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Question of the Day: What's the greatest British car ever?

The British automotive industry has produced everything from high-production econo-commuters to staggeringly luxurious oligarch-wagons, along the way winning plenty of races and building plenty of beautiful machines. The original Mini led directly to the past half-century of transverse-engine, front-wheel-drive cars built everywhere, the MGB put the sporty little convertible into everyone's reach, and the Morris Oxford became the most beloved motor vehicle in India. So many to choose from, but we want you to pick one. What will it be? Related Video:

Bentley to retire aging 6.75-liter V8 with current Mulsanne

The massive 6.75-liter V8 in the Bentley Mulsanne is one of the oldest engines still in production. But it may not be around for much longer. According to Car and Driver, Bentley intends to finally put the big old pushrod V8 to pasture once the current Mulsanne is phased out, thus putting an end to a saga that goes back some 57 years. Powerful as it may be, ever-stricter exhaust emissions and fuel-consumption regulations will see that the L Series V8, originally introduced way back in 1957, doesn't stay in production forever. Whenever the Mulsanne is replaced, it will reportedly get a brand-new twelve-cylinder engine. Bentley is currently the world's largest producer of dozen-pot powerplants. Production of the British automaker's 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 far outpaces anything from Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ferrari, or Lamborghini. Over the decades since its introduction, Bentley's long-serving V8 has gone from making an "adequate" amount of power and torque to an impressive 530 horsepower and a positively massive 811 pound-feet (with the help of a couple of turbochargers). Its eventual discontinuation wouldn't be the first attempt on the life of the 6.75-liter engine. When BMW briefly took control of both Rolls and Bentley, it replaced the big engine by a smaller 4.4-liter V8. Customer demand led Bentley to bring the old engine back. It will likely be some time before we get details of Bentley's next powerplant. Models like the Mulsanne and Rolls-Royce Phantom tend to stick around for a long time, and the latest version of Bentley's flagship was just released earlier this year. Related Video:

Bentley Bentayga SUV to come in hybrid, diesel variants in 2017

The Bentley Bentayga SUV will add plug-in hybrid and diesel variants in 2017, a year after the W12-powered model launches around the world. The hybrid variant will be able to travel about 31 miles on electricity. It will have a V6 or V8 gasoline engine to extend range, though a final decision has not been made as to which one will be used, CEO Wolfgang Durheimer said. The diesel, a V8, will be the first in a Bentley. The company confirmed "Bentayga" as the name of its new SUV at the Detroit Auto Show. Speaking to Autoblog on the show floor, Durheimer said the British luxury maker has high ambitions for its upcoming model. It expects to sell 3,500 copies of the SUV globally in 2016, which would lift the company's total sales to around 15,000. About a quarter of the Bentayga's sales volume is projected to come from US customers. Bentley can't take orders because the vehicle hasn't been officially priced yet, but it already has a list of 4,000 customers who are interested in buying the SUV, and most have put down deposits. "Our customers liked the idea," Durheimer said. "We see a growing SUV market share around the world." The Bentayga has changed since the concept, called the EXP 9 F, debuted at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, and the front has been modified to look more like Bentley's production models. The interior, however, remains close to the original concept. Image Credit: Bentley Green Detroit Auto Show Bentley SUV Diesel Vehicles Hybrid Luxury 2015 Detroit Auto Show bentley bentayga