A Superlative new Bentley design
for the 21st century
Visitors to the 1994
Geneva Motor Show had
first glimpse of this excitingly sporty, compact,
four seater - both coupe and convertible.
Concept Java is a breathtaking
new design which could evolve to take its proud place in the unbroken tradition
of luxurious Bentleys.
Concept Java, has a journey
of its own to make before it can take drivers or passengers on any sort
of grand tour. It's appearance at The Geneva Motor Show is part of a process
of evolution for the entire Bentley Marque - one tangible vision of the
sort of cars Bentley might be making in the year 2000. And as a vital part
of the marques character has always come from the strong personality of
Bentley drivers, Concept Java's creators intend to listen very carefully
to their response to this first concept before going on to develop the
design further.
Already Concept Java's specifications
look tantalisingly close to reality. Automatic Ride Control which gives
today's Bentley Turbo R saloon such astonishingly sharp handling would
ensure that Concept Java had the fine roadholding to match it's performance.
Equally the Shift Energy Managment System,
which moderates engine torque on up-shifts of the automatic gearbox, giving
the driver a smooth ramp of acceleration rather than a series of steps,
is part of the standard equipment of a Bentley. The four
valves per cylinder, twin turbocharged 3.5 litre V8 engine
of Concept Java however is an altogether new
design. According to the projects engineers, it would be able to power
Concept Java effortlessly from standstill
to 60 mph (100 kph) in under six seconds and
on to 100 mph (160 kph) in less than 15 seconds.
A theoretical maximum speed
of over 170 mph
(270 kph) would be electronically governed
to 155mph (250 kph) while the light aerodynamic body would enable Concept
Java to achieve around 30 mpg at a constant 75 mph.
Chief Stylist Graham Hull's
team, which included consultants Design Research
Associates, took on the challenge of creating a machine that could continue
the unique lineage of the most aristocratic sporting motor cars in the
world. The original 3-litre and Speed Six Bentleys were much more than
racing cars, despite their many legendary successes at Brooklands and Le
Mans. They were also the luxurious transportation of choice for the successful,
the fashionable, the 1920's equivalent of "the jet set".
To follow the tradition, Concept
Java is designed to be sporting without being spartan, supremely comfortable
without being corpulent. It is a measure of the designers' success that
Concept Java looks, from a distance, to be almost too neatly compact to
be a full four seater, it's powerful, four-square look accentuated by the
large 17 inch diameter wheels which help to give the design such tremendous
presence and poise.
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