2022 Bentley Bentayga Speed W12 on 2040-cars

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Bentley Bentayga crossover prototype keeps on strippin'

The Geneva Motor Show is over, and the stunning EXP 10 Speed 6 concept has had its moment in the limelight. But now it's back down to business for Bentley. That means working on getting its new Bentayga crossover to market, and from these latest spy shots, it seems that's exactly what the British automaker is up to. Pictured here wearing less clothing than ever before, the Bentayga looks pretty darn near ready for its debut. The pre-production prototype even has its full leather seats in place, with plastic covers to protect them as the development drivers (like the one trying his darnedest to block the shots) do their thing. Of course there are still some parts hidden from view, with thin foil covering the headlights, taillamps and rear quarter windows. There's also something weird going on with those gills on the rear door. And the wheels are likely to be replaced as the rest of the trim is installed. But by and large, what you see here is what the production version is expected to look like, sans the polish. Related Video:

Bentley Bentayga V8 Design Series embraces the darkness

It is a truism that designers love the color black, and the hue features prominently in the Bentley Bentayga V8 Design Series. Outside, the Design Series comes standard with the Bentayga's optional Blackline package, which includes black trim, black exhaust outlets, and a body-color lower front fascia. The Design Series also gets a special set of seven-spoke Paragon alloy wheels in dark gray. In a trick seen also on — ahem — Rolls-Royce, the wheels feature self-leveling center badges, which means the "B" is never at an incorrect angle. Designers hate that. While the exterior is offered in colors other than black, the interior comes exclusively in black (Bentley's "Beluga"), but with a contrasting accent color — red, orange, white, or blue — that runs across the dash and on the sides of the center console. It is also seen in the seat leather perforations and in the binding of the deep-pile floor mats. Carbon-fiber trim on the dashboard and door panels has a special diamond-weave pattern, while gloss-black center console trim provides still more blackness. A Breitling clock in the dash is not black — it has a mother-of-pearl face. Other included goodies are "Comfort" seats, door sills with an illuminated "Bentley" treadplate, and drilled-alloy pedals. The Design Series is exclusive to the eight-cylinder Bentayga, which is powered by a 542-hp V8. We'd say that buyers of the 12-cylinder model or the Bentayga Hybrid are out of luck but they can probably lean on Bentley's Mulliner in-house customizing operation to approximate something close. But then, if you're going the full Mulliner route, why not get a little more imaginative? Maybe with something like the Bentayga for falconry or this paean to fly fishing? Just be sure to spec those self-leveling wheels — after all, one's B should always be upright.

Aston Martin designs another house, this one overlooking Tokyo

In Japan, where so many apartments aren’t much bigger than the cabin of a Bentley, it probably doesnÂ’t makes sense that Aston Martin plans to build a luxury home with a vista overlooking Tokyo. Of course, the home, designed as it will be by Aston Martin artists, will feature an automotive gallery. And after oneÂ’s parked his car, he can enjoy the wine cellar, in-house cinema, gym, and the private spa. The four-story property, already sold (price not revealed) and due for completion in about a year, is the British brandÂ’s first collaboration with homebuilders in Asia, but it is not the first time Aston has dipped a toe into projects other than automobiles. In 2018, the company launched a power boat, the AM37, a $1.6 million toy that was the result of two years of research and development. Supposedly designed with similar proportions that Aston applies to its vehicles, the top trim level AM37S makes an estimated 50 knots derived from its twin 520 horsepower Mercury petrol engines. Aston Martin even got into the personal luxury submarine game. Aston has also partnered to build a 6,000-square foot  “house” called Sylvan Rock in the Hudson Valley in upstate New York, costing $7.7 million, and is collaborating on the construction of a 66-floor, high-rise condominium in MiIami. Top price for a unit: $50 million. But the view is very nice. For the so-called “holistic” extravaganza near Tokyo, Marek Reichman, executive vice president of Aston, said: “The influence of Tokyo culture, with its amazing history and style, holds an important creative space within our design studio. I see fashion, architectural and even culinary references being considered by our team.” Japanese luxury real estate developer firm VIBROA is working with Aston Martin on the project, with an eye toward expanding the carmakerÂ’s presence in Asia. Related video: