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Lamborghini and Bentley may hold off on SUVs so VW can conserve cash

After surveying the European economic scene, Volkswagen may have decided now is not the time to launch utility vehicles with Bentley and Lamborghini badges. Bentley officials say they will continue to push for support for the EXP 9 F and Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelman has said planning for the Urus will continue until VW tells it to stop.
That decision could come on November 23, when VW's board will vote on the company's budget for equipment, factories and vehicles. With VW's sales slowing and the Euro economy slumping further, some industry watchers say the company is more likely to build its cash reserves than to introduce super-expensive luxury SUVs or crossovers.
"Such vehicles are anything but obligatory during a crisis," says Frankfurt-based Equinet AG analyst Tim Schuldt in a new Automotive News Europe story. "Delaying their launch would be no drama but help save costs."

Bentley teases new Flying Spur before Geneva debut

Last time we saw the 2014 Bentley Continental Flying Spur out testing, our only questions about the new car regarded its rear-end styling, and when the car would debut. Well now we know for certain that the car will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, and we're also getting a better idea of what the car will look like thanks to Bentley releasing a brief teaser video.
The easiest-to-spot detail that we see in this Flying Spur video is the car's horizontal taillights - the first such on a Bentley since the 1990s. We can also see that this hyper-luxury sedan will get a more squared-off front end than its Continental GT counterpart. But, from what we can tell, it will receive a similarly laid out interior, including the three-spoke steering wheel.
Scroll down to watch the video, and we've also attached the single-sentence press release in which Bentley promises to reveal more details about the car on February 20.

New 2020 Bentley Bentayga Speed tops out at 190 mph

To the surprise of no one, Bentley is applying the Speed treatment to its SUV offering, the Bentayga, which has become the brand's bestseller. Ever since it first appeared on the 2007 Continental GT, Bentley's Speed variants have denoted higher performance, and the 2020 Bentley Bentayga Speed becomes the top-performing Bentley SUV. It wrings an additional 26 horsepower out of the W12 engine, for a new total of 626 hp.The torque figure of 664 pound-feet (at 1,350 rpm) is unchanged. Those extra ponies are enough to help the new model live up to its billing, with a stated top speed of 190 mph, against 187 mph for the standard W12. With that figure, Bentley claims the mantle of fastest SUV, although Volkswagen Group corporate cousin Lamborghini might have something to say about that, since it claims the same 190-mph V-max for the new Lamborghini Urus. Bentley's factory 0-to-62-mph time is 3.9 seconds, down from 4.1 for the standard Bentayga W12. (That pesky Urus claims 3.6 seconds for the same measure.) Bentley says the W12 engine in the Speed also has a more extroverted exhaust note at start-up and during downshifts. The 48-volt electronic anti-roll system (Bentley Dynamic Ride) is standard. Just as in other Bentaygas, there are four on-road drive modes — and an additional four off-road — with the most aggressive, Sport, recalibrated for Speed duty. The suspension tune is also firmer. As on the V8 and standard W12 models, carbon-ceramic brakes are optional, although there may be a greater call for them here given the Speed's performance capabilities. Visually, the Speed is denoted by darkened front grilles, headlamps, and taillamps. The body also features rocker panel extensions and a liftgate-mounted rear spoiler. Speed-specific 22-inch 10-spoke wheels are available in three finishes. Inside, the Speed debuts Alcantara upholstery (with all-leather a no-cost option), and also features more extensive contrast stitching, illuminated door sill plates, and various "Speed" logos. Both the four- and five-person seating configurations are available. Pricing has not been released, but if you have a need for the Speed, expect to pay more than the $229,100 you'd cough up for a standard W12 Bentayga. Dealers are taking orders now, with U.S. deliveries set to start in the third quarter of 2019. Related Video: