As New Red Bentley Gt on 2040-cars

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VW CEO lost his job over buggy software that delayed new models

It says a lot about the state of the auto industry and where it's going that software problems have cost the CEO of a carmaker his job. Volkswagen ousted Herbert Diess as chief executive officer after severe software-development delays set back the scheduled launch of new Porsches, Audis and Bentleys. This was untenable considering buggy software postponed the debut of VW’s initial rollout of ID models, and customers are still having to drop off their cars at the dealer for updates the company has struggled to make over the air. Sure, Diess also didnÂ’t do enough to make allies and became increasingly isolated due to his hard-nosed leadership style. In his push to transform the company into an electric-vehicle leader, he repeatedly clashed with labor leaders by warning VW was losing out to Tesla and needed to cut thousands of jobs. But failures at the carmakerÂ’s software unit Cariad ultimately eroded DiessÂ’s support from the powerful Porsche and Piech family that calls the shots. Back in December, VW overhauled its management board, stripping Diess of some responsibilities while tasking him to turn around Cariad. While thereÂ’s been a lot of re-arranging since then, Diess didnÂ’t manage to make the issues go away. Discord at Cariad has pushed back the rollout of important new models including the electric Porsche Macan, a high-volume sport utility vehicle for the division thatÂ’s planning an initial public offering in the fourth quarter. AudiÂ’s new line of Artemis EVs has been delayed by around two years to 2027. And VWÂ’s ultra-luxury brand Bentley may not be able to go all-electric by the end of this decade as planned because of the software issues, Automobilwoche reported earlier this month. “Taking over the ship at Cariad seems to have been DiessÂ’s downfall,” said Matthias Schmidt, an independent auto analyst based in Berlin. VWÂ’s solutions to challenges tend to reflect its status as an industrial behemoth: itÂ’s able to throw lots of money and people at its problems. But modernizing the company for the digital age is going to take bringing in talent and building skillsets outside its traditional zones of expertise. Drivers increasingly demand intuitive user interfaces and services that could create new revenue streams, if done correctly. “Software is the key to the future,” TeslaÂ’s Elon Musk tweeted when one of his followers asked about VW switching CEOs. Diess certainly didnÂ’t lack ambition.

Bentley Bentayga SUV to come in hybrid, diesel variants in 2017

The Bentley Bentayga SUV will add plug-in hybrid and diesel variants in 2017, a year after the W12-powered model launches around the world. The hybrid variant will be able to travel about 31 miles on electricity. It will have a V6 or V8 gasoline engine to extend range, though a final decision has not been made as to which one will be used, CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said. The diesel, a V8, will be the first in a Bentley. The company confirmed "Bentayga" as the name of its new SUV at the Detroit Auto Show. Speaking to Autoblog on the show floor, Durheimer said the British luxury maker has high ambitions for its upcoming model. It expects to sell 3,500 copies of the SUV globally in 2016, which would lift the company's total sales to around 15,000. About a quarter of the Bentayga's sales volume is projected to come from US customers. Bentley can't take orders because the vehicle hasn't been officially priced yet, but it already has a list of 4,000 customers who are interested in buying the SUV, and most have put down deposits. "Our customers liked the idea," Durheimer said. "We see a growing SUV market share around the world." The Bentayga has changed since the concept, called the EXP 9 F, debuted at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, and the front has been modified to look more like Bentley's production models. The interior, however, remains close to the original concept. Image Credit: Bentley Green Detroit Auto Show Bentley SUV Diesel Vehicles Hybrid Luxury 2015 Detroit Auto Show bentley bentayga

2024 Bentley Flying Spur and Continental GT upgraded with small luxuries

Incremental changes to three of Bentley's 2024 offerings are claimed to bring "harmony" to the Azure, S, and Speed trims across the model lineups. As a refresher, Azure signals the variants that go beyond Bentley's traditional obsessive luxury to cater to wellbeing and comfort. The S and Speed are all about performance. Starting with the 2024 Continental GT and 2024 GTC Azure, the duo look to the Bentayga Extended Wheelbase Azure for a front fascia revision. These include wearing a new "vertical vane grille" that places "bright chrome vertical vanes in front of a black mesh grille." Those are Bentley's words describing what are effectively two grilles. Only one can be seen from afar, though. Down below, the Flying Spur Azure donates its wheel design, the 22-inch, 10-spoke black painted and machined hoop becoming the standard fit for both Continentals. Inside, the 2+2 models upgrade to a new lofted quilting pattern for the leather, and even more sybaritic deep-pile, 100% wool, Wilton overmat carpets. On the Speed side, their grille changes from vertical vanes to a matrix mesh harking back to pre-war models like the Bentley Blower. Exterior jewelry such as the grille surrounds and inserts, and the brightwork along the lower doors, can be optioned in Granite Grey. This will make the Blackline package look even meaner. And opening the doors reveals a new diamond-in-diamond stitch pattern for the cabin leather.  For the all Bentleys, the new exterior color Topaz Blue joins a palette that is already effectively infinite. Inside, the dark tint aluminum technical finish first seen on the Bentayga comes to the instrument panel and waistrails of the Flying Spur and Continental GT, the finish being an abstract representation of the crosshatched lines from the matrix grille. Finally, the nylon carpeting underneath the floor mats will be made from 100% recycled nylon instead of virgin nylon.