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VW, Mobileye to bring new automated tech to series production

Volkswagen will bring new automated driving technologies to series production as it deepens its partnership with Mobileye in automotive driving technologies, Europe's biggest carmaker said on Wednesday. Israeli automotive tech company Mobileye will provide driving assistance software based on its SuperVision and Chauffeur platforms to VW's luxury brands such as Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche. The technologies, which later will be integrated by VW's software unit Cariad, include assistance systems for highway and urban driving, such as automated overtaking on multilane highways, automatic stopping at red lights and stop signs, and support in intersections and roundabouts. "New automated driving functions will significantly boost convenience and safety," VW Chief Executive Oliver Blume said. Mobileye is also set to supply further automated driving software to Volkswagen's commercial vehicles unit. In future, the German carmaker aims to rely on its own complete in-house software system. (Reporting by Christoph Steitz, writing by Andrey Sychev, Editing by Miranda Murray and Madeline Chambers)

Bentley Speed Six Continuation Series revealed at Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Bentley Continuation series of cars is … continuing. Today, Bentley unveiled the Speed Six Continuation Series at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This follows the series of 12 Bentley Blower Continuation models, but apologies youÂ’re only hearing about the new series now, as the 12 Speed Six units are already spoken for. Bentley says it regards the Speed Six as its most successful race car ever because it dominated Le Mans both in 1929 and again in 1930. Just like the Blower, the Speed Six will be built using the same processes as the original car by BentleyÂ’s bespoke and coachbuilding division, Mulliner. Bentley has 80% of the carÂ’s original drawings and is supplementing this knowledge with original mechanicÂ’s notes and data taken from an original 1930 Le Mans racer and a 1930 Speed Six currently residing in BentleyÂ’s Heritage Collection. The “6 1/2 liter” (as Bentley likes to term it) six-cylinder engine required the creation of over 600 new parts to build, and Bentley says initial dyno testing shows itÂ’s making 205 horsepower, which is 5 horses more than the original race engines were documented to produce. Bentley originally put this engine together as a successor to the Blower motor, as the thinking at the time from W.O. Bentley was that increasing displacement would produce better results than supercharging. Every last detail of the Speed Six Continuation Series is scrutinized to be as authentic as possible to the original. The one youÂ’re looking at in photos here is finished in Parsons Napier Green and features a tan leather interior. A total of five authentic colors will be available for the buyers to choose from, too. The craftspeople building the cars will be working alongside younger folks on purpose in an effort to pass down the skills and techniques used to create such vehicles. Before a single screw is turned, though, Bentley says it will be putting “Car Zero” through a real-world durability program with a goal of over 21,000 miles on the road and nearly 5,000 miles on the racetrack. Will any of the 12 customers ever get close to those figures? It sure would be cool if they did. As for those 12 lucky people who will own one of these Speed Six Continuation Series cars, theyÂ’ll all have custom sessions with the Mulliner team to get their cars customized and built to their specific wants. Each Speed Six will then take 10 months from start to finish to complete, and Bentley thinks production will be completed by the end of 2025.

Bentley says 'emotional sensitivity' slowed sales in 2023

LONDON — British luxury carmaker Bentley on Tuesday reported a lower operating profit for 2023 after a weak economy and high interest rates hit sales, but the company said its performance had stabilized and new launches would boost it in 2024. "We had an uneven performance for the first time in about four years," CEO Adrian Hallmark told reporters. "Even though our customers can still afford our cars... there was a level of emotional sensitivity that slowed down demand." For those who leased rather than bought cars with a starting pre-tax price above 220,000 euros ($238,590), interest rates had led to a tripling in monthly fees last year, Hallmark said. He said the launch of four high-performance hybrids this year should spur sales as the company gears up to launch its first fully electric Bentley in 2026. Bentley is aiming for an all-electric model lineup by 2030, but Hallmark said its hybrids were likely to be on sale after that deadline as the company seeks to ensure a return on its substantial investment. The luxury automaker in January reported an 11% drop in sales for 2023 following a record year in 2022. The British luxury unit of Volkswagen posted an operating profit of 589 million pounds ($748 million) for 2023, down nearly 17% from 708 million pounds in 2022. Revenue was down 13% at 2.94 billion pounds from a year earlier and the company said its profit margin dropped to 20.1% from 20.9% in 2022 because of investments in new vehicles. Earnings/Financials Green Bentley Luxury