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VW pulls Lamborghini and Bentley from the Paris Motor Show

It's been slightly more than a year since the news that Volkswagen had intentionally cheated on diesel emissions testing broke. Since then, the company's reputation and image have suffered and it has struggled to regain its footing and composure. The automaker is shelling out billions in fines, so cost cutting is inevitable. Today, Reuters reports that Volkswagen subsidiaries Lamborghini and Bentley won't bring their elaborate displays to the Paris Motor Show next week. Auto shows can cost automakers millions of dollars, especially for supercar and luxury car brands that constantly try to compete and one-up with each other. Much of the money and fanfare goes to catering the media, and if an automaker has nothing new to reveal it can be difficult to justify the expense. The company told Reuters that it plans to attend smaller events that focus more on potential buyers. The Volkswagen group as a whole has shifted it's focus, both when it comes to products and auto shows like Paris. Next week, the automaker will be focusing on electric vehicles and electromobility. The company plans to reveal a new EV with 373 miles of range, eclipsing both the Tesla Model 3 and Chevy Bolt. Volkswagen has plans for 30 new electric vehicles by 2025. Lamborghini and Bentley aren't the only major automakers skipping Paris. Ford, Volvo, and Aston Martin have all decided to save money and focus their efforts elsewhere. Related Video:

Limited-production Odyssean Edition is the greenest Bentley Bentayga yet

Ultra-luxury cars with six-figure price tags haven’t historically been the most environmentally focused vehicles, but thatÂ’s changing. Rolls-Royce will release its first EV in 2023 and convert its entire lineup to electric by 2030. Bentley is on pace to do the same, and today the automaker announced what it says is its most sustainable Bentayga model. Bentley will build only 70 examples of the Bentayga Odyssean Edition and says that it focused on including sustainable, environmentally friendly materials such as tweed and responsibly sourced woods. Interior color groups with names like “Beluga,” “Porpoise,” and “Cricketball” give buyers a wide variety of three-color themes to choose from, and Bentley says the interior embroidery “sees thread colors blend calmly into one another across the width of each seat.” The Odyssean EditionÂ’s PHEV powertrain includes a 3.0-liter gas engine and a 100 kW electric motor. The two combine for 456 horsepower and can propel the stately SUV from 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds. Bentley says acceleration is effortless because of the electric motor and notes a top speed of 158 mph. An 18-kWh battery provides an all-electric range of 28 miles (WLTP), and drivers can choose between three modes to use or conserve battery power. EV Drive, Hybrid Mode, and Hold Mode can be engaged manually or selected automatically by the vehicle, but EV Mode is the default on start. The SUV can automatically adapt power output settings based on road conditions, driving directions, and driver behavior. It also pokes the driver to let them know when to save battery. In EV Mode, for example, Bentley uses the SUVÂ’s navigation system with visual and haptic feedback to alert the driver when there are opportunities to conserve or regain battery power. The gas pedal vibrates when approaching an intersection or lower speed limit zone, letting the driver know to lift off and let regenerative braking take over. The system also vibrates on the transition between electric and gas powertrain components. Related video:

Bentley recaps its 100 years in a $250k book

Bentley's 100th anniversary might be remembered more for the book that celebrates the milestone more than the cars. The carmaker worked with Opus, a "luxury publisher" with the tagline "Greatness immortalized greatly," on a tome that tells the story of the last 100 years. The limited-edition result of their work weighs roughly 66.5 pounds, is filled with exclusives, can be customized like a Bentley, and can cost more than a Bentley. There will be three versions, in Centenary printed in a run of 500, the Mulliner printed in a run of 100, and 100 Carat with just seven examples, representing the seven continents. All come wrapped in hand-bound leather from the same herds that provide hides to Bentley cars, buyers able to choose what color leather they prefer. The cover is adorned with nothing other than the same special Bentley badge that gets affixed to cars during this anniversary year. The content begins with a foreword penned by well known collector Ralph Lauren. Then the book spends nine chapters and more than 800 pages telling the story of W.O. Bentley and his Le Mans racers before lavishing time on the decades of brand-defining grand tourers, the limited editions, the one-offs, the designers, the craftsmanship, and the sports cars that have brought us to today's GTs and limousines. In the last chapter, called "The Future," current brand CEO Adrian Hallmark expands on what the next century will bring. Never-before-seen content in every edition includes historical photos, new photography shot by Opus, and gatefold pages with artwork that spreads nearly 6.5 feet when fully opened. The "entry-level" Centenary edition costs GBP3,000, or $3,800 in green money. The Mulliner edition adds extras like 20-inch by 24-inch Polaroid photos highlighting ten of Bentley's landmark cars, and 56 watercolors painted on silk paper. A piece of the left front Michelin tire from the Bentley Speed 8 that won Le Mans in 2003 will grace the inside cover of the Mulliner's clamshell case. Owners can go further with customization, having their own Bentley photographs included in their copies, or having their cars photographed by Opus to be included. More equipment means more money, the Mulliner edition costing GBP12,500, or almost $16,000. Beyond the Mulliner's bespoke options, the 100 Carat edition encrusts the book with 100 carats of diamonds and a wings badge set in either white gold or platinum.