07 Bentley Flying Spur 31k Miles Mulliner Pkg Contrast Stitching Bluetooth 09 on 2040-cars

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Bentley Flying Spur V8 S solves the ultimate First World problem

Here's a First World problem if we've ever seen one: You want to get a Bentley Flying Spur, but you can't decide which engine. Well, Bentley has just made your decision even harder by introducing another new version. But we'll make it easier on you by telling you that this is the one you want. Slotting in between the existing V8 and W12 versions of the four-door Continental is the new Flying Spur V8 S. It packs the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 as the base model, but augmented to 521 horsepower. That puts it on par, as you might have guessed, with the Continental GT V8 S coupe. It also puts it closer to the 500 hp of the standard V8 than the 616 hp of the 12-cylinder model, but with less weight in the nose, it promises to handle better. With 590 pound-feet of torque channeled to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, the middle child of the Flying Spur range will rocket to 60 in just 4.6 seconds – 0.3 quicker than the base model – and top out at 190 miles per hour. Despite weighing nearly 5,500 pounds, though, features like cylinder deactivation and high-pressure direct injection mean it will still travel for 520 miles before needing to top up and return as much as 20 miles per gallon on the highway by our own EPA standards. Of course it's a Bentley, and it encompasses all the pampering luxury and status-symbol clout associated with the badge. But if you're looking for the luxury sedan you can push through the corners and rocket down the highway – and have the means to acquire one – your new ride may have just arrived. Look for it to make its debut mere weeks from now at the Geneva Motor Show. BENTLEY FLYING SPUR V8 S: THE SPORTING SIDE OF LUXURY - World's most refined V8 performance sedan gets even more power and torque - Outputs increase to 528 PS and 680 Nm; 0-100 km/h time just 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 306 km/h - Revised suspension offers improved body control and handling without sacrificing comfort - Black radiator grille, rear diffuser and new grille insert give V8 S a dramatic and purposeful appearance - Unique exterior colours and interior trim options - New Flying Spur V8 S makes debut at Geneva International Motor Show, 1 to 13 March (Crewe, 17 February 2016) Bentley Motors is today announcing the introduction of a new model to its range – the Flying Spur V8 S.

Pre-Race notes from the 2015 Nurburgring 24-Hours

Autoblog has come to the German countryside to watch the Nurburgring 24-Hour race, and just one day in, we have to say it's outstanding. Le Mans has been the highlight of our summer racing schedule for the past few years, the 'Ring 24-Hour event being the appetizer we always skipped. Earlier this year, however, while visiting Miami to check out the Cigarette Racing 50 Marauder GT S, we met Scott Preacher. He oversees digital marketing for both Cigarette and AMG during the week, then comes to Germany to compete in the VLN race series on the weekends, driving an Aston Martin Vantage GT4 for Team Mathol. If Le Mans is the Oscars of endurance racing, the Nurburgring 24-Hour race is the Screen Actors Guild award – the one voted on by the actors, for the actors. In this case it's the race by the teams and fans, for the teams and fans, even though the increasing manufacturer presence has altered the team equation. We were told that it wasn't so long ago that true privateers could win the overall, but that's not really the case anymore. Front-running teams have heavy factory involvement – Audi Sport Team Phoenix, for instance, which finished in first and third last year, has its own 'Ring race center and is running the 2016 R8; Aston Martin is represented by Aston Martin Racing and Aston Martin Test Center, and Bentley has a Bentley Motors team and uses HPT to run another team. The fan component hasn't changed, though, and you can't talk about the race for more than 60 seconds before someone brings up the battalions of spectators. Every driver we spoke to cited them as the most incredible part of this race after the track itself. It feels to us like a giant German Sebring, with thousands of people camped out in the ginormous, forested infield, many of whom have been here since Monday erecting their ornate camping compounds. There will be parties everywhere Saturday night, and so much bratwurst on the grill that the drivers can smell it when as they're blasting full speed through Wehrseifen. Even when we drove a Mercedes S63 AMG Coupe on a lap before the race, the fans waved like it was a competition. Scott Preacher's Australian co-driver Robert Thompson said, "You come around a corner and it's like you're driving full speed through the middle of a carnival." The race field itself could also be called a carnival, with an officially invited field of more than 170 cars. Even on a track that's 24.4-km long, that's like racing on the 405 at midday.

Volkswagen might cut 40 models across brands to save cash

Volkswagen once set out to pass Toyota and General Motors and become the largest automaker in the world. Following months of fallout from the diesel emissions scandal, the manufacturer is rumored to be dropping around 40 models from its company-wide lineup. According to German business and finance publication Handelsblatt, the Volkswagen Group is looking to slim down and remove a number of low-volume vehicles from various lineups. The company currently sells around 340 models across brands that include Audi, Lamborghini, and Bentley. Volkswagen is refusing to comment, but Handelsblatt claims to have sources within the company. Last week, Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Muller announced a new strategy for the company that includes a major focus on electric vehicles and new technology services. During his announcement, Muller said the company would be cutting a number of models, but at the time no numbers, models, or brands were discussed. Despite comments to the contrary, rumors have persisted since late last year that Volkswagen was looking to sell commercial truck and bus manufacturer MAN. Volkswagen owns truck and bus manufacturer Scania, so even if it dropped MAN, the company would still have a foothold within the bus and truck market. There is also talk of the company selling Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, which Volkswagen acquired via Audi in 2012. The company's image has taken a huge hit in the wake of the diesel scandal. Volkswagen has set aside cash in order to pay fines and may be looking to sell these several subsidiaries and cut low-volume models in order offset the costs. Despite the scandal, the company led worldwide sales in the first quarter of 2016. The same was true in 2015, but sales tanked at the end of the year following the diesel revelations. Related Video: Rumormill Audi Bentley Volkswagen Ducati