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Bentley bringing two-seat sports car to Geneva?

Long subsided on the Continental and Mulsanne model lines, Bentley is on a mission to expand its production portfolio. And the latest reports from Great Britain suggest that it'll present a proposal for expanding it further next month with a conceptual two-seat sports car. The idea has been rumored for several months now, but Autocar claims that Bentley will showcase the two-seat GT at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The new model is tipped to be positioned alongside (instead of substantially above or below) the existing Continental GT – much like Ferrari offers the California and 458 Italia (or new 488 GTB) at roughly the same price point – but will likely pack the British automaker's now-familiar, Audi-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. Its presentation at the Swiss expo will give Crewe the chance to gauge public opinion before deciding whether to proceed with production plans. It wouldn't be the first time that Bentley had toyed with the idea of a more compact GT. It revealed the Java concept way back in 1994 that never, strictly speaking, made production, but could be said to have paved the way for the current Continental range, and showcased the Hunaudieres mid-engined supercar prototype in 1999 that presaged its winning entry into Le Mans. The as-yet unnamed two-seat GT would be just one of several new models being touted for the British automaker. It is set to launch the new Bentayga crossover in the near future, potentially to be followed by a slant-back crossover coupe variant, a smaller crossover is also said to be under consideration, and it is also rumored to be weighing a four-door coupe to slot in between the Flying Spur and Mulsanne, the latter of which has also been showcased as a two-door convertible version as well.

Lamborghini could be sold or spun off from the Volkswagen Group

Volkswagen is reportedly considering a sale or stock listing for its high-end Lamborghini brand. The German automaker is looking to fold the Italian supercar brand into a separate legal entity, reports Bloomberg, which cites "people familiar with the matter" who don't want to be identified "because the deliberations are confidential and no decisions have been made." Any of this sound familiar? The goal of spinning off Lamborghini would be to stockpile more cash and other resources for VW's massive planned push into electric vehicles. Back in March, reports circulated that Volkswagen's "Vision 2030" corporate plan might include plans to focus on the brand's core brands — VW, Audi and Porsche. That means the futures of fringe players like Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti, motorcycle brand Ducati and design firm Italdesign (and note this isn't a comprehensive list of brand's under the expansive VW Group umbrella) are up in the air. VW, according to the report, is targeting a market value of $220 billion, which is a big jump from the brand's current $89 billion valuation. Bloomberg pegged Lamborghini's valuation at around $11 billion back in August, buoyed by sales and profits generated by the introduction of the Urus sport utility vehicle. On the flip side, Lamborghini is currently grappling with how best to update its supercar lineup in the face of ever-increasing emissions regulations.

Bentley's 1,000th Mulliner project is a one-off purple Bentayga

Bentley's Mulliner division completed its 1,000th project in July 2021, and the milestone car is one you can't miss unless you park it in a lavender field. It's a one-off Bentayga painted purple and fitted with special interior accents. It took seven years for Mulliner to reach this milestone; it formed its own design team in 2014. It designed the sweet potato-colored Bentayga for an anonymous client in Europe who worked closely with the division to create a one-of-a-kind SUV. Look beyond the exterior (or try, at least), and you'll see the cabin features Olive Ash wood trim, which is normally found in the now-retired Mulsanne, plus twin-stitching on the seats and on the door panels. Mulliner's work extends far beyond unusual paint colors and new stitching patterns. Its first project was bringing a limited-edition model named Flying Spur Serenity to life. The sedan received redesigned seats, among other features. It also developed stone veneers for some of Bentley's cars, a variant of the Mulsanne Speed named Blue Train that honors Bentley's racing heritage, a Mulsanne-based six-seater limousine, and the Bacalar roadster, which is limited to 12 examples worldwide. It's based on the Continental GT, but the two models share no body panels. It has also applied its expertise to a handful of unusual projects. For example, Mulliner sometimes helps design the liveries worn by Bentley's GT3 race cars. It fine-tuned details on the 1929 Team Blower continuation car, and its resume also includes creating scale models, sculptures, plus picnic baskets complete with silverware and glasses. Related Video: