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2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class vs big luxury off-roaders: How they compare on paper

During our first drive of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the all-new SUV's product manager was asked to identify competitors that might have been benchmarked in its development. The look on his face was about the same as if someone had asked him to recite King Lear in Klingon. As far as Andreas Hoeppel was concerned, the G 550 and AMG G 63 doesn't actually have a rival, or at least something the engineers and designers thought to compare it against. The G-Class is a G-Class, who cares what the other guys are doing? Well, in case you care, we figured we'd plug the new G-Class' specs into the old Autoblog Comparo Generator 3000 (TM) to see how the G 550 and AMG G 63 compare to the Range Rover and its mightiest SVAutobiography Dynamic model, plus the Lexus LX 570 and Bentley Bentayga V8. Frankly, Heir Hoeppel was onto something as each of these is wildly different. But, they do share some common elements: giant size and weight, ultra-lux interiors, and far more off-roading capability than other luxury SUVs offer and any of its owners are likely to ever utilize. Sad. So enjoy this trip down specification lane, and if you're still left hungry, you can always check out our Range Rover comparison or create your very own comparo. Off-Road Clearances and Capability All the fancy off-roading software and special cameras in the world won't do you a lick of good if your SUV is too close to the ground or has low-hanging body work that'll get easily ripped off. As such, check out each of these uber-SUV's ground clearance, approach and departure angles, and wading/fording depths. In this case, the Range Rover has an advantage due to its air suspension that can raise itself into an Off-Roading height that's a whopping 2 inches higher than the new G-Wagen. Sadly for itself, Lexus only provides figures for its air suspension when in normal height. It could match or surpass the Range Rover for all we know (but doubt it). As Land Rover does provide figures for the Range Rover's approach and departure angles in normal and Off-Road height, you can get an idea of just how much clearance the new G-Wagen has without any fancy (and expensive to fix) raising and lowering air suspension hardware. In fact, its departure angle is better than even the Range Rover's Off-Road height. Bentley doesn't provide any such information despite touting the Bentayga's surprising off-roading talents.

First Bentley to race at Le Mans sells for over $3.7 million

What's the big deal with Bentley? After all, the luxury marque has spent much of its life as a Volkswagen sub-brand or Rolls-Royce understudy. Well the big deal is, in short, racing provenance. In its very early days, before it became an nouveau riche status symbol, Bentley staked a claim as a force in the motorsports world. And people who remember that still hold the brand in high regard. Case in point: The first Bentley to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans has just sold for more than $3.7 million. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the famed French enduro, hailed by many as the greatest auto race in the world. In 1923 Bentley 3-Litre, chassis 141 became the first of many to enter the race. In fact, it is billed as the first international entrant, period.  Prior to its arrival at Circuit de la Sarthe, the car had been raced by WWI veteran and Bentley dealer John Duff at the Double 12 Hour at Brooklands. At the time 24-hour races had been outlawed in the U.K. due to noise so the race was divided into two segments. Duff set 38 international records as he covered 2,082 miles at an average 86.79 mph. Based on that success, he asked founder W.O. Bentley to help him prep the car for a new day-long race in France. Duff and his co-driver Frank Clement, a Bentley factory test driver, managed to finished fourth despite a hole in the fuel tank caused by a rock on the track in this pre-paved era. Along the way, they set a lap record of 66.69 mph average speed. Duff and several other racers became known as the Bentley Boys, a cadre of free-wheeling daredevil rascals. Bentley, Duff and Clement returned the following year and won the race outright. The Bentley Boys would then set a four-year streak from 1927-30 at the fledgling event, cementing the brand into legend. Then Rolls-Royce bought the company in 1931 and ceased its racing activities. A Bentley works car would not appear on the starting grid at Le Mans until the EXP Speed 8 in 2001. Despite its pivotal role in Bentley history, chassis 141 was pretty much treated as a used car after its retirement. According to the brokerage firm that arranged the $3.7 million sale, at some point a local undertaker covered the rear and used it as a wagon, perhaps for macabre cargo.

Bentley refreshed the Bentayga for 2021, and you can win one here

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze. Is that tax return or stimulus check burning a hole in your pocket? Why not spend some of it on a cause that could help both you and the Make-A-Wish Foundation? That's exactly what could happen if you entered this sweepstakes on Omaze. It’s a 2021 Bentley Bentayga V8 plus $20,000 cash, a prize worth nearly a quarter-million dollars, and there's no purchase necessary to win. The 2021 Bentayga features a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that makes 542 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. That kind of power will propel you and up to four other passengers to a top speed of 180 miles per hour. If you so choose, you can tow up to 7,700 pounds, though we seriously doubt youÂ’ll see any of these at the boat ramp on Saturday morning.  Win a 2021 Bentley Bentayga V8 and $20,000 - Enter at Omaze The exterior obviously stands out, but with most luxury SUVs, the interior is just as important, if not more so. HereÂ’s what we had to say about the inside of the 2021 model, which was the first major refresh since the Bentayga was introduced in 2016: “Of course, the interior is arguably the most important part of a Bentley. The center stack gets a new look; Bentley has provided a new steering wheel, new door trims and completely new seats. ItÂ’s built around new tech, as Bentley has integrated its 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment display in the center stack directly below the new air vent design and clock, fully spanning the width of the area now. This system adds wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Bentley has updated the carÂ’s USB ports to USB-C outlets. Bentley has also adopted the fully digital instrument cluster from the Continental GT and Flying Spur, which allows you to customize the screen to a number of different views. Even the rear seat passengers are getting an upgrade, as Bentley has added a larger rear seat touchscreen control tablet thatÂ’s faster than before. “There are some new convenience features added for the refresh, too. For example, the windshield washer jets are now integrated into the wipers and feature 22 heated washer jets in each arm. ItÂ’ll continue to be offered in four-, five- and seven-seat configurations.