2011 Bentley Mulsanne Base Sedan 4-door 6.8l on 2040-cars

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VW may make Bentley a subsidiary of Audi

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen plans to make British luxury carmaker Bentley a subsidiary of its Audi division as it seeks economies of scale among its top-end brands, German trade publication Automobilwoche reported. Bentley, for now overseen by the head of VW's Porsche business, Oliver Blume, will from next year be part of Audi, where VW group Chief Executive Herbert Diess believes it has more potential, Automobilwoche cited company sources as saying. Synergies could include using Audi technology for a new Bentley SUV, it added. Volkswagen, which declined to comment on the report, is reviewing the future of its high-performance brands Lamborghini, Bugatti and Ducati motorcycles as part of broader quest for more economies of scale as it shifts to mass producing electric cars. Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters this month that Volkswagen was working on plans to prepare Lamborghini for a stock market listing. Related Video: Audi Bentley Volkswagen

Bentley Bentayga strips a little more at the Nurburgring

Engineering its first SUV undoubtedly poses a number of challenges for the team at Bentley. It's got to ride cushy enough to satisfy upscale customers, the performance capabilities to live up to its claims, and the off-road chops to keep up with a Range Rover. It's a heck of an occasion to rise to, but the crew from Crewe is hard at work to bring it all together, as you can see from this latest batch of spy shots. Spied entering the Volkswagen Group's test facility at the Nurburgring, this pre-production prototype for the upcoming new Bentayga is still wearing some light camouflage – particularly around the head- and taillights – but looks about ready to hit showrooms. It's even got its brightwork in place. We'll still have to hold on a while longer to see all the finished details, but it's already abundantly clear that Bentley has gone to some lengths to make sure it looks better than the EXP 9 F that first dipped the company's toes in the crossover waters.

Best of 2016 | The List

The List hosts Jessi and Patrick spent all of 2016 checking awesome adventures off their automotive bucket list, from escaping a car dangling off a cliff, to taking part in The Great Race road rally. In total, our hosts checked 12 challenges off Autoblog's list of "1,001 car things to do before you die," taking them on travels across the United States and the United Kingdom. Check out some highlights from the season as our hosts drive everything from the super modern to the refreshingly classic, and even take their lives into their own hands all for the sake of completing the ultimate car enthusiast's bucket list. As we look ahead to 2017, be sure to send us your automotive bucket list items. Who knows, maybe your submission will inspire Jessi and Patrick's next escapade. Click here to find more episodes of The List Click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick Aston Martin Bentley Land Rover McLaren The List Videos