2003 Bentley Arnage on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Volkswagen Group previews its wares on eve of Geneva show

The Volkswagen Group is comprised of 11 brands producing 240 vehicles across 49 factories throughout the world. So the best way to show off the range of the VW family is to cram a few thousand journalists and VIPs into a massive makeshift stand to outline the Group's goals, what's in the pipeline and what you'll be able to buy later this year.
To that end, VW pulled out all the stops on the eve of the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, bringing along 10 vehicles from across the range. We'll be delving into the details of each over the next two days of show coverage, but before that happens, you can read all about what we saw tonight from the cheap seats after the break.

Bentley may develop 500-hp, all-electric sports car

At dinner during the recent press launch for the Bentley Bentayga, CEO Wolfgang Durheimer stood up to discuss potential directions for the Bentley brand. One of them could be an all-electric version of the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept first revealed at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, Top Gear reports. According to Durheimer, the Speed 6 concept has received incredible customer response, summed up as, "Stop talking about it and build it." Yet the CEO says Bentley would want to do something even more interesting with the coupe, so an electric powertrain with anywhere from 400 to 500 horsepower is being developed. That's not to say we'll ever see it for sale, but the best minds in the company are working on it. Top Gear says that such a car would probably share innovations developed for the rather lovely Porsche Mission E concept we saw at Frankfurt, resulting in a range of around 300 miles and fast charging capability. Traditional engines would also be developed for those that prefer their Bentleys to play four-stroke combustion notes. The other direction - and if we're wagering we think this one is much more likely - would use the Bentayga platform but be a sharper, edgier take on a crossover. At that same dinner, Durheimer said response to the Bentayga has urged Bentley to increase its sales projections. That makes an even stronger case for the smaller crossover already being considered in January this year and reaffirmed in June. Top Gear thinks that would be an "SUV-coupe" with four doors and more performance. Whichever one gets the nod, it's expected to hit the road in the next three years. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept: Geneva 2015 View 9 Photos News Source: Top GearImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Green Rumormill Bentley Coupe Concept Cars Electric Future Vehicles Luxury Performance bentley bentayga wolfgang durheimer porsche mission e concept bentley crossover bentley exp 10 speed 6

Weekly Recap: Takeaways from the Frankfurt Motor Show

We obsessively covered the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and naturally, we selected our favorites from this fall's biggest automotive event. Now that the dust has settled, we're looking ahead to what it all means. Here are three takeaways from the floor in Frankfurt. The Germans are serious about electric vehicles: It's a bit cliche to say BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have downplayed electrics in favor of other technologies, like diesels. For a time that may have been true, but those three companies, along with Porsche and Volkswagen, are emerging as leaders in EV development. That was on display in Frankfurt, when all of them revealed either all-electric or plug-in hybrid models. Gas prices are relatively low in the United States, but clearly the Germans are thinking long-term and globally. Everyone is serious about SUVs: You gotta have one, even if you're Bentley or Jaguar. It's 2015 and it's what consumers want. As Jaguar design director Ian Callum put it, "Not to be in the sector would be a little naive for the sake of purity." It's not just the flashy exotic luxury makers. Nissan showed the Gripz concept, which is rakish, radical, and meant to blend traits of SUVs and sports cars into a vehicle that really crosses over. Look for more, especially in the luxury sector, as Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin ramp up their own SUV efforts. There's no ceiling to the luxury market: Speaking of high-end cars, companies are continuing to invest in extravagant wares beyond just SUVs. Even during the recession, ultra-luxury makers remained relevant, and now they're back at full stride. In Frankfurt, that was illustrated by yet another S-Class model, the cabriolet, which will come in S550 and S63 AMG variants in the United States. Ferrari also showed off the 488 Spider, and Lamborghini opened up the Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder. Meanwhile, Bugatti's Vision Grand Turismo concept reminded enthusiasts that it's plotting life after the Veyron. European auto shows always draw the glitziest reveals from luxury makers, and this year didn't disappoint. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 Honda Civic redesigned with snazzier style, turbo power The 10th-generation of the Honda Civic debuted this week at events in Los Angeles and Detroit ahead of its launch in the United States this fall as a 2016 model. Honda fortified the Civic with LED lights, an available turbo engine, and a more tech-laden cabin.