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Here's the Bentley Bentayga actually going off-road

There might not be many opportunities to see a Bentley Bentayga getting dirty off-road, but Bentley is making sure its upcoming crossover can perform capably when off the beaten path. This video demonstrates the Bentayga's all-wheel drive system, and you can see the wheels braking when needed. While the SUV's exterior is covered in cladding, you get an idea of the vehicle's general shape. A small skid plate is also visible underneath. It is not set to go on sale until 2016, but the Bentayga has been spied testing all over the world. Bentley also already offered a good look at the interior. Most recently, the model showed up on the highways around Dubai, likely for hot-weather evaluation. Laps around the Nurburgring should also help keep the SUV relatively light on its feet. With 4,000 interested customers lined up as of earlier this year, the Bentayga should be a success for Bentley. After launch, a diesel V8 version and a plug-in hybrid are reportedly on the way in 2017. Later, a smaller crossover might be in the cards, too. Related Video:

Bentley says 'emotional sensitivity' slowed sales in 2023

LONDON — British luxury carmaker Bentley on Tuesday reported a lower operating profit for 2023 after a weak economy and high interest rates hit sales, but the company said its performance had stabilized and new launches would boost it in 2024. "We had an uneven performance for the first time in about four years," CEO Adrian Hallmark told reporters. "Even though our customers can still afford our cars... there was a level of emotional sensitivity that slowed down demand." For those who leased rather than bought cars with a starting pre-tax price above 220,000 euros ($238,590), interest rates had led to a tripling in monthly fees last year, Hallmark said. He said the launch of four high-performance hybrids this year should spur sales as the company gears up to launch its first fully electric Bentley in 2026. Bentley is aiming for an all-electric model lineup by 2030, but Hallmark said its hybrids were likely to be on sale after that deadline as the company seeks to ensure a return on its substantial investment. The luxury automaker in January reported an 11% drop in sales for 2023 following a record year in 2022. The British luxury unit of Volkswagen posted an operating profit of 589 million pounds ($748 million) for 2023, down nearly 17% from 708 million pounds in 2022. Revenue was down 13% at 2.94 billion pounds from a year earlier and the company said its profit margin dropped to 20.1% from 20.9% in 2022 because of investments in new vehicles. Earnings/Financials Green Bentley Luxury

Bentley Mulsanne 6.75 Edition is the sedan's sendoff into retirement

Bentley is closing the latest Mulsanne chapter with 30 examples the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition by Mulliner, celebrating the 61-year-old V8 that first appeared in the 1959 Bentley S2. Once those 30 cars have been built, the name retires for the second time — after being used on a flagship sedan from 1980 to 1992 — and the Flying Spur takes over as the carmaker's top-tier offering. Starting with the 530-horsepower Mulsanne Speed, the 6.75 Edition adds gloss black and bright chrome jewelry, including a dark tint for the Flying B hood ornament, Mulliner radiator, and exhaust finishers. There are also chrome badges, bright machined faces with black pockets for the 21-inch, five-spoke wheels, and welcome lighting that flashes the special edition name. Under the hood, the normally silver intake cover gets dressed in black, and the engine number plaque bears the signature of brand CEO Adrian Hallmark instead of the engine builder. The interior can be specced in four single-color hides, either Beluga, Fireglow, Imperial Blue, or Newmarket Tan. All are automatically contrasted with silver — silver-painted veneer, silver seat piping and silver sheen that shows through the ventilated thrones, an instrument panel in high-gloss Grand Black, and door trim in Dark Engine Spin Aluminum. Other touches to mark the occasion are ventilation controls designed to look like the engine oil cap, cutaway drawings of the engine on the gauges and clock face, and more 6.75 Edition stitching and badging. The carmaker pointed to the end of the 6.75-liter V8 four years ago, but that was when there were plans for a successor to be powered by a new V12. Times having changed, the Flying Spur will lead the way with its 6.0-liter W12 and 4.0-liter V8 engines sourced from Volkswagen, and a hybrid model coming for 2023.  Bentley didn't mention a price for the Mulsanne 6.75 Edition, because of course. But the 2020 Mulsanne Speed starts at $342,300. Start there and add money.