13 White Sand 4l V8 Twin Turbo Awd *colour Specification *contrast Stitching on 2040-cars

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Bentley Bentayga strips a little more at the Nurburgring

Engineering its first SUV undoubtedly poses a number of challenges for the team at Bentley. It's got to ride cushy enough to satisfy upscale customers, the performance capabilities to live up to its claims, and the off-road chops to keep up with a Range Rover. It's a heck of an occasion to rise to, but the crew from Crewe is hard at work to bring it all together, as you can see from this latest batch of spy shots. Spied entering the Volkswagen Group's test facility at the Nurburgring, this pre-production prototype for the upcoming new Bentayga is still wearing some light camouflage – particularly around the head- and taillights – but looks about ready to hit showrooms. It's even got its brightwork in place. We'll still have to hold on a while longer to see all the finished details, but it's already abundantly clear that Bentley has gone to some lengths to make sure it looks better than the EXP 9 F that first dipped the company's toes in the crossover waters.

Bentley unveils Continental GT ice racer

Bentley has unveiled a new special edition of its Continental GT coupe with photos taken high in the Austrian Alps. On Monday, we were shown teasers of a Conti GT swathed in an eye-popping blue done up to look like an all-wheel-drive backcountry snow eater, and now all has been revealed. This particular Continental GT will be running in livery that pays homage to its fraternal twin, which won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 2019 and shares the same factory-built, twin-turbocharged W12. The 6.0-liter engine offers 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. Bentley says it'll do 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds on the way to a top speed of 207 mph. Bentley says the the car’s three chamber air springs, 48V active anti-roll control system and iron brakes are entrusted with the cool running of the Continental GT on the purpose-built ice track — their pun, not ours.  Going further, a number of clues points toward an off-road-ish variant of the Continental GT. ThereÂ’s the more rugged-looking treatment of the lower front fascia, where the fog lights are now encased in black trim that also lines the wheel arches, and Pirelli tire logos are displayed prominently at each front quarter. ThereÂ’s also a ski rack on the roof, which may also feature front-illuminating LED lamps, and the coupe looks to have been lifted ever so slightly. Junior World Rally Championship driver Catie Munnings will take to the wheel of the Bentley Continental GT at the 2020 GP Ice Race in Zell am See. The FIA European Rally Championship Ladies Trophy winner will be the first woman to race a Bentley in the modern era, the automaker said.  Bentley teased the new racer Monday on twitter: Spotted today in Kitzbuhel, Austria...anyone want to guess what this is? WeÂ’ll reveal all on Tuesday...#Bentley #ContinentalGT pic.twitter.com/u3ltMdw4LI — Bentley Motors Comms (@BentleyComms) January 25, 2020 This is the latest fruit of BentleyÂ’s collaboration with Italian ski-maker Bomber Ski, with whom Bentley recently partnered to offer limited-edition co-branded $2,750 skis and a ski-and-drive experience in March in Telluride, Colorado and Park City, Utah, starting at a cool $17,950. Bomber Ski counts former U.S. skiing phenom and Olympic gold medalist Bode Miller as one of its principals. WeÂ’ve seen the No. 9 on a Bentley before, with the limited-edition Number 9 Edition by Mulliner unveiled last March as part of BentleyÂ’s centennial celebration. The number nods to the No.

VW Group to split brands under four holding companies

The Volkswagen Group is planning a tremendous shift in its internal structure that will decentralize operations by splitting its 12 brands into four different holding companies. Here's the breakdown. Things will be split logically, considering the inter-sharing of parts, platforms, and engines. The Volkswagen brand, Seat, and Skoda make up a passenger vehicle division led by former BMW man Herbert Diess. Audi, which is tightly intertwined with Lamborghini and motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, will be managed by current Audi exec Rupert Stadler. Porsche and Bentley, which are already quite close, will be joined by Bugatti and run by Matthias Mueller. Finally, a commercial vehicles division will include Volkswagen Commercial, Scania, and Man. Former Daimler exec Andreas Renschler will take care of the big vehicles. The massive move, according to Automotive News Europe, is part of an internal VAG effort to move away from the structure established by ousted Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who favored a compact, but highly centralized, management structure to oversee the independent actions of the company's brands. Criticism of Piech's arrangement stemmed from the company's slow responses to changes in the market, ANE reports. The new structure should make for a more efficient, streamlined company that's better able to make crucial decisions. What are your thoughts? Should VAG decentralize, or did Piech have the right idea? Have your say in Comments.