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Bentley Continental 24 is for those who find the Supersports too common

Bentley is no stranger to special-edition models. Some are like the Bentayga Falconry by Mulliner, a tasteful rolling tribute to the sport of kings. Others, such as the new Bentley Continental 24, are aimed at a slightly less conservative customer base. The Continental 24, built to commemorate the British automaker's return to the 24 Hours Nurburgring, is big, bright, and slightly less subdued than other Bentleys. As they say, different strokes for different folks. The entire run will be limited to 24 cars, obviously. The full allocation is slated just for Europe, but we're sure with enough cash Bentley can make something similar available stateside. The car is based on the new 700 horsepower Bentley Continental GT Supersports, the fastest road-going Bentley ever. In addition to the horsepower, the Supersports' W12 engine turns out 750 lb-ft of torque and, thanks to the titanium exhaust, enough noise to drown out all the haters at the local country club. The most obvious feature on the Continental 24 is the bright Monaco Yellow or St. James Red over Black Crystal paint scheme, done up similar to the Bentley Team ABT Continental GT3 race cars. The paintwork even carries to the 21-inch forged wheels, with body-matching paint filling the spokes. The exterior is finished with carbon-fiber mirrors, black brake calipers, and black brightware in place of chrome. The two-tone theme carries on inside the Continental 24, with either yellow or red accenting the nearly all black trim and upholstery. Black Alcantara seats are stitched with contrasting diamond patterns. Yellow or red sweep around and flank the cabin. As expected, the headrests are emblazoned with "Continental 24." Unsurprisingly, exclusivity doesn't come cheap. Deliveries begin in July with prices starting at ˆ250,000, or about $280,600. It's probably got a wider appeal than the admittedly niche Bentayga Falconry. Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley Continental 24 View 12 Photos News Source: Bentley Design/Style Motorsports Bentley Coupe Luxury Performance

Take a closer look at the Bentley Bacalar with Top Gear

We haven't returned to the Golden Age of coachbuilding yet — meaning the the century-old, Roaring Twenties process of purchasing a rolling chassis from a manufacturer and delivering it to a design house for one-of-a-kind bodywork. Assuming such artistic reversion is even possible, the emphasis is on the word "yet." Aston Martin announced the formal split of its Q division into three disciplines, Commission for low-volume and one-offs, Collection for precious tweaks to production vehicles, and Accessories for individual pieces. Bentley has made a similar tripartite distinction, and takes us closer to coachbuilding history with creation of the Mulliner Bacalar. In doing so, Bentley adds another super-low-volume, super-dearly-priced piece of hardware to the ranks of such emerging from Europe. Top Gear's Jack Rix stopped by to have a seat in the $1.96-million roadster named after a lake in Mexico and inspired by last year's EXP 100 GT concept.    It looks just as good in the studio as it does in photos. The Yellow Flame that incorporates ash from burned rice husks as an environmentally friendlier means to a metallic effect looks more matte to us, but we have no complaints. A lot of thought and work clearly went into the 22-inch, diamond-cut wheels and their "ninja star" center caps. The infinite detailing inside mixes different finishes for the same materials, including two looks for what Rix dubs "bog wood," and extends to the knurled ends on the steering column stalks. And our opinion is that every Continental needs that ramped console, and at least the option of the sinuous center tunnel lines that create individual storage areas behind the seats for two Schedoni bags. Schedoni, by the way, has made the custom-fitted luggage for Ferrari cars since 1977, and also supplies Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani, and Rolls-Royce. One of the most exquisite points about the Bacalar might be a detail Rix doesn't get into, since the detail concerns the continuation series of the 1929 4.5-litre Blower Bentleys that Mulliner is producing for another 12 clients for the same $1.96M price. As Autocar explains, Bentley Boy Tim Birkin's heel created a depression in the floorboard of Blower #2 that he raced at Le Mans. The continuation cars can be such precise copies that Mulliner will ask Blower buyers if they want that same heel depression and other scuff marks in their floorboards.

Volkswagen decides to keep Lamborghini and Ducati, transfers Bentley to Audi

Investors in the market for a high-end Italian manufacturer that peddles performance will need to keep looking. Volkswagen announced it will hang on to Lamborghini and Ducati in the foreseeable future. Executives in Wolfsburg, Germany, are making far-reaching changes to the Volkswagen Group to reboot it with a big focus on technology. Credible rumors claimed that the people in charge of the carmaker wanted to carve out Lamborghini — which owns Ducati — and ultimately list it, or at least a chunk of it, on the stock market in order to fast-track the group's electrification strategy. Going electric is expensive, so selling Lamborghini would have helped fund the expansion, and high-octane supercars don't easily go hand-in-hand with zero-emissions cars. "Volkswagen needs to change from a collection of valuable brands and fascinating combustion-engine products that thrill customers with superb engineering to a digital company that reliably operates millions of mobility devices worldwide," summed up Herbert Diess, the group's boss, during a September 2020 meeting. His team ultimately decided not to fully divest both brands. It's too early to tell whether part of Lamborghini will be listed on the stock market, as some insiders have suggested, or if those plans are off the table, too. Changes are coming to Bentley as well. While it's not being spun off either, it will fall under the Audi umbrella starting on March 1, 2021. Volkswagen explained linking the two companies will "allow for synergies to be achieved as part of the electrification strategy of the two premium brands," a statement which suggests they will share a growing number of components during the 2020s. Unverified rumors claim that Bentley will notably get its own version of an ultra-luxurious electric SUV code-named Landjet that Audi is currently developing. We've reached out to Bentley for more details, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Bugatti's future wasn't mentioned in the release; unconfirmed reports suggest it will be traded for a stake in Croatian start-up Rimac. Volkswagen's supervisory board also reaffirmed its support for Diess, who was appointed CEO in 2018 and who has played a significant role in the company's transformation. Finally, the board approved the development of what a statement refers to a future leading electric vehicle sold by the Volkswagen brand that will be developed and manufactured in Wolfsburg.