Latest news with #LuxuryCars
Car and Driver
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Bentley Teases New Bentayga Performance Variant with a Drift Mode
Bentley is teasing a new variant of the Bentayga SUV, and we think it's a successor to the W-12-powered Bentayga Speed that was last sold in 2023. Bentley says this new SUV model will have a nonhybrid twin-turbocharged V-8 that makes more power than the old W-12's 626 ponies. A new dynamic stability-control mode will allow the Bentayga to drift, while a special sports exhaust should emit a raucous engine note. The Bentley Bentayga is known for large-displacement and potent engines, richly upholstered interiors, and an ostentatious design. What the British automaker's only SUV is not synonymous with is sliding sideways through a corner, with the rear tires spinning up a cloud of smoke. But Bentley is teasing a new performance-focused variant of the Bentayga, set to be revealed on Monday, June 2, that promises to be capable of performing dramatic drifts. Bentley didn't provide a name for this new Bentayga model, but the luxury SUV has been without a Speed trim since the 2023 model year, so we wouldn't be surprised if this hi-po model carries that moniker. Bentley has revealed that this new version of the Bentayga will pack a twin-turbocharged, non-hybrid V-8 engine. Bentley says it will have more power than the W-12 engine found in the previous Bentayga Speed, further reinforcing the idea that this one is a new iteration of the Speed nameplate. Bentley The new V-8-powered Bentayga model is a replacement for the pre-refresh W-12-powered Bentayga Speed, seen here. That claim would mean the new Bentayga Speed will produce more than 626 horsepower. Currently, the Bentayga is only offered with a 443-hp hybrid powertrain consisting of a turbocharged V-6 and an electric motor, as well as a 542-hp twin-turbocharged V-8. This suggests the new model will have at least 85 more horses than the most potent Bentayga currently for sale. Interestingly, Bentley isn't slotting in the new 771-hp hybrid powertrain found in the latest Continental GT Speed and Flying Spur Speed into the Bentayga, at least not yet. Bentley divulged a few other details about this new Bentayga ahead of its unveiling. The SUV will pack a new sports exhaust with two elliptical tailpipes that protrude from the rear diffuser, as seen in the teaser photo. Bentley also said there will be a new ESC Dynamic (stability control) mode that will "permit exhilarating drift angles." That sounds promising, and we look forward to performing comedically lurid slides in the 5600-pound-plus behemoth. The latest Bentayga variant will be revealed at 7:30 a.m. ET on June 2. Caleb Miller Associate News Editor Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.
Car and Driver
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Aston Martin DB12 Palm Beach Is a One-Off to Celebrate the Florida Sun
Aston Martin revealed a new one-of-one edition of the DB12 Volante called the Palm Beach Edition, meant to celebrate the eponymous area. The special edition is finished in an exclusive Frosted Glass Blue exterior paint that Aston Martin says requires hand-spraying to get the proper effect. The inside of the Palm Beach Edition makes repeated use of a palm-leaf motif, and the seatbacks and trim are finished in Linear Light Olive Ash wood. Toeing the line between tastefully displaying your wealth and looking like Jay Gatsby can be quite the challenging task, particularly when you're in South Florida and every other car on the block originates from Italy or Germany. There's a simple solution to avoiding any nouveau riche accusations—buy an Aston Martin. If it's classy enough for Bond, it's probably classy enough for you. To that end, Aston Martin just revealed the Palm Beach Edition DB12 Volante, a new one-of-one model designed to walk the tightrope between elegance and kitsch. The exterior is finished in an exclusive Frosted Glass Blue paint that mixes glass flakes in the topcoat to create a shimmer effect, which the brand says encapsulates the South Florida sun. The brand also says the effect is only possible by hand-spraying the paint onto the car. Aston Martin The cabin is made up of Aurora Blue and Ivory leather with Spicy Red contrasting stitching, but the showstopper is the Linear Light Olive Ash book-matched wood trim found on the dash, center console, doors, and seatbacks. Palm Beach's latitude and longitude coordinates are embossed onto the leather dashboard, and there's a palm-leaf motif scattered from the seats to the door sills. South Florida Celebration If the theme hasn't made itself clear yet, the one-of-one model was designed in collaboration between Aston Martin's Q division and Aston Martin Palm Beach, drawing on inspiration from the Palm Beach area. Aston Martin Aston Martin didn't mention anything about mechanical changes for the one-off car. That means the Palm Beach Edition likely comes with typical DB12 hardware. But even for South Florida, the DB12 is anything but typical, with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 spitting out 671 horsepower and offering an estimated zero-to-60-mph time of 3.4 seconds for the Volante. As for pricing, the standard DB12 Volante starts at $271,825, but we expect the requisite cash for the Palm Beach Edition to be closer to $400K. Jack Fitzgerald Associate News Editor Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio
Motor 1
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
This Beautiful BMW Wagon Is Actually Going Into Production
