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Bentley recalls nearly 2,000 examples of the Bentayga over fire risk

Bentley is voluntarily recalling 1,892 examples of the Bentayga in America to replace a fuel line that could leak and cause a fire. The affected SUVs were manufactured between July 26, 2018, and January 15, 2020. Documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explain the SUVs included in the recall are fitted with a quick fuel line connector that can leak if it's exposed to extremely high temperatures in the engine bay. Fuel and heat don't go together well, unless they meet in a cylinder, so the leak could start a fire. Bentley noted motorists might smell fuel in the engine bay if the connector leaks, but Autoblog learned from a company spokesperson that it's not aware of accidents, injuries, or even damage related to the problem. The spokesperson stressed the recall only applies to the Bentayga V8; it doesn't include the W12 model or the plug-in hybrid. Only about 0.2% of the SUVs being recalled have this defect, according to the firm. Bentley explained it noticed the problem in 2018, when a customer complained the SUV smelled like gasoline. Technicians identified the cause of the problem as material softening due to elevated temperatures in the engine bay, and engineers began working on a fix and testing it in real-world conditions. The redesigned part notably faces away from the hot side of the engine, according to a recall bulletin published by the NHTSA. Owners of affected cars will be notified in the coming weeks, and they'll need to bring their Bentayga to the nearest dealer to have the fuel line and its quick connector replaced. It's a job that takes approximately one hour. The average Bentley customer owns eight cars, so at least Bentayga owners won't be stuck using Uber. Featured Gallery 2019 Bentley Bentayga V8: First Drive View 34 Photos Recalls Bentley SUV Luxury

Check out King Charles III's $17.6 million car collection

King Charles III's coronation will take place in England on May 6, and being crowned a monarch comes with a long list of perks with four wheels. He will gain full access to the Royal Family's fleet of cars, which is valued at about GBP14 million (approximately $17.6 million). The two most expensive cars in the collection are nearly identical: they're a pair of Bentley State Limousine models (pictured) built for Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III's mother, in 2002. Only two units were made, and they're both part of the Royal Family's fleet, so they're difficult to put a value on; it's not like one is going to end up listed on your favorite auction site anytime soon. British company Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, which compiled the list, estimates that each armored, 245-inch long sedan is worth at least GBP10,000,000 (roughly $12.6 million). Dropping below the eight-digit threshold, the second-most-valuable car in the Royal Family's fleet isn't really a car. It's the Gold State Coach, which Matchbox recently released a 1/64-scale replica of, and its value is estimated at GBP1.6 million (about $2 million). At 275 inches long it's even bigger than the Bentley limousine and it weighs about 9,000 pounds. It's 261 years old and designed to be pulled by eight horses, and has been part of every coronation since 1831. The rest of the Royal Family's vehicles are relatively mundane. There's a 1965 Aston Martin DB6 Volante that Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Phillip, bought for King Charles III on his 21st birthday. It's worth GBP1 million (about $1.2 million). The collection also includes a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI (about $627,000), a Bentley Bentayga (about $201,000), a Land Rover Range Rover long-wheelbase Landaulet ($133,000), a Jaguar XE (about $41,000), and a Land Rover Defender ($38,000). "Luxury cars have long been associated with the monarch and King Charles III, in particular, is known for his fondness of motor vehicles. His impressive collection features sentimental value with motors passed down from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to cars bought for him by his parents," explained Keith Hawes, the director of Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, in an interview with CBS News. Being at the head of a car-making nation's royal family also comes with drawbacks: Every vehicle in King Charles III's fleet is British.

Jay Leno's 1930 Bentley GJ 400 is a 27-liter monster

Jay Leno's Garage never fails to impress - and by that we mean both the YouTube channel and the actual place. The latest online bit features another truly insane vehicle. Leno's 1930 Bentley GJ 400 isn't actually a classic car and has few Bentley parts on it. It's really a modern custom with vintage looks and a 27-liter Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 engine for power. This machine is absolutely immense, and weighs over three tons.
The Merlin engine was one the workhorses of World War II-era planes. In the GJ 400, Leno believes the V12 is making around 650-700 horsepower. Although, he admits that it could probably be pushed to over 1,000 if someone wanted to. However, he clearly loves this behemoth just the way it is.
While the design is classic, the mechanicals are relatively modern. The engine is fuel injected, and power routes through an automatic transmission to the rear wheels. Many of the updated pieces are hidden as well. For example, what looks like a blower at the front actually disguises an oil cooler.