Motoring Art

If you fancy a bright yellow Bentley, then the Bentley stand at 2000 Motor Show was the place to be. They had one ready to go. Hand-crafted in wood, leather and metal the bright Monaco yellow Bentley Continental T has been used by the Crewe-based firm to illustrate the design capabilities available to the company. The luxury car is provided with a deep section front bumper, headlamp surrounded panels, sills and a rear bumper. The painted radiator shell, front indicator lamps mounted within the bumper and clear indicator lenses at the rear are designed to help give the car a more purposeful and assertive appearance. With a top speed of 170mph the Bentley Continental can reach 0-60mph in 5.7 seconds, leading its class in performance. The suspension is computer controlled and includes an automatic ride height control system to maintain optimum ride and handling characteristics at all times. The brakes on the car have been built with an increased carbon content to give better heat conductivity, cooler running and optimum efficiency. "Bentley Motors offers customers a bespoke manufacturing capability that is unmatched by, and the envy of, all other carmakers," said Adrian Hallmark, a member of the company's board, sales and marketing team. Prices for the Continental start at £233,000, but you'd probably have to pay a bit more for a customised version.

Rotary-powered four-door model shows vision for future sports cars. The revolutionary rotary-powered RX-EVOLV concept car was the centre of attention at the British International Motor Show as Mazda gathered reaction to its vision for the next big thing in sports cars. Mazda already makes the world's best-selling two-seater roadster - the MX-5 which revived the roadster market during the early 1990s. Now, once again, this innovative Japanese manufacturer has demonstrated its vision and ingenuity by pointing the way forward for the sports car market with the revolutionary RX-EVOLV - a four-door, four-seater with the performance, handling and driving characteristics of a traditional two-seater sports model. Mazda has consistently challenged convention by championing the rotary engine for the past four decades, and with the Mazda RX-7 since 1979. It is the only Japanese manufacturer ever to achieve victory at the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race (Mazda 787B in 1991). The RX-EVOLV offers space and comfort for four adults in a compact, high-performance package. It has a potent new rotary engine, four-wheel independent suspension and ideal 50/50 weight distribution.

Ferrari's stunning 550 Barchetta Pininfarina made its UK debut at the Birmingham International Motor Show as the Italian supercar manufacturer follows its tradition of constant research, development and innovation by launching its thirteenth new model in just seven years. The all-new 550 Barchetta Pininfarina reflects the glories of the successful road racers of the past, that were limited edition open-top cars - but this heritage is matched to the latest automotive technology of the 21st century. The first Ferrari Barchettawas the 1948 166 Mille Miglia and was designed to be used on the road and track, while the last to be manufactured using this concept was the 375 Mille Miglia of 1954. The 550 Barchetta Pininfarina is being produced during 2001 as a limited edition and will appeal to Ferrari collectors around the world. Just 448 will be produced, of which 45 will be built in right-hand drive for UK customers. It goes on sale in 2001 and the first examples are expected to arrive in the UK early in the year, priced at £172,530. Also exhibited at Birmingham was the new 360 Spider, which costs £109,101 - or £115,586 with the F1 gearbox option. Ferrari's display will also include the 360 Modena, 550 Maranello and 456M GTA.