Bentley ultraluxury SUV nears final approval
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DETROIT -- Bentley Motors is close to a decision to build an ultraluxury SUV, according to CEO Wolfgang Schreiber.
The vehicle would share a platform with Audi, Volkswagen and Porsche. It is expected to debut within three years.
Schreiber said the styling will more resemble the rest of the Bentley brand than the controversial design of the Bentley EXP 9F Concept unveiled last year at the Geneva auto show.
"The main intention was not to show the final styling but to get feedback from the market," Schreiber said at the Detroit auto show.
"If you saw the styling, you would say, 'That is a real Bentley.'"
The SUV likely will use an eight-cylinder engine and possibly an optional W-12, he said.
"Bentleys are luxury cars, but people like this effortless acceleration and torquey engines," he said.
Bentley also will share a platform with Audi or Porsche for the next generation of its Continental GT coupe, GTC convertible and Flying Spur sedan scheduled to arrive in five years, Schreiber said.
The cars will either use Audi's modular longitudinal front- and all-wheel-drive platform, or Porsche's so-called MSB rear- and awd architecture.
You can reach Diana T. Kurylko at dkurylko@crain.com. -- Follow Diana on 
