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Xcar spots the differences of refreshed Bentley Continental GT

Bentley unfurled the details about the refresh of its second-generation Continental GT earlier this year and gave the high-speed cruiser an official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show. Even with the tweaks, the British brand kept its most popular model very refined, though. If you're still having a problem spotting all the differences for this posh coupe, Xcar is here to help with an informative new video. Rather than putting the focus exclusively on driving impressions, Xcar really leans heavily into listing the specific updates for the latest Conti GT. Beyond the updated front end, likely the most obvious change for the refreshed model are the big, B-shaped pieces of chrome trim around the side vents. If not obvious already, they make it exceedingly clear that this is a Bentley. A neat touch is the nip and tuck at the rear to create a spoiler on the trunk lid, which does a great job of communicating the intent of the company's sporty model. Xcar ranks the Continental GT as Britain's best grand tourer, although this video doesn't really explain why in much detail. If you learn about all of the coupe's changes from this clip but still want to know how the vehicle drives, check out Autoblog's First Drive of both the V8 and W12 models for a much more thorough impression. Related Video:

Bentley Continental GT Mulliner Convertible turns thread into bling

Bentley spent 18 months developing the technique for its double diamond stitching, which uses 712 stitches to sew a diamond pattern inside a larger diamond pattern. Created for the new-generation Continental GT, the English automaker said in December 2019 that three-quarters of Continental GT customers order the feature. When a little is good, more is better, so Bentley's Mulliner division has worked up the Continental GT Mulliner Convertible, putting more of the double diamond motif all around the car. It starts with the new double diamond grille, the pattern placing a small silver diamonds inside black, diamond-shaped mesh. The black and silver theme repeats in the custom side vents, the new, 22-inch, 10-spoke Mulliner wheels picking up on the two colorways. The cabin's been laid out with double diamond all over — nearly 400,000 stitches worth of it, from the seats to the doors and, for the first time, on the tonneau cover. The diamonds can be specced in two colors that contrast against the primary leather color, a design line across the instrument panel and the doors adding a third accent. Mulliner has laid out eight different three-color combinations to get potential customers started, because Mulliner is thoughtful like that. But of course, any hue is fair game, wallet depending. Further flourishes inside include a diamond-milled finish for the center console, and a Breitling clock set inside four chrome rings. It's no wonder Mulliner chose the droptop for this showcase, intent on showing the world what the craftspeople in Crewe can do.  Upon delivery, buyers receive their two keys inside Mulliner-branded presentation boxes that match the three-way color scheme inside the convertible, the keys themselves ensconced in color-matched cases with contrast stitching. Details, details.  We'll get a closer look at the Continental GT Mulliner Convertible at the Geneva Motor Show next month, where it will share the stage with an even more intense work of Mulliner, the Bacalar, responsible for demonstrating "the future of coachbuilding." Related Video:

Weekly Recap: Geneva's splendor reflects growing demand for ultra-luxury cars

Geneva is one of the most glittering auto shows in the world, but the list of high-powered and bespoke luxury cars was decadent this year even by the rich standards of the Swiss exhibition. It's great for enthusiasts to revel in the flame-throwing Aston Martin Vulcan, the racing-inspired elegance of the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept and the insane performance of the Lamborghini Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce, but there's a reason for all of this opulence: the luxury market is big business. And it's growing. IHS Automotive forecasts that so-called ultra-premium sales will nearly triple this decade from 123,000 to 353,000 units around the world. The estimate includes brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce, but doesn't count BMW, Mercedes and Audi, which offer less expensive models in addition to their high-end flagships. Though IHS includes Porsche and its relatively large volume in the study, the ultra-premium segment is still set grow at about the same rate, even without the German automaker's figures. So what is propelling all of this growth in the most expensive segment of the auto industry? Put simply, there's more rich people. IHS Automotive principal analyst Tim Urquhart pointed to economic expansion in China, market recovery in the United States and a surge in the lucrative technology sector as contributing factors. This dovetails with a research report by UK-based Oxfam, an international relief organization, which found the world's richest one-percent owned 48 percent of global wealth in 2014, and it's expected to increase to more than 50 percent by 2016. View 17 Photos Carmakers are moving quickly to capitalize with new products, expanding their portfolios with low-volume speedsters like the 800-hp V12 Vulcan at Geneva, and plans to enter new segments, like Rolls-Royce's strategy to make an SUV. "Ultra-premium carmakers are looking to explore ways of growing their product offerings, and thus their bottom lines, in this most potentially profitable of segments," Urquhart wrote in a report on the Geneva show. In a nutshell, there are more choices for people with more money. It's a good time to have expensive taste. Other News & Notes 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata production launches It won't be long now. The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata arrives later this year, and it's officially in production. Mazda announced this week that the roadster began rolling off the assembly line at its Ujina factory in Hiroshima, Japan.