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Bentley unveils Continental GT3 racer [w/video]

Ten years after unveiling the concept car that ultimately became the Bentley Continental GT, the iconic British company is back at the Paris Motor Show, with another high-performance "concept" car. The newest member of the Bentley family, this Continental GT3 is a concept in name only, as the company is explicit about the fact that its debut marks a return to motorsports for the brand.
The last time we saw the flying B on a racecar, it was when Bentley was claiming honors at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003. The GT3 seeks to take up that mantle, as well as the storied history of road-going Bentleys being transformed into competent racing machines.
Though technical details are nonexistent in the Bentley press release, the company has given us something to work with, in terms of the racecar that will ultimately result from this program. The GT3 will, naturally, build on the very strong performance of the Continental GT Speed, adding a rear-drive chassis, a massive aero package (the wing seen here in no joke) and "state-of-the-art motorsport hardware."

Volkswagen Group's Vision 2030 strategy could bring revolution to the brands

One would expect a corporate plan called "Vision 2030," looking 11 years ahead through wildly tumultuous times, to involve great change and numerous forks in numerous roads. According to Automobile's breakdown of Volkswagen's path forward, though, the plans contain some lurid potential surprises. The ultimate aim is return on investment, and that means ruthless reorganization of a conglomerate with eight primary car brands, two car sub-brands, and Ducati motorcycles. The first two Vision 2030 cornerstones Automobile mentions are near boilerplate: Production network restructuring, and "streamlining of key technologies." The latter two are the ones that could upend what we know as the Volkswagen Group: focusing on the Group's core brands — meaning Audi, Porsche, and VW — and transitioning to EVs, autonomy, and other mobility solutions. Based on the report, a quote from Audi's CTO referring to the Audi brand could cover how the Group plans to handle all of its brands: "We need to find a sustainable solution for the indefinite transition period until EVs eventually take over." The boutique divisions adjacent to carmaking, Ducati and Italdesign, look likely to be spun off. For the halo car brands — Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini — apparently shareholders want double-digit returns on investment, and the trio doesn't have long to hit the target. One eyebrow raiser is when the report states, "Bugatti is tipped to be gifted to [ex-VW Group Chairman] Ferdinand Piech." Piech fathered the Veyron during his tenure at VW, and it was thought he commissioned the La Voiture Noire, but he's lately stepped so far back from VW that he sold all his shares in the Group. Automobile quoted a senior strategist as saying of money-losing Bentley, "Why invest on a backward-looking enterprise when you can support a trendsetter? A proud history and excellent craftmanship alone don't cut it anymore." We guess no one at Ferrari, McLaren, or even Porsche got that memo. Bentley is reportedly close to being put in time out, and if brand CEO Adrian Hallmark can't right the Crewe ship, the hush-hush Plan B is to prop the Flying B up enough to lure a buyer. As for Lamborghini, caught between two masters at Audi and Porsche, even record-breaking numbers at the Italian supercar maker barely staved off sacrilege. It's said that VW brand CEO Herbert Diess considered putting a 5.0-liter Porsche V8 into the Aventador successor.

2024 Bentley Bentayga runs the luxury meter to its 'Ludicrous' setting

The 2024 Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) Mulliner leads the SUV's way into the coming model year. The rest of the range is ready to follow, bringing new standard and optional equipment and tech, a new trim, and the most discrete cosmetic changes. Starting from the bottom of the trim ladder, the rank goes Bentayga, new Bentayga A, Bentayga Azure, Bentayga S, and Bentayga EWB. The new A trim will be limited to certain markets that Bentley hasn't identified yet. For cosmetics, re-profiled grilles bring the front fascia into line with changes made to the Flying Spur range. The exterior paint menu grows with eight new satin colors, taking the total menu of standard colors to 112 choices, and new 21-inch wheel designs come in three finishes. Inside, and slightly more than cosmetic, the Bentayga A and Azure feature deep-pile carpeted mats created using more sustainable wool treatment processes. Beneath them, the cabin carpet is now 100% recycled nylon instead of virgin nylon. The A goes with a straight-vaned grille above black lower intakes, as well as "A" badging and 21-inch black-and-bright machined wheels. At the top, the EWB gains access to a Mulliner Design Specification that appends a large rear spoiler to the top of the hatch, plus copious carbon fiber accents around the body. A new electrical architecture enables features like adaptive cruise control, surround-view cameras, and lane departure warning, as well as some app-based remote features like Intelligent Park Assist. And there's a new option in sound with a Bang & Olufsen Beosonic audio system alongside Bentley's traditional Naim partnership. Among the equipment changes, rear-wheel steering trickles down from the EWB as standard equipment on the Azure and S trims, optional for the rest, shrinking the turning circle by about three feet. Another EWB feature descends from the heights, too: The Airline Seat Specification with Postural Adjust and Seat Auto Climate is an option on all the regular Bentaygas. These seats not only recline, they can be set to one of seven temperature zones and then measure the seat occupant's temperature and humidity to know whether to add more heat or ventilation. They also possess a massage function that cycles through 177 pressure points over three hours so that no part of a body suffers static fatigue. Or, put another way, the seat tosses and turns for you — and always keeps the cool side up — so that you don't have to.