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Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak car's wheel can be used for games

As video games become ever more realistic, the lines between driving real cars and their virtual counterparts gets blurrier. And that line is at its blurriest with the steering wheel used in the Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak race car. Not only is it a wheel for the race car, but it can be used for playing racing simulators, too. Bentley collaborated with video game steering wheel manufacturer Fanatec to make the unit for the Pikes Peak racer. It's impressive simply as a car wheel, as it's made from magnesium and carbon fiber. The grips are covered in Alcantara, including the removable lower section designed to give the driver more leverage around hairpins. The rotary switches are CNC-machined aluminum with Bentley's knurling design. In the middle of it all are LED rpm indicators and a 3.4-inch circular display that shows current gear selection and driver settings. But a quick disconnect from the Bentley's steering column, and wheel can be carried over to a Fanatec steering wheel base and reconnected for virtual fun. In this setup, the screen can show various in-game telemetry and information, and the buttons can be programmed for various functions. Though availability and pricing haven't been announced, you'll be able to purchase your own example of this wheel. Considering the materials and functionality, it will probably be quite pricey, but certainly one of the more unique and usable automotive collectibles ever created. Even if you don't want to use it for video games, it comes with a stand that turns it into a display piece, and the center screen can act as a watch or show map and telemetry from laps of race tracks. We suspect you could also use it as an actual steering wheel in a car, assuming you have a compatible quick release. Though, depending on the car, you might not be able to use all the switches, paddles or even the screen. Still, it would be cool and probably a quality piece. Related Video:

Prototype Bentley Continental GT bears EXP10-style taillights

The latest Bentley Continental GT our spy photographer has caught happens to be in an unusual blue hue, breaking with the convention of black painted prototypes. It still features clever camouflage, including faux light covers. We already knew that the traditional quad lamps were hidden underneath, but it turns out that the true shape of the taillights were also obscured. Rather than an evolution of the current units, the new taillights seem to be slim, partial oval units similar to those on the EXP10 Speed 6 concept. We can finally see this shape since the lights are illuminated in two of the photos. Aside from the taillights, there are a couple other details that have been revealed. The car's retractable rear spoiler is seen in action. There also seem to be faux body panels covering the front and rear fenders. Upon very close inspection, you can see some odd lumpy portions in these areas that don't follow the lines of the car, and nearby are some faint seams. We can infer that the actual height of the front and rear fenders will be a bit lower and more understated than they appear in these photos. Previous spy photos have shown that there is a convertible version in the works that will likely be released around the same time as, or soon after, the coupe. The car will use the Panamera platform, and it will likely be offered with 8- and 12-cylinder engines, as it is now. Related Video:

Bentley spreads its wings, hires jets to fly car bodies to Britain under Brexit

FRANKFURT — Bentley, the luxury carmaker owned by Volkswagen, has booked five Antonov cargo jets to help overcome potential supply bottlenecks in the event of a disorderly exit of Britain from the European Union, the carmaker said on Wednesday. Car manufacturers are securing additional supply routes as policymakers in Brussels and Westminster seek to strike a deal to determine the future trading relationship with continental Europe after Britain exits the European Union. Bentley, which makes high end sports cars, buys 90% of its components from continental Europe, and sells around 24% of its cars into Europe, Chief Executive Adrian Hallmark told the Financial Times' Future of the Car summit. "We have spent two years planning. We have five Antonovs that we have on reserve to fly bodies to Manchester," Hallmark said, adding that in addition to shifting car bodies by air, Bentley has hiked the level of spare parts stored for production. "We used to run just-in-time with two days stock. Now we have 14 days stock. That's 14 working days, so that's three weeks of stock," he said. The company has booked additional warehouses and planned new logistics routes in case traditional supply methods are hampered by bottlenecks. If Britain fails to secure a negotiated trade agreement with European policymakers, Bentley would be able to absorb 10% import tariffs by raising prices and cutting costs. This would be less damaging than supply disruptions. "It is not existential as long as everything flows. Stopping flows is far more dangerous than Brexit tariffs," Hallmark said, referring to supply bottlenecks. This year Bentley expects to sell more than 10,000 luxury cars and to reach breakeven, mainly thanks to a rebound in demand in China, Hallmark said. China sales are up 35% when compared with before the COVID-19 crisis. Sales in Europe and the United States up 15% Hallmark said. "Overall we are in a position where we will do well over 10,000 sales this year," he said via Webcast. "We are on the cusp of going beyond breakeven."