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2017 Bentley Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase is for the driven

For the first time since the nameplate was reintroduced as a 2011 model, Bentley will offer the Mulsanne in two lengths. The Extended Wheelbase adds an additional 10 inches to the rear passenger compartment over the standard and Speed models, allowing Bentley to fit a pair of reclining rear seats and a large sunroof into its flagship model. Naturally, this is the Bentley model aimed at buyers who would rather not drive themselves, preferring to be chauffeured. That doesn't describe the average Autoblogger, but for those who do fall into that camp, here's what you should know. View 8 Photos It's coming to America. Although the Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase will be aimed mostly at the Asian market, it will come to the United States. Most Americans would rather drive than be driven, which means the long-wheelbase model will be imported from England in very small numbers and quite likely as a limited edition. For such a simple idea, the execution is complicated. Every Bentley Mulsanne is hand-assembled by a skilled team of craftsmen. That doesn't change for the Extended Wheelbase, but it does add some new complexity to the build process. All three Mulsanne models roll down the same line in Crewe, meaning workers have to be trained in the differences of each model. This is true at most plants, but the assembly of a Mulsanne is a rather different process than a Mustang. In addition to the extra length, all Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase models get optional folding tables for both rear passengers. These are beautiful works of art, and the engineering behind them is almost unbelievable. Each tray table is made from 600 individual parts. Yes, you read that correctly. We're not sure how Bentley managed to over-engineer these baubles so thoroughly, but we suggest that you treat the metal and leather creations with respect. But it's also very comfortable. Those tray tables can tilt at about a 30-degree angle, which is perfect for displaying content on an electronic device. The center console that holds them when not in use is unique to the Extended Wheelbase, and it's covered in the same veneer and leather that the buyer selects for the rest of the car. USB ports, pen holders, and cup holders designed specifically to hold two of the three crystal flutes in the fridge between the seats, and a glass-covered bin make the console as useful as possible.

Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept is our first, maybe best, 2015 Geneva surprise [w/video]

Legend has it that Ettore Bugatti once referred to the machines from Bentley as "the world's fastest lorries." While a lot has changed in Crewe over the years, the company's status as a maker of big, heavy, bruising GT cars has carried on. Then the 2015 Geneva Motor Show arrived, and Bentley dropped the EXP 10 Speed 6. First and foremost, it's a two-seater, rather than a 2+2, like so many Bentley coupes before. It's svelte and curvy, all the while appearing more muscular than any other Bentley has been in a long time. Certain Bentley styling trademarks, like the way the huge rear haunches feed over the rear wheels and into the profile and egg-crate grille (complete with heritage-inspired "6" logo) are there, but there's so much new here. The powerful scooped hood, pert rear end and massive ducts behind the front wheels are decidedly more aggressive than what we've come to expect from Bentley, while the slim rear taillights are a different take on the units found on the Continental GT. The headlights, meanwhile, carry on the look of modern Bentleys, but feature a beautifully intricate design in the main lamp. The outer pair of lights, meanwhile, look like a mix of accent and fog lights. One of the biggest complaints about modern Bentleys is that their interiors are quite antiquated. The materials remain top notch, but the technology is ancient relative to the rest of the auto industry. The EXP 10 Speed 6 finally addresses this, and in grand fashion. A gorgeous leather-wrapped steering wheel is flanked by huge leather and metal paddles, while a digital gauge cluster is a big improvement on the Conti's analog dials. A tablet-like interface crowns the high center console, while a beautiful, fat shifter looks ready to fall right to the driver's hand. We'll have more on the EXP 10 Speed 6 in the coming days. Check out the official images and press release on the new concept, as well as a few Short Cut videos we captured during the car's debut at Volkswagen's sprawling Group Night show, below. EXP 10 SPEED 6 - A VISION OF BENTLEY DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE MAR 2, 2015 Concept for sector-defining two-seater sportscar Futuristic Bentley design, a statement in modern British luxury Potential future model line (Crewe / Geneva, 2nd March 2015) Bentley Motors is showing the future direction of luxury and performance with the EXP 10 Speed 6 at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show.

Coronavirus prompts VW to stop production throughout Europe

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen Group, the world's biggest carmaker, is suspending production at factories across Europe as the coronavirus pandemic hits sales and disrupts supply chains, the company said on Tuesday. The German carmaker, which owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat and Skoda brands, also said that uncertainty about the fallout from coronavirus meant it was impossible to give forecasts for its performance this year. "Given the present significant deterioration in the sales situation and the heightened uncertainty regarding parts supplies to our plants, production is to be suspended in the near future at factories operated by group brands," Chief Executive Herbert Diess said on Tuesday. Volkswagen's powerful works council concluded it was not possible for workers to maintain a safe distance from each other to prevent contagion and recommended a suspension of production at its factories from Friday. Production will be halted at VW's Spanish plants, in Setubal in Portugal, Bratislava in Slovakia and at the Lamborghini and Ducati plants in Italy before the end of this week, Diess said. Most of its other German and European factories will prepare to suspend production, probably for two to three weeks, while Audi said separately it would halt output at its plants in Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Mexico. Volkswagen's vast factories in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Puebla, Mexico, and plants in Brazil were not affected, but that would depend on how the coronavirus spreads, VW said. Volkswagen has 124 production sites worldwide of which 72 are in Europe, with 28 in Germany alone. "2020 will be a very difficult year. The coronavirus pandemic presents us with unknown operational and financial challenges. At the same time, there are concerns about sustained economic impacts," Diess said.   Production in China resumes Volkswagen Group sold 10.96 million vehicles last year, putting it ahead of Toyota based on the latest figures from the Japanese carmaker. Globally, VW employs 671,000 people and it delivered 4.86 million vehicles to European customers in 2019. Only last month the car and truck maker based in Wolfsburg, Germany, predicted that vehicle deliveries this year would match 2019 sales and forecast an operating return on sales in the range of 6.5% to 7.5%. "The spread of coronavirus is currently impacting the global economy. It is uncertain how severely or for how long this will also affect the Volkswagen Group.