Bentley eyes the future

LONDON // A group of 18 design students selected from London's Royal College of Art have been competing against each other to design what may be the Bentleys we see on the roads in years to come. The students involved in the "Bentleys of the Future" project were given a brief to create bold new car designs for the classic British marque. Four students have now been shortlisted and their designs have been made public. They include a futuristic Continental GT with aggressive black rear air vents, a curvaceous design reminiscent of a Batmobile, a radically sharp sporty coupe and a high-performance coupe with a distinctly retro American influence on the sweeping fenders. All designs have been tested in a virtual wind tunnel for aerodynamics. The four finalists will refine their designs with the assistance of Raul Pires, who designed the 2011 flagship Bentley Mulsanne, and the winner and runner-up will intern with the company for six months.