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40+ cars that barely avoid the gas guzzler tax

The Gas Guzzler schedule, with mpg ratings and charges that haven't changed since 1991, lays out which fuel-swillers owe what to Uncle Sam.
I started thinking about the "Gas Guzzler Tax" - considerably less well known as The Energy Tax Act of 1978 - when I was driving Dodge's new Challenger SRT Hellcat last week. Unsurprisingly for a car that can burn 1.5 gallons of gas per minute at max tilt, theoretically able to empty a full tank of premium in about 13 minutes, the Hellcat will be subject to the Gas Guzzler Tax schedule when it goes on sale.

Bentley targets audiophiles with custom Continental at CES

Bentley brought a unique version of its Continental GT V8 S to CES this year, packing a unique sound system crafted by the audio trendsetters at Monster. And with it, Bentley's Mulliner customization department outfitted the luxury status symbol in singular style. The Monster by Mulliner features 16 speakers and 3,400 watts of aural stimulation for an in-car audio system not offered for production. In addition to the surround sound system, Mulliner decked the Conti out in Onyx black with red accents and gloss black wheels hiding red brake calipers. The interior features a custom 3D laser-etched dashboard panel and piano black trim as well as specific embroidery and tread plates. It even has a pair of 24-karat gold wireless headphones housed in a special compartment inside. The result is a decidedly different take on the ubiquitous luxury car than the stone veneer panels that Mulliner most recently announced. Bentley suggests in the statement below that the Monster by Mulliner will be offered as a limited edition, "designed to appeal to young professional athletes and musicians." It's certainly not for the timid, but we wouldn't be surprised to see them popping up in music videos and the parking lots outside stadiums in the near future. Related Video: BENTLEY AND MONSTER DEBUT "MONSTER BY MULLINER" CONTINENTAL GT V8 S FEATURING PURE MONSTER SOUND AT CES 2016 IN LAS VEGAS - Handcrafted by Bentley's Mulliner Division and inspired by Monster - Spectacular limited production vehicle designed to appeal to young professional athletes and musicians (Crewe / Las Vegas, NV, January 6 2016) Monster, the world leader in high-performance audio, has teamed up with Bentley Motors' bespoke coach-building division, Mulliner, to create a stunning and uniquely Monster-inspired "Monster by Mulliner," which makes its debut at CES 2016. The show-stopping Bentley Continental GT V8 S, which reflects Monster's attitude of "Always Lead, Never Follow," is designed to appeal to the target market of young professionals and movers and shakers in sports and music. The "Monster by Mulliner" Continental GT V8 S is a bespoke vehicle that will inspire those who want a ride with a bold look and incredible audio performance designed by Monster. Monster's latest innovations in audio technology bring the power of today's music into this Bentley's luxurious cabin.

Bentley confirms SUV for 2016

It looks like the addition of a Royal Baby isn't the only big news coming out of the UK this week. Bentley has ended all of the will they/won't they speculation by confirming today that it will produce an SUV. Earmarked to go on sale in 2016, the as-yet unnamed Bentley SUV will help create an extra 1,000 jobs in the UK.
While no concrete details have been released, Bentley says that it will be the "most luxurious and most powerful SUV" on the market. Past rumors have indicated that the SUV could look completely different from the 2012 EXP 9 F Concept shown above, be renamed the Falcon and offer options like a plug-in hybrid version and three-row seating. To prepare for a fourth model in its lineup, Bentley will be investing 800 million British pounds (around $1.2 billion USD) into its Crewe headquarters and production lines over the next three years. Scroll down for Bentley's press release officially confirming the new SUV.