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Bentley one-off limo to feature at Buckingham Palace Coronation Festival

Probably the only time a Bentley Mulsanne could come off as somewhat ordinary is when it shares a driveway with the Bentley State Limousine built for Queen Victoria. That's exactly what's going to happen during the Coronation Festival happening in the Buckingham Palace Gardens from July 11-14, where Bentley will show both cars and more.
Outside of the sedans and a few others Bentley is bringing to the festival, the brand from Crewe will provide a glimpse at what goes in them. An outdoor display of "bespoke" craftsmanship will have specialists from the factory demonstrating how to cross-stitch a steering wheel and how to make cross-banded veneers.
There's a press release below with more information, and the queen's car show awaits you later this week.

Top horsepower-per-dollar cars in 2017

Bang for the buck. That quasi-scientific statistic is bandied about by motor heads everywhere from classrooms to barrooms, though the truth of the matter is that it's exceedingly complex to measure. A fair performance-per-dollar index would include something like cross-referencing MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) with point-to-point times on a track or driving route, which is obviously hard to do comprehensively. But, for the sheer joy of talking about cars and playing with a big spreadsheet, there's always the horsepower-per-dollar index, which is more straightforward, albeit hilariously flawed. There are vagaries even with this simple formula, of course: MSRP for vehicles can change at a moment's notice, to say nothing of the bottom-line shifting that happens with local deals or showroom negotiation. For this list we're running with the straight MSRP wherever possible, and as recently reported as we can get it. All the vehicles on this list are 2017 models, and all trims are reported where the lowest price and differing power levels intersect. Some choices were made for personal preference and some for sanity, avoiding things like all 48 trim levels of the Ford Transit, all with the same horsepower). If this list were a simple top ten, or even a top fifty, you'd be bored to tears with all the red, white and blue that is represented. Following perfectly with conventional wisdom, American cars really do lead the world where hp/$ is concerned. So, for the sake of variety (and the sheer joy of seeing a minivan 'win' one round of this thing) I've sorted out some top five and bottom five lists for broad power categories. Let's dive in. Less Than 100 Horsepower Okay, okay, this is hardly a category we'll grant you. But we've often tried to click off all the sub-100-hp cars on sale in the US, and making this list gave us an excuse. It also illustrates that none of these smallish vehicles bring cheap horsepower to the table - for that you'll need a motorcycle. The segment-leading Chevy Spark (above) asks just over $139 for each hp, and that Smart Fortwo Electric Drive has hp on sale for about the same price as its very distant family cousin, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG (insert your favorite Smart joke here... we know you want to).

2023 Bentley Bentayga Cupholder Mega Test: Will the Nalgene bottle fit?

The Bentley Bentayga is impressive in its extravagance, and the extended-wheelbase Azure First Edition is even more so. Unique styling, extremely high-quality materials, extra rear legroom and opulent seating make this expensive SUV a sublime place to spend time, whether behind the wheel or as a passenger. And while the Bentley might seem better suited to one of those water bottles with an energy-focusing crystal energy inside (yes, it's a thing), capaciousness holds a luxury all its own. So, can the Bentayga EWB accommodate what is truly the finest decanter for beverages on the go, the traditional 32-ounce Nalgene water bottle? Damned if I wasn't going to find out while the Bentley was in my driveway. The primest real estate is, of course, the front cupholders, so let's start there. It's hard to be disappointed, as something about sitting in the Bentayga's driver seat is a natural balm for the soul, but warm feelings won't make our Nalgene fit where we'd like it. Let's try the doors next. It fits there just fine, and we have to say, the azure color of my Nalgene's sturdy, BPA-free plastic looks quite nice against the car's gray and lavender leather. So how about the folks sitting in business class? As is often the case, the rear cupholders suffer the same constraints as the ones up front. The Nalgene won't fit there, but maybe the doors? These generous pockets again provide a place for these big bottles. But there's one more spot in this Bentley to stash a fifth Nalgene. Just in front of the rear cupholders is a cubby that opens up. It's big enough to fit a Nalgene, but not big enough to close the lid over it. It wouldn't be a terrible place to temporarily hold your bottle while actively hydrating, then place it back out of the way in the door pocket once your thirst is quenched. Have a closer look in the video below. If the Bentayga is a little rich for your taste, you can see how the Nalgene fares in the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Toyota 4Runner or the upcoming Volkswagen ID.7 electric sedan.