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Coronavirus prompts VW to stop production throughout Europe

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen Group, the world's biggest carmaker, is suspending production at factories across Europe as the coronavirus pandemic hits sales and disrupts supply chains, the company said on Tuesday. The German carmaker, which owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat and Skoda brands, also said that uncertainty about the fallout from coronavirus meant it was impossible to give forecasts for its performance this year. "Given the present significant deterioration in the sales situation and the heightened uncertainty regarding parts supplies to our plants, production is to be suspended in the near future at factories operated by group brands," Chief Executive Herbert Diess said on Tuesday. Volkswagen's powerful works council concluded it was not possible for workers to maintain a safe distance from each other to prevent contagion and recommended a suspension of production at its factories from Friday. Production will be halted at VW's Spanish plants, in Setubal in Portugal, Bratislava in Slovakia and at the Lamborghini and Ducati plants in Italy before the end of this week, Diess said. Most of its other German and European factories will prepare to suspend production, probably for two to three weeks, while Audi said separately it would halt output at its plants in Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Mexico. Volkswagen's vast factories in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Puebla, Mexico, and plants in Brazil were not affected, but that would depend on how the coronavirus spreads, VW said. Volkswagen has 124 production sites worldwide of which 72 are in Europe, with 28 in Germany alone. "2020 will be a very difficult year. The coronavirus pandemic presents us with unknown operational and financial challenges. At the same time, there are concerns about sustained economic impacts," Diess said.   Production in China resumes Volkswagen Group sold 10.96 million vehicles last year, putting it ahead of Toyota based on the latest figures from the Japanese carmaker. Globally, VW employs 671,000 people and it delivered 4.86 million vehicles to European customers in 2019. Only last month the car and truck maker based in Wolfsburg, Germany, predicted that vehicle deliveries this year would match 2019 sales and forecast an operating return on sales in the range of 6.5% to 7.5%. "The spread of coronavirus is currently impacting the global economy. It is uncertain how severely or for how long this will also affect the Volkswagen Group.

This Bentley Bentayga can be yours if you enter to win it today

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze. If you thought Omaze was swinging for the fences this year with a Mercedes-AMG GT Stealth Edition as a sweepstakes, their latest will blow you away. It’s a 2021 Bentley Bentayga V8, a prize worth nearly a quarter-million dollars. The 2021 Bentayga features a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that makes 542 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. That kind of power will propel you and up to four other passengers to a top speed of 180 miles per hour. If you so choose, you can tow up to 7,700 pounds, though we seriously doubt youÂ’ll see any of these at the boat ramp on Saturday morning.  Win a 2021 Bentley Bentayga V8 - Enter at Omaze The exterior obviously stands out, but as with most luxury SUVs, the interior is just as important, if not more so. HereÂ’s what we had to say about the inside of the 2021 model, which was the first major refresh since the Bentayga was introduced in 2016: “Of course, the interior is arguably the most important part of a Bentley. The center stack gets a new look; Bentley has provided a new steering wheel, new door trims and completely new seats. ItÂ’s built around new tech, as Bentley has integrated its 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment display in the center stack directly below the new air vent design and clock, fully spanning the width of the area now. This system adds wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Bentley has updated the carÂ’s USB ports to USB-C outlets. Bentley has also adopted the fully digital instrument cluster from the Continental GT and Flying Spur, which allows you to customize the screen to a number of different views. Even the rear seat passengers are getting an upgrade, as Bentley has added a larger rear seat touchscreen control tablet thatÂ’s faster than before. “There are some new convenience features added for the refresh, too. For example, the windshield washer jets are now integrated into the wipers and feature 22 heated washer jets in each arm. ItÂ’ll continue to be offered in four-, five- and seven-seat configurations. The four-seat version gains 3.93 inches in knee room this year due to better reclining seats, and even the five-seater has rear seats that recline more than last year.

Bentley unveils the Grand Convertible, a droptop Mulsanne Speed

Five years ago, when Bentley was preparing its farewell shindig for the Arnage, reports were that the Arnage's coupe and convertible siblings, the Brooklands and Azure, would get replacements on the Mulsanne platform. Obviously, that hasn't happened, although we were teased with the Mulsanne Vision Concept in 2012. Then, just this summer, we were again teased with rumors of a Brooklands and Azure one-two punch. While it still hasn't happened yet, Bentley's unveiling of the Grand Convertible seems to have put things in gear.
Not 'merely' a roofless Mulsanne, the Grand Convertible appears to be a droptop Mulsanne Speed, powered by a 6.75-liter engine with 530 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, and fitted with the directional wheels only available on the Mulsanne Speed. Finished outside in Sequin Blue with a "liquid metal" hood and windshield frame and a burl walnut veneer on the tonneau cover - a similar combo used to introduce the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé eight years ago - the cabin is covered in Beluga leather with blue cross-stitching.
Company CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer says Bentley is watching customer reaction to the car, yet the press release says it's been "Developed to signify Bentley's intentions for the future." That sounds like better than even odds we'll be seeing this on the roads. For now, though, you can see it in the high-res gallery above, at the LA Auto Show starting this week, and at Art Basel in Miami after that, and you'll find a bit more info on it in the press release below.