Bentley Hunaudieres (1999)
Who hasn’t seen a Bentley and immediately thought it looked like an elegant car made for the rich? Their concept car conjured similar feelings from fans who have been lucky enough to see it. This concept car arrived just a short year after the company was purchased by Volkswagen. There may be some truth to the rumors it was done to show that a supercar project with advanced technological power could occur. This theory is due to a brief explaining the need for a supercar with Bentley characteristics and high-tech power.
Bentley built the Hunaudieres for the Geneva Salon International de l’Auto in 1999. It runs on an 8.0-liter W16 Volkswagen engine that is naturally aspirated, making for fast and smooth transitions. Bentley modified that engine, so it produces 623 bhp and 561 pound-feet of torque. It works with a 5-speed manual and this concept can reach 217 mph. This concept vehicle appeared in the TOCA World Touring Cars video game in 2000 as one of the autos you could unlock. The Hunaudieres is also credited with leading to the production of the Veyron, something which was also influenced by the Audi Rosemeyer. The vehicle’s name is based on the famous straight from the Circuit de la Sarthe.
