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Bentley creates buzz with 'flying bees,' enters honey business

Bentley’s Crewe factory has bees now. Yes, itÂ’s the same Bentley as the one youÂ’re thinking of. TheyÂ’re called “flying bees.” WeÂ’ll hand it to Bentley, thatÂ’s a solid name. This means the British luxury car maker is officially getting into the honey business. We joke, but there will definitely be Bentley-branded honey as a by-product of this nature venture. The bee announcement came in a press release. In total, Bentley is adding 120,000 honey bees to live in two massive (Bentley-branded) hives. Bentley says that amount of bees is capable of producing about 33 pounds of honey per year, which Bentley claims is about 50 jars worth. How much will a jar of Bentley honey cost? Considering how exclusive itÂ’ll be, we imagine itÂ’s more than you can afford, pal. Onwards to the real reason Bentley is doing this. ItÂ’s part of a biodiversity initiative Bentley continues to work toward. “Bee populations are in decline in the U.K., so installing two hives to help boost biodiversity is a great way to make use of the grassland at the edge of the site. Our ‘flying beesÂ’ are honey bees that have been bred by local beekeepers with over 50 yearsÂ’ experience. With their help, weÂ’re checking on them every week and itÂ’s great to see that theyÂ’re already starting to produce the first Bentley honey,” Bentley said in a statement. The hives were installed far from the actual manufacturing facility on site, so you likely wonÂ’t be met with any unexpected guests upon taking delivery of your Bentley. You might remember that Ford hopped on the bee game first a few years back. Even if itÂ’s a small effort, itÂ’s always cool to see anyone trying to save the bees. We donÂ’t want to be caught in a Black Mirror-like situation with mechanical, autonomous bees doing the work for us after all.

The List: Best of Scenic Drives

The List hosts Jessi Combs and Patrick McIntyre have gone on some incredible scenic drives throughout the series, including a drive through the Italian Alps, a cruise on the Pacific Coast Highway, and winding their way across the Tail of the Dragon. Here's a look back at some of our favorite moments of scenic driving. If you like what you see, stay tuned to watch the full episodes, or click here to go directly to our episode archive and pick out some of your own favorite moments of The List to revisit. The List #0100: Drive the Italian Alps The List #0567: Drive The PCH The List #0011: Drive the Tail of the Dragon Have an RSS feed? Click here to add The List. Click here to subscribe to The List in iTunes. Click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick. Bentley Maserati Porsche Driving Convertible The List Videos Original Video

Bentley introduces relaxation-focused Azure line of cars

A new line of Bentleys is coming, and it’s called the “Azure” line. No, it's not the reintroduction of the old Azure droptop. Similar to “Speed” or “Mulliner,” all Bentley Azure models have a focus, and this time it's comfort and relaxation. Bentley is planning on offering Azure versions of all of its cars, including Bentayga, Bentayga EWB, Flying Spur, Continental GT and Continental GT Convertible. What an Azure model amounts to is a specific set of equipment designed to enhance long journeys, or to make any kind of journey more relaxing. That being the case, every Azure is equipped with the “Front Seat Comfort Specification” that adds 22-way adjustable seats that are heated, cooled, offer six massage programs and adjustable side bolsters. The seats also use BentleyÂ’s “comfort headrests.” To enhance the ride comfort, Bentley specs all Azures with its 48-volt active anti-roll system that can decouple the roll bars to provide an extra-smooth ride. WeÂ’ve found that this system can enhance handling performance in Bentleys with it, too. You might expect it to be standard in Bentleys, but all Azure models tack on the optional Touring Specification that adds a number of driver assistance features. These include adaptive cruise control, lane-following, a traffic-jam assist feature and “Bentley Safeguard” (automatic emergency braking, emergency lane-change assist and more). Basically, the car is stacked with all of the driver assistance systems in an effort to make road trips better. BentleyÂ’s wellness crusade does not end with tech features, though. “To create the Azure range, we consulted with neuroscientists to understand the interrelationship of color, texture, tactility and even scent to create an atmosphere of relaxed serenity,” says Maria Mulder, Head of Color & Trim at Bentley. “When we see pleasing forms, shapes and colors our brains release chemicals such as dopamine that not only make us feel good but are good for our body and sense of wellbeing. Sensory receptors convert physical stimuli in neural activity, creating changes in our brain and nervous system. Every fabric, sound, motion, color and touch continuously impacts our nervous system and the Azure cabin has been finessed accordingly.” All Azure models get “wellness quilting” that is meant to be particularly pleasing to the eye and encourage touch.