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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:

Bentley's upcoming Bentayga crossover sheds more camo

Bentley keeps edging closer and closer to launching its first SUV in the upcoming new Bentayga, and this latest batch of spy shots give us our best glimpse at the forthcoming ultra-luxury crossover yet. Spied undergoing cold-weather testing in northern Sweden, this prototype is wearing less camouflage and more of what appears to be its production bodywork than ever before. Of course, some parts remain disguised, especially around the front fenders and tail lights, but if you've been wondering what the new high-rider from Crewe will look like, this ought to give you a pretty solid idea ahead of the final form that's anticipated to debut later this year. The Bentayga will be based on the same architecture that already underpins the new Audi Q7 and is set to form the basis of the next Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. Only Bentley is expected to offer a wide array of powertrain options, including the company's existing V8 and W12 engines and a new hybrid setup.

Bentley Bentayga interior teased in new video

The Bentley Bentayga is growing ever closer to launch, and we already have a pretty good idea of what the production version looks like. Now, Bentley is giving us a surprisingly detailed tour of the super-luxurious crossover's interior in a new video. The clip focuses on some of the plush CUV's tech and does so by actually showing it off in the cabin. We get a good view of the center console that includes a gearshift with the Brit brand's emblem on top, two cupholders and a rotary dial to switch between multiple driving modes. There are also some close-up shots of the Bentayga's instrument cluster with large, round dials for the speedometer and tachometer. Between them is a digital display that's teased here for the night vision system and later for the navigation duties. In front of the driver, a head-up display projects the nav and speed info, as well. For now, this is a pretty good idea of what to expect from the inside of the Bentayga. The crossover will be fully revealed later this year and will go on sale in 2016 with prices for some of them even above the Mulsanne. It'll ride on a platform shared with the latest Audi Q7, but the powertrain lineup will include a W12 at launch. A diesel V8 and plug-in hybrid version will likely join the range later.