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Bentley shows plug-in hybrid concept ahead of Beijing, will power SUV in 2017

From its more mainstream, popular origins in the original Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, the hybrid powertrain has worked its way up to the the corner office, the big chair, the top slot in the corporation. Bentley has announced that it will introduce a plug-in hybrid option on its SUV due in 2017. Before then, we'll see what an electrically assisted Bentley looks like at the Beijing Motor Show when the Crewe automaker shows off a copper-accented Mulsanne that's been reworked into its Hybrid Concept, pictured above.
We don't have any official specs just yet, the only major announcement being that any Bentley hybrid will be able to travel at least 50 kilometers (31 miles) on pure electric thrust and get a power boost of "up to" 25 percent from its electric side. We use the phrase "any Bentley hybrid" because the company's CEO says "we will gradually introduce this powertrain across our model range" to 90 percent of the brand's lineup.
We'll know more when the Beijing show commences. For now, there's the press release below and the high-res gallery above.

Bentley opening new R&D center in Crewe

The world's fastest lorries. That's how Ettore Bugatti referred to cars from Bentley back in the day, employing the British term for trucks, long before the two became sister companies. Those immortal words will come true when Bentley launches its new SUV, which promises not only to be the most luxurious and prestigious but also the first to crack the 200-mile-per-hour mark. But it won't come without its share of investment. Bentley and its parent company Volkswagen will surely have invested untold millions to bring the luxury crossover to market, but the vehicle itself isn't the only major investment the British automaker and its German owners will have made when it does. Bentley is also embarking upon an unprecedented expansion of its headquarters in Crewe. The massive expansion plan, budgeted at over $60 million, will create over 300 new jobs and include the creation of a new research and development center on site. The facility will cover a good half-million square feet and include a design studio, R&D offices and technical workshops that will be home to some 1,300 engineers and will be "the latest step in preparing Bentley's infrastructure to bring the world's first ultra-luxury SUV to roads in 2016." Bentley may undertake some of the SUV's production at home in Crewe, but much of the work is expected to be completed alongside the next Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne in Slovakia. The expansion plan was announced by Bentley chief Wolfgang Durheimer (also CEO of Bugatti) while George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer (Britain's equivalent to the Secretary of the Treasury or most any other government's Minister of Finance) was visiting Crewe. "Bentley is an iconic British Brand that exports around the world. Their decision to create another 300 jobs in R&D on a new site providing close to 1,000 new jobs is fantastic news for Crewe and for Britain," said Osborne. "The investment will not only create jobs at Bentley, but support many more through suppliers across the UK." MULTI-MILLION POUND SITE EXPANSION BRINGS NEW JOBS TO BENTLEY - GBP40 million planned investment into Bentley headquarters in Crewe - New research and development centre to house 1,300 Bentley engineers - 300 new roles created (Crewe, 4 December 2014) Today, Bentley has announced the latest phase in the biggest site development in the company's history.

Chris Harris finds out if the Bentley Continental GT3-R deserves the badge

Before getting behind the wheel, Chris Harris is very confused by the Bentley Continental GT3-R. While the British brand undoubtedly has a long history in motorsports, Harris questions whether the stripped-out coupe fits the company's luxurious image. He aims to find out in his latest, drift-heavy video. Weighing in at over 4,800 pounds, this Continental is no lightweight, but the muscle comes thanks to a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 making 572 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. Power goes to all four wheels, but as Harris shows here, the system is still happy to let the big coupe wag its tail. He has especially nice things to say about the shorter differential that sacrifices outright top speed for better response at lower velocities. Still, the question remains whether it makes sense for a posh brand like Bentley to follow the Porsche mold with a racecar for the street. With the GT3-R limited to just 300 cars worldwide and 99 in the US for $337,000 each, a good way to find out is to take this ride with Harris.