BMW has a habit of bringing beautiful things to the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Lake Como, Italy. Last year, it was the Skytop , a stunning two-seat convertible destined for a limited-production run. The year before that, it was the Concept Touring Coupe , a gorgeous two-door wagon that, sadly, never went anywhere. This year is no different. At the 2025 Villa d'Este, BMW is debuting the Concept Speedtop. If that name sounds familiar, that's because this bonkers, beautiful wagon is based loosely on last year's concept. Just like the Skytop, it rides on the same base and features the same V-shaped, shark nose front end with matching light fixtures and an illuminated grille—only now with more storage. Photo by: BMW A subtle color gradient covers the Speedtop's roof, with Floating Sunstone Maroon paint blending into a Floating Sundown Silver hue at the rear. A central "spline" element flows over the hood and onto the roof and spoiler, with special two-tone, 14-spoke wheels filling the wheel wells—which were designed specifically for this vehicle. The interior wears a two-tone leather finish of Sundown Maroon and Moonstone White, with the same Floating Sunstone Maroon found on the exterior carrying over to certain elements of the cabin. And that same "spline" detail from the exterior also carries over as a light beam projected onto the two-tone leather headliner. The very same leather and lighting elements make their way to the trunk, which has a split luggage compartment for even more room. Naturally, the Speedtop comes with custom Schedoni bags that fit perfectly in either compartment. Photo by: BMW Photo by: BMW Photo by: BMW But it's not all show—the Concept Speedtop will, indeed, go. Although BMW is cagey on the specifics, the company says that the Speedtop packs the most powerful V-8 engine currently offered by BMW. Our guess would be the brand's ubiquitous twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 with the same 617 horsepower as the Skytop. Best of all, the Speedtop isn't just a concept. BMW will build 70 examples of the wonderful wagon for its wealthiest clientele (unfortunately, it still won't be available in the US). We don't know how much it costs, but it's safe to assume that it will be well out of reach for the average enthusiast. "Last year, the presentation of the BMW Concept Skytop at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on Lake Como generated great enthusiasm among connoisseurs and automotive enthusiasts," said Bernd Körber, Senior Vice President BMW Brand and Product Management. 89 Source: BMW "This led to a strictly limited production run of 50 units. Thanks to this positive response, this year we have decided to also offer the BMW Concept Speedtop in a limited production series of 70 units. This extraordinary vehicle is now available for order. We are pleased to be able to offer collectors and enthusiasts another exclusive model." The new BMW Concept Speedtop makes its world debut this weekend at the 2025 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy. The Latest BMW News BMW: More Limited-Edition Models Are Coming BMW Keeps Hinting at an Electric 3 Series Wagon Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
The Drive
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
The BMW Concept Speedtop Is an M8 Clownshoe for the Uber Rich
The latest car news, reviews, and features. BMW is back with another fancy shoe at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on Lake Como. In 2023, BMW brought the Concept Touring Coupé, essentially a Z4 Shooting Brake, to Italy's most famous lake, only to disappoint fans by not putting it into production. This time, however, BMW has committed to building and indeed selling the Concept Speedtop—unfortunately, only the uber-rich outside of America can buy it. The Speedtop shares much of its look with the pretty convertible Skytop concept from last year's Villa d'Este. Except, instead of being a targa-like convertible, the Speedtop is a three-door wagon—BMW's press release literally describes it as a 'three-door interpretation of a BMW Touring.' Up front, there's a very shark-ish nose with slim headlights and a light-up kidney grille. Out back, BMW seemingly just grafted the rear end of the Z4 Shooting Brake onto it, paired with the Skytop's skinny taillights and big exhausts, stitching both of its most recent Lake Como entries together. Under the hood sits 'the most powerful V8 engine currently offered by BMW.' BMW BMW is hoping that its wealthiest clientele have all forgotten the 8 Series before they look inside. As nice as it is, the Speedtop's cabin is just an 8er cabin (it's running last-gen iDrive and everything) wrapped in nicer leather, with some pretty broguing. The steering wheel, center console, gauges, infotainment, and even the shifter are all the same. OK, so the back seat is different, I'll give it that. Behind the slightly modified M8 seats, there are some snazzy cubbies with straps to hold your bespoke Schedoni luggage in place. The two-tone interior color is a combination of Sundown Maroon, a variation of the exterior's Floating Sundown Maroon paint, and Moonstone White. I dig the trunk, though. When you pop the rear hatch, it looks like a very shallow, but very luxurious luggage compartment with three longitudinal leather straps and some wraparound LED lighting. It's very posh. But that strap-laden floor actually rises, via two gas struts, to reveal a much deeper luggage compartment that passes through into the cabin. So you can keep your skis and ski boots in the bottom, and keep what you don't want to get snowy or dirty on top. That's pretty cool. BMW There's only been three, but among the shoe-shaped cars BMW has brought to Lake Como in recent years, the Speedtop is my favorite. Unfortunately, it will be extremely limited. BMW is only making 70 of these—it made just 50 of last year's Skytops—and BMW comms specifically points out that 'this vehicle will not be offered for sale in the United States.' No pricing has been revealed, but the Skytop reportedly cost $500,000 to start, or about as much as a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Is this BMW shooting brake with an 8 Series interior, powerful V8, and a cool trunk worth Rolls-Royce money? I'm not so sure, but I won't be surprised if it sells out in minutes. Being special ain't cheap. BMW Got tips? Send 'em to tips@ Nico DeMattia is a staff writer at The Drive. He started writing about cars on his own blog to express his opinions when no one else would publish them back in 2015, and eventually turned it into a full-time career.
Top Gear
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
F50 owners had to actually drive their cars on this 30th birthday tour
Ferrari's F50 Legacy Tour 2025 has come to an end, so let's look at some of the stunning images Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. