Used 2012 Bentley Gtc Beluga on 2040-cars

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Lamborghini, Bentley recalling models with carbon-ceramic brakes

An issue involving carbon-ceramic brakes has prompted Lamborghini and Bentley to recall certain models so equipped. The problem, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, revolves around the stainless steel screws that secure the brake rotors, which are prone to corrosion when exposed to salty conditions.
The recall affects 2007-2009 Lamborghini Gallardo coupes and Spyders, 2006-2010 Murcielago coupes and Roadsters and 2007-2011 Bentley Continental GTs, GTCs and Flying Spurs. All in all, some 1,136 vehicles are subject to the recall in the United States, including 263 Gallardos, 404 Murcielagos and 469 Continentals. The fix seems simple enough, with local Lamborghini and Bentley dealers replacing the problematic screws with new ones. The recall follows two notices recently issued for Audis as well. For further details, see the trio of recall notices below.

New Bentley Continental GT debuts next month with hybrid power

Bentley has a new Continental GT coming next month, but it won’t arrive with the gas-only 8- or 12-cylinder engines seen in years past. The fourth-generation car will get BentleyÂ’s new Ultra Hybrid Performance powertrain, a plug-in hybrid system that delivers big power from a V8 combined with an electric motor. The automaker claims 771 horsepower and around 738 pound-feet of torque from the electrified powertrain, saying that it will make the new GT “the most powerful and most dynamically capable Bentley road car in the companyÂ’s 105-year history.” For reference, the current GTÂ’s W12 engine produces 650 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, propelling the car to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The current V8 makes 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. Bentley didnÂ’t give acceleration numbers for the new model, but with more than 100 additional horsepower and more than 70 extra pound-feet of torque over the W12, it should be noticeably quicker. Bentley also claims the Continental GT will have 50 miles of electric-only range and carbon dioxide emissions of under 50 grams per kilometer. Power will continue to go through all four wheels along with torque vectoring and an electronic limited-slip differential. Bentley will also include more trick features such as four-wheel steering and its 48-volt electronic active anti-roll control. The automaker may continue offering a gas V8 as an entry point to the line, but hasn't confirmed it either way. The Continental GT comprises a third of BentleyÂ’s overall sales, with almost 100,000 units sold in its more than 20-year run on the market. That popularity is reflected in the number of GT variants Bentley offers, though we donÂ’t yet know how and where the hybrid will be positioned in the GT catalog. Prices will likely climb a bit to start around $250,000 and could reach the mid-$300,000 range at the top.  

Queen Elizabeth II was a longtime automotive enthusiast

Since driver's licenses, license plates, and passports were issued in her own name, Queen Elizabeth II didn't need them to drive and travel. She started combining the two just before she turned 19, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) transport division in 1945 for vehicle mechanic training. She wanted to help the British effort during World War II and would drive an ambulance — one that, theoretically, she could also fix if it broke down. The war ended before she graduated as an Honorary Junior Commander, the other ATS members dubbing her Princess Auto Mechanic. We donÂ’t know if she got under the hoods of the many official state vehicles and the far more numerous unofficial fleet in the royal garages, but she was still driving herself around England as late as this year. Here is a tiny selection of royal conveyances used during her 70-year reign. Gold State Coach (1762) True, she never drove this one, but a tour of every royal garage should start with the coach. King George III commissioned Samuel Butler to build it in 1760. Butler spent two years on the gilded carriage 24 feet long and more than 12 feet high. The quarters are suspended from the frame by leather straps, so occupants get tossed about even during a slow stroll, which is as fast as the eight Windsor Gray horses can pull it. It wasnÂ’t until the 1900s that King George VI rubberized the wooden wheels. Word is the queen didnÂ’t like it.   1953 Land Rover Series 1 Land Rover gave Queen ElizabethÂ’s father, King George VI, the 100th example of the 80 Series off the line in 1948. She picked up the Landie habit for herself five years later, when a 1953 Series 1 with a custom 86-inch wheelbase was part of the fleet used for her six-month tour of the Commonwealth in 1953 and 1954. That Land Rover became Ceremonial Vehicle State IV. The models above were built in Australia in 1958 as near copies of the Commonwealth tour vehicle, when Australia decided it wanted six identical versions for royal service. ItÂ’s thought the royal family went through around 30 Land Rover Series cars and Defenders since then, and many of the most common photos of her have her posing in or near one, especially the 2002 Defender built just for her. The royal family isnÂ’t finished with them, either: A current Defender 110 served as a luggage hauler for family members headed to Balmoral Castle during the queenÂ’s final days.