, take advantage of it. The car is truly a whole different experience than any other luxury sports coupe out there. But we digress, apparently there are people out there that find 630-hp lacking in the performance department and thankfully Anderson Germany is here to save their day.

Announced just a few weeks ago, Bentley chose the Paris Auto Show to debut “the new” Continental GT. We say “new” because it’s got the same chassis and engine, along with most everything else. And for the most party the body looks identical.

No that is not a toy model car you’re looking at sprawled out over the floor. Those are actual, genuine Bentley replacement parts. Bentley is looking towards reminding classic Bentley owners that they have a plethora of heritage parts available for all makes and models and the automaker has embarked upon a six state, 8,000 mile tour to showcase 1,000 select parts in an effort to ensure customers of the automaker’s longstanding commitment to its owners.

Aston Martin is claiming that their upcoming One-77 supercar, with a 7.3L V12 putting out 750 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. The closest competitor in the power stakes is the Pagani Zonda Clubsport, which puts out similar torque but only 681 horsepower.

Rust is usually the domain of multi-decade Tauruses and Bonnevilles, but today, we get a bit of schadenfreude as Bentley issued a recall for Bentley Azure, Arnage and Brooklands from the year 2007-2009.

With Bentley’s release of the 2011 Continental GT, one can safely assume that a refresh on the Flying Spur is around the corner. So if you’re one of those owners “stuck” with the current generation Flying Spur and don’t want to look out-of-date when Bentley inevitably releases the new generation, Wald International has released their Black Bison styling package for you.

Although Bentley experimented with diesel powertrains in previous years, company execs say that buyer prejudices, rather than technological limitations, will prevent them from coming to market.

Bentley‘s wildly successful Continental GT is due for a refresh, having been on the market since the 2003 model year and finding homes among a multitude of athletes, rappers and regular rich-folk.

For 2011, the Conti gets an all new redesign, but we can hardly tell the difference. The new car does share some style cues with the Mulsanne sedan. The big news is under the hood, where a flex fuel capable 6.0L W12 puts out 567 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. For those worried climate change, a 4.0L V8 will help alleviate your guilt, though power figures haven’t been announced.

Putting that power to the ground is an all-new “Quickshift” 6 speed automatic transmission, which sends 60% of the power to the rear wheels. 60 mph comes up in 4.4 seconds and the new Continental GT is said to be good for 198 mph. Inside, an 8″ touch screen with an integrated Google Maps app ensures you won’t get lost on your way to the gold mine, while new climate controlled seats help regulate the temperature of your backside.

Look for Birdman to take delivery of a Continental GT sometime next year, while other folks get theirs sh0rtly after.

[Source: Bentley]

Hit the jump to see the official press release

Gallery: 2011 Bentley Continental GT

Bentley will unveil their new Continental GT starting on September 7th, but rather than host a traditional unveiling, the vehicle will be revealed online.

Bentley is hoping to use the power of the internet to get publicity for their new model, and will allow users to take “tours” of the car by selecting from an extensive variety of camera angles to view both the interior and exterior. With 22,000 Continentals sold since 2003, the next generation car will be Bentley’s most important in terms of volume, and it will undoubtedly find homes among a raft of entertainers, athletes and those who profit from the wages of sin – at least until one of the ubiquitous special editions is released.

Hit the jump to read the official press release

[Source: Bentley]

Bentley has just released a video teasing the new Continental GT. Lately the British automaker has released numerous special edition models, but this will be an all-new second generation of what is easily the best selling Bentley of all time and a model that helped invigorate Bentley as a brand, attracting younger buyers.

There’s really not much to see in the video, but from what we can make out the new Conti GT will look almost identical to the old one – which is particularly sad that such an awesome luxury machine should continue to have such a bland look.

One item that our attention is drawn to in the video is a new high-tech looking Nav and infotainment system.

As for what’s under the hood, well, don’t be surprised to discover a modified version of the 6.0-liter W12 that powers the current Conti GT.

We should find out more at the upcoming Paris Auto Show.

See the video after the jump:

Bentley chose the suitable Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as the perfect location to debut two new special edition drop-tops: the continental GTC 80-11 and the GTC Speed 80-11.

Bentley‘s special edition gravy train is the Continental Flying Spur Arabia, designed to pay tribute to the Middle East, where Bentley estimates 10 percent of their sales come from.

Bentley‘s Continental GT is arguably the ultimate luxury daily driver. You get plenty of performance with all the amenities expected in a pure luxury automobile. In the looks department it is, however, a bit conservative. Enter Vorsteiner, a company that specializes in high quality carbon fiber parts for a variety of Porsche, BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. And now we feast our eyes on their Continental GT.

Dartz, the Russian custom car shop that famously outfit their Prombron SUV in leather made from whale penis, have taken their animal skin fixation to the next level, but wrapping a Bentley Continental GT in some kind of white snakeskin material.

So you may not live the jet setting, bourgeois lifestyle, but it doesn’t mean you can’t dream. Bentley helps bring that dream to vivid life with the latest edition of Bentley Magazine, which for the first time is now available online in E-Magazine format.

With Bentley looking to put more focus on the performance of its vehicles in the future, the snooty British brand certainly chose the right way to show off its latest product at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Supersports Convertible, the world’s fastest drop-top, tacked the exciting hillclimb event driven by none other than racing legend Derek Bell.

Even a decade after Bentley and Rolls-Royce split up, most folks still thing the two automakers are related. The reality, however, is quite the opposite, with Volkswagen owning Bentley and BMW claiming Rolls-Royce, the two luxury British marques compete in a small segment. But that is about to change.

Bentley has announced that all build slots for their new Mulsanne sedan are sold out until 2012, not bad for a car that retails for $285,000 in the USA.

We’ll give German Tuner Xenatec this much: their Maybach 57S Coupe is pretty sweet. But they’ve now released five Photoshop rendering of what they consider their “dream cars.” Thankfully these are just concepts, because quite frankly we’re not too sure about the styling.

The latest nugget of information surrounding Volkswagen‘s often-rumored foray into Formula 1 came at last weekend’s 24 Hours of Nurburgring race, with a VW executive claiming that the Volkswagen Group’s premium brands, like Audi or Porsche would be the best fit for the company’s shot at the world’s most prestigious motorsport.

Bentley‘s Mulsanne has made its first video debut, leisurely touring the Scottish countryside while its gentleman owner pilots his motorcar with chamber music playing in the background. If this seems a little hoity-toity to you, just wait, because in six months time, the Mulsanne will be in another kind of video, sitting on 22’s, with some hoodrat shaking her behind while perched on the hood, while Soulja Boy premieres his newest dance in his new hit single with Justin Beiber. Rest assured that AutoGuide enjoys seeing the status symbols of the ultra-wealthy become co-opted by the nouveau riche, but consider this the (literal) calm before the storm.

Video after the jump:

Scott Rothstein was once a prominent South Florida lawyer, famous for his humble roots, flashy lifestyle and philanthropy. But after a suicide attempt and a failed escape to Morocco, Rothsetin turned himself in after federal agents exposed his 1.2 billion dollar Ponzi scheme.

Now, the United States government has seized his assets and is auctioning off an assortment of exotic cars owned by Rothstein and a number of shell companies. The list ranges from the very mild (two Pontiac G6s, a Ford Expedition) to the highest echelons of supercar-dom (two Bugatti Veryons, a Ferrari F40).

If you have the funds, and are looking to score a deal on some serious machinery with, shall we say, interesting provenance, take a peek at the list below and get in touch with the appropriate arm of the federal government.

[Source: Dupont Registry]

Full List After The Jump: