2006 Bentley Arnage R Just Serviced Clean Carfax Low Mi on 2040-cars

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Weekly Recap: Auto execs face life in prison for recall delays under proposed legislation

The stiff punishments are part of broader transportation legislation, but clearly McCaskill has automakers in her sights.
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill threw down the gauntlet this week, proposing a bill that could send auto executives to prison for life if they were found to have delayed a recall. She also wants to eliminate the limit for fines for auto safety violations, which are currently capped at $35 million.

New Bentley interior veneer sourced from American Red Gum trees

Bentley is turning stateside for its newest exclusive wood interior finish, sourcing its first new veneer in five years from American Red Gum trees found in Mississippi wetlands. Bentley calls the new veneer Liquid Amber, a reference to the wood's perfumed scent. The red-hued wood undergoes a weeks-long natural smoking process to deepen its brown luster. Afterward, the veneer is then transported to Bentley's wood shop in Crewe, England, where it's examined alongside the six other types of veneers harvested from China to Canada to determine suitability, based on a high-burr density, minimal sapwood and a lack of bark growth or structural defects. Bentley says it rejects between 30 percent and 70 percent of all veneers offered. Raw veneer is then cut to a precise 0.6-millimeter and tested for stability in UV light and consistency from tree to tree. The whole process takes at least 18 months before the veneer is installed in one of Bentley's vehicles, which start at $189,000 for the Flying Spur sedan. Also known as the Sweetgum tree, the American Red Gum is native to lowland areas of the southeastern United States. It was once used commercially for soaps, adhesives and pharmaceuticals but is valued today primarily for use in furniture, cabinetry and interior finishing. Bentley says it harvests the trees only twice a year due to restricted access to the wetlands where it sources the wood. Bentley also announced it has begun using slate and quartzite stone veneers sourced from select quarries in India. They're split from a larger stone piece, cured using fiberglass and a bespoke resin, and shaped and finished by hand by the Mulliner coach building team in Crewe.Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley wood finish Image Credit: Bentley Bentley Luxury bentley flying spur

Bentley will now sell you a model Continental GT for over $9,000

Bentley just announced a 1:8 scale Continental GT model car that costs GBP6,995. That’s $9,123 for a toy. But really, is the cost all that bad? A 1:1 scale Bentley Continental GT V8 (you know, the real thing) has a base price of about $220,000. One-eighth of that is a whopping $27,500. Bentley is surely leaving some money on the table here. OK, sure, you could buy a couple of old Miatas for the same price as this model car. But thatÂ’s not the gift that the one percenters want to give to their children at Christmas. No, an exact replica of the Bentley Continental GT in the garage is a much more applicable gift in that situation. Bentley will reproduce your Bentley or make anything else you can imagine with these 1:8 scale models, too. Customers will need to commission their own car, just like theyÂ’re buying a full-size Bentley.  You choose the colors of the paint, exterior trim, seats, interior stitching, trim veneers, wheels, leather and a number of other materials going into the car. Every last option is matched to an option available on the actual car, so there will be zero differences between the model and full scale car. The Bentley Design Studio oversees the creation of every car to ensure complete accuracy. Over 1,000 pieces are put together by hand to build it. Bentley says each car takes about 300 hours to complete. (Rolls-Royce offers a similar model of the Cullinan that takes 450 hours to build.) Each Bentley will sit on a “majestic varnished plinth.” The car itself measures 30.7 inches in length, 15.7 inches in width and 9.6 inches in height. Smaller, pre-made models are available for far less cash, too. You can pick up a 1:43 model for $110 and a 1:64 model goes for just $15. If uh, you want the $9,123 model, the link to place an order is right here. Bentley recommends using the actual Continental GT configurator to personalize the model. Regardless of price, that is extremely cool. Related Video: