German Design Studio to Turn Audi Q7 into a Coachbuilt Bentley SUV

While a tad over simplistic, one could say that, the tuning industry seems to have finally caught up with the Volkswagen Group's penchant for parts and platform sharing.

For those that do not want to wait for the production Bentley EXP 9 F SUV, German design studio Atelier Valdeig has collaborated with Armortech Motors to create a coachbuilt version of the current generation Audi Q7 offering buyers a choice of Bentley-inspired fascias and rear end styling.

The SUV is called the Tresor, which the company says is French for "treasure" and German for "safe" or "strong room".

While neither partner makes word of Bentley for obvious reasons, they do point out that the Tresor's exterior "marries traditional British design cues and sportiness" and that "the seats and the dashboard come from a noted English luxury car maker" – no prizes for guessing the brand…

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Bentley Adds W12 to Continental GTC Line-Up and Reveals EXP 9 F SUV Engine Options in China

Apart from honoring the Diamond Jubilee of HM The Queen by rolling out a limited edition version of the Mulsanne, Bentley has two more novelties on display for the visitors of the Auto China 2012.

The first one is the world premiere of the new Continental GTC with the 6.0-liter W12 engine as up until now, the updated model was available only with the new 4.0-liter turbocharged V8.

While 500HP, 660Nm (487 lb-ft) of torque, a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint of just 5.0 seconds and a top speed of 301 km/h (187 mph) for the V8 model may sound quite adequate to most, the range-topping W12 is slightly faster than its little brother.

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Bentley Boss Says Company Chose SUV over a Sports Car to Avoid Confrontation with Porsche’s 911

A lot of digital ink has been devoted lately to both Bentley's decision to create an SUV model as well as the appearance of the concept that hinted at the production model.

But did you know that the British premium brand explored numerous options for a new addition to its range before deciding on the SUV? Bentley’s CEO Wolfgang Duerheimer told Motor Trend magazine that his company’s designers had actually submitted three more projects.

Duerheimer admitted that one of them was a sports car smaller than the Continental GT, although he wouldn’t comment on what the other two models were.

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Bentley Admits that it's Planning a Redesign for the EXP 9 F SUV Concept

The most talked about concept model at this year's edition of the Geneva Motor Show was without any doubt, the Bentley EXP 9 F SUV, but not for the reasons the British automaker's top brass would have hoped for.

You see, the firm's first attempt at designing an SUV model was received with harsh criticism about its styling even before the general public had the chance to see the concept in real life.

In fact, the disapproval rate was so widespread that during the press days, an unnamed Bentley source told British publication "What Car" that Exp 9 F's styling is "a little heavy handed" and that "an alternative design is in progress".

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Bentley Explains the Design of its New EXP 9 F SUV Concept

Contrary to popular belief, the design inspiration for Bentley's EXP 9 F SUV concept that is currently enjoying its world premiere at the ongoing Geneva Motor Show did not come from the London Taxi, or so the British firm's people tell us.

If you'd like to hear Bentley's designers explain themselves, you can do so by the following the break to watch the video.

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