Are Bentley and Bugatti Teaming Up to Build a Rolls-Royce Killer?

Rumors are fun, especially when they involve two of the greatest brands the automotive world knows. And this rumor only exists because it makes so much sense. Bentley, maker of the world's fastest four-door sedan, and Bugatti, creator of the world's fastest production car, both owned by VW AG, would make a seemingly unbeatable team if they put their collective heads together to build the best sedan in the world.

But Bentley already builds the best sedans in the world, you say? There are many who would agree with that statement without question, and then there are others who would point to the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Maybach's Landaulet (or is that one a convertible... better go with the 62), or for that matter Lamborghini's upcoming four-door coupe, the Estoque (oh, discount that one too as it's still, ahem, a concept). Still, as good as Bentley's cars are, even the Arnage is quite the bargain compared to a Roller or Maybach. And using one of Crewe's chassis architectures for a Bugatti Royale, per se, such as the expectedly larger upcoming Arnage replacement, might just be a more effective way to request the million-plus price tag top-tier luxury cars are getting these days than trying to

Bugatti has made four-door concepts in the past, this one 1993's EB 112. (Photo: Bugatti)

pull Bentley up to that level. After all, despite building some of the best cars in the world, Bentley's brand image was in Rolls-Royce's shadow for decades under Vickers management, therefore some might take issue with a Bentley priced higher than a Rolls.

Of course, we're only hypothesizing about this because someone creative has whipped up a fresh new rendering of what this ultra super sedan might look like, and while a little bold in its application of trademark Bugatti design cues it's a might more attractive than some cars in this rarified class. There have been many renderings made in this vein, as well as some depicting a Bugatti grand

The Bugatti EB 218 concept from 1999 showed what a future Royale interior might look like. (Photo: Bugatti)

touring model based on the Bentley GT, while Bugatti created two four-door concepts, the EB 118 and EB 218, prior to Volkswagen's ownership.

And to those gossipers who think that this Bugatti is targeting the lower end of the ultra-premium set, don't hold your breath. Remember, Bugatti boss Josef Paefgen has been very clear that no inexpensive Bugatti will be made. VW AG already has Bentley targeting the $200,000 to $500,000 range, and it's doing a very, very fine job. The Bugatti four-door would have to sticker north of that, and most likely above the million dollar mark in order to wear the badge, putting it into a rarified league that hardly exists yet. Then again, million plus supercars didn't exist until the Veyron came along, and now with Aston's One-77, Lamborghini's Reventón and the Veyron, in coupe and Grand Sport forms, it's starting to look a bit crowded up there.