2012 Bentley Continental Flying Spur. Beluga With Saffron. on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Autoblog Minute: New Civic, FCA UAW Agreement, Frankfurt

FCA reaches a tentative agreement with the UAW, Honda reveals the all-new 2016 Civic, and the Frankfurt Motor Show dazzles us again. Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore reports on the Weekly Recap edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] FCA reaches a tentative agreement with the UAW, Honda reveals the all-new 2016 Civic, and the Frankfurt Motor Show dazzles us again. I'm senior editor Greg Migliore and this is your Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. FCA reached a tentative labor agreement with UAW leadership. The major focus of the new deal reportedly includes: the eventual elimination of the two-tier pay scale [00:00:30] and pooling worker health care. Now that a leadership agreement is in place, the deal will be sent to FCA's rank-and-file. FCA has about 36,000 hourly employees. We got a first look at the interior and exterior of the 10th-generation Civic. Honda expects the new sedan to dominate the C-segment when it hits dealerships later this fall. Civic coupe, five-door hatchback, Si and Type R will all come later. The 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show is in the books and there was a lot of news to get excited about. [00:01:00] Porsche introduced a fully electric concept car in the Mission E. If they make this car, Porsche could give Tesla nightmares. We also saw SUVs from Jaguar and Bentley. There were two beautiful Italian convertibles from Ferrari and Lamborghini. Meanwhile, Mercedes introduced a concept of their own in the IAA - a vehicle that experiments with adaptable aerodynamics. Those are the highlights from the week that was. Be sure to check out my full recap this Saturday. Plus we'll have some added insight on General Motors' deal to [00:01:30] avoid federal prosecution. For Autoblog, I'm Greg Migliore. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. UAW/Unions Frankfurt Motor Show Bentley Chrysler Ferrari Honda Jaguar Lamborghini Mercedes-Benz Porsche Rolls-Royce Tesla Convertible SUV Concept Cars Electric Supercars Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video porsche mission e concept

2016 Bentley Continental GT First Drive [w/video]

I'm standing at the edge of a cliff, speechless. I'm looking at the Trollstigen – a serpentine pass with 11 hairpin turns, running down the side of a mountain in western Norway. I've seen this road before in photos, but in person, I'm both giddy and in awe. The pavement looks like haphazardly draped garland on this perfect bit of sculpted land. The Trollstigen ("Trolls' Path" in English) is a huge tourist attraction, and I can see why. But I'm about to have way more fun than the pedestrians who made their way to the summit in buses and shuttles. I'm going to drive this road. In a Bentley. The crew in Crewe claim their Continental GT is the finest grand tourer in the world. And along the Trollstigen, not to mention the other winding roads in western Norway, that's easy to believe. The Continental is big and beautiful. It's supremely comfortable. It has everything a driver or passenger could ask for. And good golly, is it powerful. Bentley introduced the Continental GT in 2003, with a second generation arriving in 2011. For better or worse, the changes for 2016 are minor. This isn't an all-new Conti, rather a light refresh in order to bolster what the big Bentley already does well. I'm not sure if these updates – particularly the front fascia – improve upon the original formula. The most obvious change for 2016 is the front bumper. It's been restyled to incorporate more aggressive fenders and a lower air intake that spans the full width of the car. Around back, there's a subtle lip spoiler built into the deck lid. V8 S and Speed models get a new rear diffuser. Fancy new side vents are present on all models, with a big metallic "B" shape. Finally, new 20- and 21-inch wheel options are available, including attractive directional alloys available on GT Speed models. But I'm not sure if these updates – particularly the front fascia – improve upon the original formula. Less obvious are the interior updates. There are new colors, as well as a straight-fluting pattern on the seats (GT Speed models get a super luxurious quilted pattern). LED lights accent the cabin. The lighting in the instrument panel and on the center stack is brighter and more crisp. You can get WiFi in the car, and can connect up to eight devices at once. But these improvements don't fix longstanding grievances with the Continental interior. For starters, the infotainment system is horrendously outdated and slow to respond.

2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid is less efficient on the highway than V8 version

Official EPA fuel-economy ratings are out for the 2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, the luxury brand’s first electrified offering, and they donÂ’t exactly bathe the crossover in a green light. As spotted by Green Car Reports, the plug-in performs worse on the highway than its V8-powered combustion sibling. The EPA rated the Bentayga Hybrid as delivering 18 miles in all-electric range, which is two miles more than Bentley previously touted, and a combined 19 miles per gallon in hybrid mode, which is indeed the most efficient of the three Bentayga versions offered. ItÂ’s rated at 17 mpg city and 21 on the highway. By contrast, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 version of the luxury crossover offers just 17 mpg combined, yet it delivers 23 mpg on the highway. Its overall EPA-rated highway range also beats the Hybrid, at 518 miles to 430 miles on a full charge and tank. The Bentayga Hybrid combines a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and a 94 kilowatt electric motor that also functions as a generator. The system combines for 443 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, with a 5.2-second 0-60 mph time. It sends that through an eight-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels. Curb weight is a hefty 5,709 pounds. Base price starts at $160,000. The V8, by comparison makes 542 hp, nearly 100 more ponies, and 568 lb-ft, with a 0-60 mph of 4.4 seconds. It will set you back $171,025. At any rate, both versions are well below the 27 combined mpg of the average 2020 vehicle, according to the EPA. The HybridÂ’s fuel economy ratings suggest that buyers may be motivated less by concerns about carbon footprint than conveying the appearance of having those concerns. Bentley has said its first full electric vehicle will be a dedicated model that will arrive in 2025 at the earliest, and possibly with a solid-state battery pack. Related Video: