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Weekly Recap: Mercedes continues the pseudo-coupe craze with AMG-tuned CUV

But as BMW's X6 has demonstrated, sport sells in in the crossover segment, and Mercedes is giving the people what they want. BMW proved there is a market for crossover utility vehicles designed to look like coupes – as much as a vehicle with four doors and noticeable ground clearance can look like a coupe, anyway. Now comes the reply from Mercedes-Benz: the GLE Coupe. The rakish crossover is a harbinger of things to come from Mercedes, as it begins the company's transition to a new nomenclature and marks the debut of the AMG Sport line. It also continues the recent coupe craze. Designers from many automakers, like Nissan and Volkswagen, have increasingly turned to swoopy, dramatic styling to make utility vehicles and sedans seem more desirable. By revealing the GLE 450 AMG Sport model first, Mercedes is clearly hoping to cast the GLE Coupe as a sportier, lifestyle-oriented alternative in its lineup of beefy crossovers and SUVs. Mercedes used the word "sport," or a variation of it, 53 times in its press release, so uh yeah, it's sporty. It's not an empty promise: Benz means business with the AMG Sport line. This GLE Coupe gets a 3.0-liter biturbo V6 rated at 362 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque paired with Mercedes' new nine-speed automatic transmission, and it runs with 4Matic all-wheel drive. Specs on the other GLE Coupe models were not disclosed. But as BMW's X6 has demonstrated, sport sells in in the crossover segment, and Mercedes is giving the people what they want. After all, more than 260,000 people have bought X6s since 2008, and Mercedes wants a piece of that. From certain angles, the GLE Coupe even looks vaguely like an X6. "This is really a vehicle that is all about status," said Dave Sullivan, product analysis manager for research firm AutoPacific. "You can buy a SUV that doesn't have the inherent qualities of a SUV, such as cargo hauling. People will likely be drawn to the looks. Coupes are all the rage." BMW, however, isn't running from the fight, and the updated 2015 X6 is arriving in showrooms this month. It also added a smaller sibling, the X4, to its coupe-crossover stable in July. The GLE Coupe arrives next year, though Mercedes hasn't specified exactly when it will hit showrooms from the factory in Alabama, or specified details on the rest of the non-AMG Sport models. In 2008, it was surprising the X6 was a hit. In 2015, it will be even more surprising if the GLE Coupe isn't.

2015 Bentley Mulsanne Speed is totally torque-tastic

Eight hundred and eleven pound-feet of torque. Really, that's all you need to know about the 2015 Bentley Mulsanne Speed. It's the same ultra-luxurious cruiser that we've enjoyed for a few years now, but the crew in Crewe has upgraded its engine to create absolutely astonishing performance.
The storied 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8 has been massaged for the Mulsanne Speed to produce an equally impressive 530 horsepower (25 more than the standard model), but it's that 811 lb-ft of twist available from an ultra-low 1,750 rpm that makes this thing so worthy of its faster nomenclature. Hitting 60 miles per hour will take just 4.8 seconds (keep in mind, this thing weighs almost three tons), and the sedan will top out at 190 mph.
It's awesome, this Mulsanne. And we can't wait to twist some pavement when it launches this winter. Scroll down for more info in Bentley's press blast.

2017 Bentley Bentayga officially revealed

The Bentayga is not only Bentley's first production SUV, but the fastest and most powerful one in the business. It's been a long time coming, but it's finally here. The Bentayga is not only Bentley's first production SUV, but the fastest and most powerful one in the business. Set to make its grand debut at the fast-approaching Frankfurt Motor Show, the all-new Bentley Bentayga is the redesigned successor to the EXP 9 F concept that debuted to lukewarm reception back at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The design bears all of Bentley's hallmarks, albeit applied to a taller form that shouldn't be unfamiliar to Range Rover owners. It certainly looks better than the original concept, but we'll reserve final judgment until we see it in person next week. Up front we find four round LED headlamps, the outer set taking an outline not unlike those we saw on the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept. Bentley says that rear haunch panel represents the largest single-piece aluminum pressing in the industry – said another way, it allows the Bentayga to be 520 pounds lighter than a non-aluminum construction. Glass panels account for nearly 60 percent of the roof's surface, and a hands-free tailgate gives access not only to a large cargo bay, but a folding seat for enjoying the view wherever the ultra-luxe sport-ute takes you. The Bentayga will get you there in a hurry, too, thanks to a powerful W12 engine. It's got both direct and indirect injection, cylinder deactivation, and a stop/start system with coasting mode. The net result is an output quoted at 600 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque. Mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, this engine will rocket the Bentayga to 60 miles per hour in four seconds flat and on to a top speed of 187 miles per hour. It's the fastest production SUV in the world. Bentley intends to launch a seven-seat version, a higher performance Speed model, and more efficient diesel and hybrid variants. The Bentayga also features a four-mode adjustable air suspension, electronic active roll control, and electric power-assisted variable steering. It's also got predictive, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, rear crossing traffic warning, hill descent control, around-view monitor, and available park assist, electronic night vision, and head-up display systems. The driver controls everything via a large dial in the center console, which also handles drive modes and traction management.