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Weekly Recap: Takeaways from the Frankfurt Motor Show

We obsessively covered the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and naturally, we selected our favorites from this fall's biggest automotive event. Now that the dust has settled, we're looking ahead to what it all means. Here are three takeaways from the floor in Frankfurt. The Germans are serious about electric vehicles: It's a bit cliche to say BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have downplayed electrics in favor of other technologies, like diesels. For a time that may have been true, but those three companies, along with Porsche and Volkswagen, are emerging as leaders in EV development. That was on display in Frankfurt, when all of them revealed either all-electric or plug-in hybrid models. Gas prices are relatively low in the United States, but clearly the Germans are thinking long-term and globally. Everyone is serious about SUVs: You gotta have one, even if you're Bentley or Jaguar. It's 2015 and it's what consumers want. As Jaguar design director Ian Callum put it, "Not to be in the sector would be a little naive for the sake of purity." It's not just the flashy exotic luxury makers. Nissan showed the Gripz concept, which is rakish, radical, and meant to blend traits of SUVs and sports cars into a vehicle that really crosses over. Look for more, especially in the luxury sector, as Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin ramp up their own SUV efforts. There's no ceiling to the luxury market: Speaking of high-end cars, companies are continuing to invest in extravagant wares beyond just SUVs. Even during the recession, ultra-luxury makers remained relevant, and now they're back at full stride. In Frankfurt, that was illustrated by yet another S-Class model, the cabriolet, which will come in S550 and S63 AMG variants in the United States. Ferrari also showed off the 488 Spider, and Lamborghini opened up the Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder. Meanwhile, Bugatti's Vision Grand Turismo concept reminded enthusiasts that it's plotting life after the Veyron. European auto shows always draw the glitziest reveals from luxury makers, and this year didn't disappoint. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 Honda Civic redesigned with snazzier style, turbo power The 10th-generation of the Honda Civic debuted this week at events in Los Angeles and Detroit ahead of its launch in the United States this fall as a 2016 model. Honda fortified the Civic with LED lights, an available turbo engine, and a more tech-laden cabin.

Bentley Flying Spur Mulliner Blackline Specification loses the chrome

Bentley's future is not as bright as its past — at least when we're talking about exterior trim. The blacked-out Blackline Specification package that the firm introduced on the Continental GT earlier in 2022 has been so popular that it's now available on the Flying Spur Mulliner. Unveiled on the sidelines of Monterey Car Week, the Flying Spur Mulliner Blackline Specification ditches nearly every piece of bright exterior trim. Designers replaced the chrome bits with gloss black trim and painted the door mirror caps in Beluga Black. The grille and the Winged B hood ornament keep some of their bright accents, and buyers can order black 22-inch wheels with polished pockets at an extra cost. Bentley left the interior untouched, meaning buyers can configure it to their liking. And, there are no mechanical modifications: The Blackline Specification package is offered on the hybrid-, V8-, and W12-powered variants of the Flying Spur Mulliner. In its quickest configuration, meaning with a twin-turbocharged, 626-horsepower 12-cylinder under the hood, the big sedan hits 60 mph from a stop in 3.7 seconds. Pricing for the Blackline Specification package hasn't been announced. We're guessing it's not cheap, but that's unlikely to deter buyers: Bentley announced that nearly 20% of Continental GT Mulliner buyers have ticked the Blackline Specification box since its introduction. At the other end of the Mulliner spectrum, the limited-edition Batur coupe is scheduled to make its debut during Monterey Car Week as well.

2015 Bentley Mulsanne Speed

Why does the Bentley Mulsanne Speed exist? Sam Graham, product line director for the Mulsanne, tells us Bentley's Western customers demanded it, many driven by memories of the Arnage T - the hotted-up version of the Arnage R. The Arnage T, you may remember, arrived in 2002 and threw down 459 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque on its way to being billed the most powerful production Bentley ever. Today's Mulsanne Speed picks up the torch and takes it all the way to the Olympic stadium.
Driving Notes
It starts with an upgrade to 530 hp at 4,200 rpm and 811 lb-ft of torque at a limbo-esque 1,750 rpm. That's an additional 25 hp and 86 lb-ft compared to the standard sedan, enabling a top speed of 190 miles per hour. That torque figure makes it second only to the Bugatti Veyron among production cars, and that terminal velocity makes it the fastest ultra-luxury sedan on God's Own Green.