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Bentley unveils Rhys Millen's Pikes Peak Continental GT for record attempt

At the end of it all, Rhys Millen might end up owning every Pikes Peak car record that exists. He's time-trialed the perilous mountain road in several wildly different types of vehicles, such as a Hyundai Genesis coupe racecar, the Hyundai RMR PM580-T, the Drive eO PP01 electric racecar, and a Bentley Bentayga. For 2019, Millen's at it again, and he's sticking with his new team at Bentley. On June 30, Millen will gun for the production car record time in a Continental GT. That Millen will drive a Continental GT is not exactly breaking news, as it was first announced in March. However, this is the first time Bentley has shown off the Continental GT's attention-catching Pikes Peak outfit. A matte bright green covers most of the car, with a geometric mountain range crawling up the midsection through the rear. In addition to sponsor stickers from Mobil 1 and Gran Turismo, the GT also wears No. 100 as a nod to the company's 100th anniversary. Millen will try to push the Continental GT from 9,300 feet above sea level to 14,100 feet faster than 10:26.9, the hill climb record for a production car. He'll be working against the GT's 5,985-pound gross vehicle weight, but that shouldn't be a problem with a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 under the hood. The Continental GT, which will race stock aside from safety equipment, is rated at 626 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 664 lb-ft of torque at 1,350 rpm. It comes from the dealership claiming a 0-to-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds and a 207-mph top speed. An active all-wheel-drive system and Bentley Dynamic Ride should help Millen keep the car under control during turn after turn after turn up the mountain. If Millen succeeds, it would be a huge victory for Bentley, which would then own the production SUV and car records. Rolls-Royce can't do that.

Bentley doubles down on diesels with a triple-charged Bentayga

Volkswagen Group isn't totally giving up on diesels. While its flagship VW brand is clearly tarnished, the ultra-luxury Bentley division just revealed plans for its first oil-burner, a triple-charged 4.0-liter V8 that produces 429 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. If the powertrain sounds familiar, that's because it's the same one found in the Audi SQ7 TDI. It's a clever system capable of giving what Bentley claims as the world's fastest diesel SUV a top speed of 168 miles per hour and a zero-to-62 mph time of 4.8 seconds. The SQ7 TDI can get to 62 mph in the same time, but is electronically limited to 155 mph, because it wouldn't make sense if the cheaper SUV could outperform the much more expensive one. The Bentayga also emits the lowest CO2 output of any Bentley and has a range of over 621 miles on one tank. Despite having a curb weight of 5,269 pounds, Bentley claims the Bentayga can get a combined rating of 35.8 mpg on the European cycle. The Bentayga Diesel may not be as powerful or as fast as the W12-powered model, but it's a lot more fuel efficient as the latter achieves a combined rating of 21.6 mpg on the European cycle. Other than the new engine, the Bentayga diesel is nearly identical to its gasoline-powered twin except for some discreet "V8 Diesel" badges on the front doors, a new exhaust outlet design, and a black grille. A Bentley spokesperson confirmed that the Bentayga diesel would not be sold in the US. And since Bentley won't be at this year's Paris Motor Show, don't get your hopes up on spotting the vehicle there. The diesel-powered SUV will go on sale in Europe early next year, which will be followed by its release in Russia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan. Pricing for the SUV has not been announced yet. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Bentley Bentayga Diesel View 20 Photos News Source: BentleyImage Credit: Bentley Green Audi Bentley SUV Diesel Vehicles Luxury Performance bentley bentayga

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: