2012 Mulliner Beluga Black on 2040-cars

Auto blog

This FL man accused of stealing drivers licenses has best tattoo ever

Bentley and Porsche are two of the jewels in Volkswagen Group's luxury brand crown, but in Florida they also have a very tenuous connection with crime. With his multiple face and neck tattoos, including a Bentley logo right between his eyes, Derek Denesevich (pictured above) has been charged with the surprising crime of alleged identity theft. He recently surrendered to a Florida court, and could face seven years in prison, if convicted.
You might wonder where Porsche fits into this. According to the Sun Sentinel, Denesevich's accomplice was one Porscha Kyles, who worked for the Broward Clerk of Courts. She allegedly used her access to driver's license records to steal information and sell it to Denesevich. He is then accused of filing fraudulent income taxes to recoup the refund checks.
According to the Sentinel, Kyles has already pleaded guilty to conspiracy and identity theft and was sentenced to three years and one day in prison. The duo reportedly stole over 100 identities and made at least $120,000. Scroll down for a video about this pair of auto-related criminals.

Top horsepower-per-dollar cars in 2017

Bang for the buck. That quasi-scientific statistic is bandied about by motor heads everywhere from classrooms to barrooms, though the truth of the matter is that it's exceedingly complex to measure. A fair performance-per-dollar index would include something like cross-referencing MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) with point-to-point times on a track or driving route, which is obviously hard to do comprehensively. But, for the sheer joy of talking about cars and playing with a big spreadsheet, there's always the horsepower-per-dollar index, which is more straightforward, albeit hilariously flawed. There are vagaries even with this simple formula, of course: MSRP for vehicles can change at a moment's notice, to say nothing of the bottom-line shifting that happens with local deals or showroom negotiation. For this list we're running with the straight MSRP wherever possible, and as recently reported as we can get it. All the vehicles on this list are 2017 models, and all trims are reported where the lowest price and differing power levels intersect. Some choices were made for personal preference and some for sanity, avoiding things like all 48 trim levels of the Ford Transit, all with the same horsepower). If this list were a simple top ten, or even a top fifty, you'd be bored to tears with all the red, white and blue that is represented. Following perfectly with conventional wisdom, American cars really do lead the world where hp/$ is concerned. So, for the sake of variety (and the sheer joy of seeing a minivan 'win' one round of this thing) I've sorted out some top five and bottom five lists for broad power categories. Let's dive in. Less Than 100 Horsepower Okay, okay, this is hardly a category we'll grant you. But we've often tried to click off all the sub-100-hp cars on sale in the US, and making this list gave us an excuse. It also illustrates that none of these smallish vehicles bring cheap horsepower to the table - for that you'll need a motorcycle. The segment-leading Chevy Spark (above) asks just over $139 for each hp, and that Smart Fortwo Electric Drive has hp on sale for about the same price as its very distant family cousin, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG (insert your favorite Smart joke here... we know you want to).

High-end Bentley Bentayga Apex adds weight-saving carbon goodies, plus nice pinstripes

  Bentley is going on a carbon binge, by introducing the Bentayga Apex Edition, developed by its in-house Mulliner bespoke division and advertised as the Ñ’most dynamic-looking and driving Bentayga ever.Ò’ What’s novel about this crossover, which will be limited globally to only 20 units, is its reliance down low on lighter-weight carbon: 22-inch carbon rims that save a significant six kilograms each in unsprung mass over the standard items. And slotted behind those wheels, a set of carbon silicon discs, which Bentley says can offer improved braking performance, survive temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees, and shave another 20 kilos of weight compared to iron rotors. By employing weight reduction materials, the luxury British brand claims the Apex models achieve improved steering agility — that a carbon wheel does not flex on the road — as well as better braking response and less tire wear. As far as fashion elements for the limited-edition Apex, well-heeled customers will be able to choose from six ‘curated themes by Mulliner,” including Extreme Silver with Beluga stripe and Signal Yellow pinstripes, Pale Brodgar with Anthracite stripe and Bacalar bronze pinstriping, and Alpine Green with matching stripe and orange pinstripe. WeÂ’re especially enticed by Theme 1, comprised of an exterior in Candy Red satin, with a livery of Anthracite and Arctic White stripe and pinstripes in Arctic White. Bentley describes the interior thusly: “Arctic White main hide and Hotspur secondary hide are complemented by Arctic White contrast stitching and seat piping. This contrast colour can also be found framing the satin carbon fibre fascia and waistrails.” Design aside, the Apex Edition is based on the Bentayga S, which houses a 550-horsepower twin-turbo V8 with a top speed of 180 mph, with rear axle steering and active anti-roll technology. Most drivers would probably be satisfied with the common S model, which retails at a starting price of about $220,000. No pricing or availability for the Apex editions have yet been announced.