Talk of Bentley working on a four-door coupe to slot between its Continental and Flying Spur vehicles has circulated for several years now. Today, the rumors are once again flying, this time with a 2016 target date.

While Bentley has confirmed it doesn't have any plans to go down-market, a four-door coupe could fill a place in the range, while offering loyal Bentley buyers another filled space in their multi-car garages.

The latest revival of the idea comes via an Auto Express interview with Bentley CEO Wolfgang Schreiber. Schreiber didn't confirm the car--in fact, he seems to indicate no such car is in the works, but is merely possible.

If it were to get a green light, Bentley wouldn't be able to bring the car to market before 2016.

Bentley's next new model is expected to be the production version of the EXP 9 F SUV. Revised and re-envisioned for production, the SUV should help boost Bentley's volume to meet ambitious targets of nearly doubling volume by 2018. A four-door coupe could also help reach this goal.

As for what might underpin a Bentley four-door coupe, we'd pick the powertrain for the Continental GT as the most likely candidate, including its mix of V-8 and W-12 engines.