1997 Bentley Turbo R – Fully Equipped on 2040-cars

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Bentley Continental GT art car is meant to move while standing still

Art cars are always cause for interest, so when a Bentley “art car” pops up, we take notice. This particular Bentley wasnÂ’t commissioned by the folks in Crewe, but instead by a dealership in the U.K. named Jack Barclay Bentley. The art on the car was applied via a wrap over a black paint job, and itÂ’s the work of Icelandic artist Katrin Fridriks. A new Continental GT was the canvas for this work, and there is an explanation as to the motivations of the artist. The piece is part of FridriksÂ’ “Speed of Light — Commander” show. Its design is meant to give the car a sense of speed and motion even when sitting still. Only black, white and gray were used. HereÂ’s what is said about the art in the official write-up from the dealership: “Utilising an exceptionally limited color palette between black and white, the artistÂ’s intervention allows the bold, hand-crafted lines of the car to come through her energetic liquid shapes. The abstract organic forms applied on the elegant surface of the powerful vehicle are following its impeccable design, accenting its raw performance and motion. Starting with harmonious flowing marks in the front and accelerating towards splattering paint on the back, she is offering a different and unique appearance of the car depending on the variety of viewing points.” The language used is rather flowery, but what else should we expect from Bentley? Jack Barclay Bentley also happens to be the oldest Bentley dealer in existence, having sold Bentleys for 92 years now. This car will be on display at the dealership in London's Mayfair district until Oct. 7 before itÂ’s sent on a number of special events with JD Malat Gallery.

Bentley says Conti Supersports 'isn't on the horizon'

For the longest time, Bentley made a name for itself making ever-faster versions of its core Continental range. These days, however, the British automaker has other things on which to focus. And that means there's little time to spend on developing a new high-performance Conti. After refreshing the Continental GT, GTC, and Flying Spur in 2011, Bentley came out with a new Continental GT Speed in 2012, boasting 616 horsepower. Last year it updated the range again, bumping the GT Speed up to 626 hp and releasing the GT3-R as a road-going version of the racing model, with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 pumping out 572 hp. (A further refresh was rolled out just months ago, but was more cosmetic in orientation.) It even slotted the Speed's engine into the Flying Spur, and did a Speed version of the Mulsanne as well. What it hasn't done, however, is develop a successor to the previous Supersports model. "...A future Supersports model isn't on the horizon at the moment." – Mike Sayer, Bentley The Supersports was the performance flagship of the previous Continental range, boasting 621 horsepower, a 0-62 time of 3.7 seconds, and a top speed in excess of 204 miles per hour. But the current GT Speed is even faster, quoted at 206 mph. And with 626 hp, it's marginally more powerful too. The question, then, is whether an even more potent Supersports is in the works. And the answer is: not just yet. "While we're always looking at ways of extending our unique combination of luxury and performance even further, we're currently focused on delivering the all-new Bentley Bentayga SUV," spokesman Mike Sayer revealed in correspondence with Autoblog. "The Continental family has just received a suite of styling and usability upgrades for 16MY, and a future Supersports model isn't on the horizon at the moment." So while a new Continental Supersports could arrive at some point down the line, it's apparently not a priority right now. And what about the prospect of an even more hardcore version of the Continental GT3-R? Rumors have been circulating of an even lighter version in the works, unburdened by the bulk of the Conti's all-wheel drive system – but we're told that's not in the cards at the moment, either. "The Continental GT3-R has been very well-received around the world. Some regions (including the UK) have sold-out their allocation. A very limited number of cars remain in a small number of overseas markets," says Sayer.

VW Group to split brands under four holding companies

The Volkswagen Group is planning a tremendous shift in its internal structure that will decentralize operations by splitting its 12 brands into four different holding companies. Here's the breakdown. Things will be split logically, considering the inter-sharing of parts, platforms, and engines. The Volkswagen brand, Seat, and Skoda make up a passenger vehicle division led by former BMW man Herbert Diess. Audi, which is tightly intertwined with Lamborghini and motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, will be managed by current Audi exec Rupert Stadler. Porsche and Bentley, which are already quite close, will be joined by Bugatti and run by Matthias Mueller. Finally, a commercial vehicles division will include Volkswagen Commercial, Scania, and Man. Former Daimler exec Andreas Renschler will take care of the big vehicles. The massive move, according to Automotive News Europe, is part of an internal VAG effort to move away from the structure established by ousted Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who favored a compact, but highly centralized, management structure to oversee the independent actions of the company's brands. Criticism of Piech's arrangement stemmed from the company's slow responses to changes in the market, ANE reports. The new structure should make for a more efficient, streamlined company that's better able to make crucial decisions. What are your thoughts? Should VAG decentralize, or did Piech have the right idea? Have your say in Comments.