1989 Bentley Turbo R Saloon on 2040-cars

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Drive a Bentley | The List #0017

There's just something about a Bentley. The brand exudes luxury. There's nothing quite like driving or getting chauffeured in one of these classically British vehicles. On this episode of The List, hosts Jessi Combs and Patrick McIntyre head all the way to the UK to investigate Bentley's heritage and drive a shiny new Mulsanne. To start the trip off, our hosts drop by the Bentley Factory in Crewe to learn how the cars are made. Every aspect is crafted with precision and care, taking up to two weeks to complete each car. Our hosts even busted a few stereotypes about the brand during their trip. "I thought Bentleys were supposed to be grandma cars," said Jessi, enjoying the high life in the luxurious back seat of the Mulsanne. "It's more of a beast than anything," Patrick responds from behind the wheel. From learning about the 400-hour manufacturing process for one vehicle, to getting behind the wheel and feeling the power of the 505-horsepower engine, this is an episode of The List you won't want to miss. Click here to find more episodes of The List Click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick Bentley The List Videos Original Video bentley mulsanne jessi combs patrick mcintyre

Rough seas delay salvage operation for burning ship carrying luxury cars

LISBON — Rough waters forced authorities on Wednesday to postpone a salvage operation for a ship packed with luxury cars that have been on fire for a week in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a port official said. With teams unable to board the Felicity Ace, heavy tug boats sprayed water to cool the vessel, which is carrying around 4,000 vehicles, including Porsches, Audis, Lamborghinis and Bentleys. Lamborghini of America CEO Andrea Baldi told Automotive News that there were dozens of pre-sold Lamborghinis aboard, mostly the Urus SUV. But also some Huracans and Aventadors, the latter of which have ceased production. The ship's 22 crew members were evacuated last Wednesday, the day the fire began. Some of the vehicles are electric, and their lithium-ion batteries have made the fire very difficult to extinguish, port officials have said. Joao Mendes Cabecas, the captain of the nearest port on the Azorean island of Faial, said the blaze had lost its intensity — probably because there was little left to burn. Salvage teams hoped to board the ship, which is is adrift around 170 km southwest of the Azores near Portugal, to assess its condition and start preparing it for towing, the Portuguese navy said in a statement on Tuesday. The navy took photos of the ship that showed a gaping hole at least four decks high, with burn marks running the length of the ship. It is unclear if the vessel will be towed to the Bahamas or Europe. Cabecas told Reuters bad weather prevented the team from boarding the ship. Waves as high as 2.5 meters battered the coast of Faial on Wednesday, Portugal's weather agency IPMA said. The salvage team was expected to be flown to the ship on a helicopter belonging to the Portuguese air force, which will decide on Thursday if the operation can proceed, Cabecas said. Ship manager Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd (MOL) said in a statement on Tuesday the vessel was still on fire but stable, and that no oil leak had been reported so far. It did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the cause of the fire. Insurance experts said the incident could result in losses of $155 million.   Weird Car News Audi Bentley Lamborghini Porsche

Bentley already considering smaller crossover

Bentley has yet to reveal (let alone start selling) its upcoming new SUV, but the company is already reported to be considering a smaller model to follow in that new model's footsteps. This according to Autocar, in speaking with Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer at the announcement of the company's record sales results for 2014. Prior to originally taking the helm at Bentley and Bugatti, Durheimer served as head of R&D at Porsche, which recently launched the Macan crossover to join the larger Cayenne. Tipped to be called the Bentayga, the forthcoming Bentley crossover will share its platform with the next generation of its sister company's crossover, whose success Bentley aims to emulate. The Bentayga (or whatever it's ultimately called) will be vital in helping Bentley achieve its sales target of 20,000 units per year by 2020. The storied British marque topped 11,000 units for the first time in 2014, and the new SUV will be a vital component in boosting those figures. Bentley says it has already received 4,000 "expressions of interest" for the crossover before it's even unveiled, suggesting that it could exceed earlier sales projections of 3,000 units per year. But even then, the big crossover wouldn't be enough to get Bentley to its target. That's why it's already considering the smaller crossover, among other options including a four-door coupe, a two-door sports car and a Mulsanne-based convertible. The company is also investing heavily in infrastructure and production capacity to ensure its supply can meet the demand it is working to build up.