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New Bentley Continental GT3 race car looks beautiful and brutal

Bentley has been building and racing GT3-class versions of the Continental GT since about 2013. As such, it's really no surprise that Bentley would create one based on the newest Continental GT, as seen above. Still, we're glad to see it, especially because it looks really mean, and better than the outgoing racer. Part of the design improvements are due simply to the new road car's looks. The lower, wider grille, and tidier, less bulbous tail do a lot to make the race car look much lower and more aggressive than the old car. But the racing-specific bodywork is cleaner and more aggressive, too. Large overfenders are fitted both front and rear, and they each have integrated intake vents at the leading and trailing edges. The openings at the front of the front fenders are curved such that they look a bit like angry eyebrows. The rear diffuser looks better integrated with the body now, rather than simply lurking behind a cut-down rear bumper. The big wing with outboard supports is also impressive. Performance-wise, there likely won't be a major difference between this and the outgoing car. It seems power is down a bit to over 550 horsepower rather than over 600 horsepower. Curb weight is estimated to be under 1,300 kg, which is about 2,866 pounds. That's also similar to the old car. Power also continues to come from a twin-turbocharged V8 sending power to the rear wheels. This is a sharp contrast to the road car's twin-turbocharged W12 sending power to all four wheels. For any enterprising racers looking to trade to a new car or get into a GT3, Bentley will begin selling the new Continental GT3 next June. Pricing has not been announced. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Bentley Continental GT3 race car Image Credit: Bentley Motorsports Bentley Coupe Racing Vehicles bentley continental gt3

Lamborghini could be sold or spun off from the Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen is reportedly considering a sale or stock listing for its high-end Lamborghini brand. The German automaker is looking to fold the Italian supercar brand into a separate legal entity, reports Bloomberg, which cites "people familiar with the matter" who don't want to be identified "because the deliberations are confidential and no decisions have been made." Any of this sound familiar? The goal of spinning off Lamborghini would be to stockpile more cash and other resources for VW's massive planned push into electric vehicles. Back in March, reports circulated that Volkswagen's "Vision 2030" corporate plan might include plans to focus on the brand's core brands — VW, Audi and Porsche. That means the futures of fringe players like Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti, motorcycle brand Ducati and design firm Italdesign (and note this isn't a comprehensive list of brand's under the expansive VW Group umbrella) are up in the air. VW, according to the report, is targeting a market value of $220 billion, which is a big jump from the brand's current $89 billion valuation. Bloomberg pegged Lamborghini's valuation at around $11 billion back in August, buoyed by sales and profits generated by the introduction of the Urus sport utility vehicle. On the flip side, Lamborghini is currently grappling with how best to update its supercar lineup in the face of ever-increasing emissions regulations.

Weekly Recap: Geneva's splendor reflects growing demand for ultra-luxury cars

Geneva is one of the most glittering auto shows in the world, but the list of high-powered and bespoke luxury cars was decadent this year even by the rich standards of the Swiss exhibition. It's great for enthusiasts to revel in the flame-throwing Aston Martin Vulcan, the racing-inspired elegance of the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept and the insane performance of the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce, but there's a reason for all of this opulence: the luxury market is big business. And it's growing. IHS Automotive forecasts that so-called ultra-premium sales will nearly triple this decade from 123,000 to 353,000 units around the world. The estimate includes brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce, but doesn't count BMW, Mercedes and Audi, which offer less expensive models in addition to their high-end flagships. Though IHS includes Porsche and its relatively large volume in the study, the ultra-premium segment is still set grow at about the same rate, even without the German automaker's figures. So what is propelling all of this growth in the most expensive segment of the auto industry? Put simply, there's more rich people. IHS Automotive principal analyst Tim Urquhart pointed to economic expansion in China, market recovery in the United States and a surge in the lucrative technology sector as contributing factors. This dovetails with a research report by UK-based Oxfam, an international relief organization, which found the world's richest one-percent owned 48 percent of global wealth in 2014, and it's expected to increase to more than 50 percent by 2016. View 17 Photos Carmakers are moving quickly to capitalize with new products, expanding their portfolios with low-volume speedsters like the 800-hp V12 Vulcan at Geneva, and plans to enter new segments, like Rolls-Royce's strategy to make an SUV. "Ultra-premium carmakers are looking to explore ways of growing their product offerings, and thus their bottom lines, in this most potentially profitable of segments," Urquhart wrote in a report on the Geneva show. In a nutshell, there are more choices for people with more money. It's a good time to have expensive taste. Other News & Notes 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata production launches It won't be long now. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata arrives later this year, and it's officially in production. Mazda announced this week that the roadster began rolling off the assembly line at its Ujina factory in Hiroshima, Japan.