Bentayga to lead Bentley's future product parade

Like its high-end competitors, Bentley will sell a crossover.

The Bentayga crossover goes on sale next year and will be the first of several new models for the British ultraluxury brand. Bentley is also strongly considering a two-door sports car.

Bentayga: The brand's first crossover will debut this week at the Frankfurt auto show and go on sale in early 2016. Bentley has taken deposits from 4,000 customers.

The Bentayga will be powered by Bentley's 12-cylinder gasoline engine, with a plug-in hybrid and a V-8 diesel coming later. The Bentayga will share the platform with vehicles of other Volkswagen Group brands -- the next-generation Audi Q7 and the Lamborghini Urus crossover. Pricing will start at about $190,000. 

Sports car: A new two-seat coupe is smaller and lower than the Continental GT. It could use Porsche's modular MSB platform, which would allow Bentley to develop it quickly. The sports car would go on sale after the Bentayga debuts in 2016, meaning it won't come until 2017 at the earliest.

The sports car would be similar to the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept shown in March in Geneva. 

Continental: All three Continental models -- the GT coupe, GTC convertible and Flying Spur sedan -- will begin their transition to a new VW Group platform that also will be used for the Porsche Panamera. The redesigned GT and GTC arrive in 2017, followed by the Flying Spur in 2018.

Mulsanne: A Mulsanne-based open-top car likely will be called the Grand Convertible. 

A concept version was shown in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It could go on sale as soon as late 2016. The Grand Convertible would compete with the Rolls-Royce Dawn. 

It would be powered by a 6.75-liter twin turbocharged V-8 with 530 hp combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

There are unconfirmed reports that the Mulsanne will be redesigned and made even more upscale as models such as those of the Mercedes-Maybach subbrand set new standards for interior luxury.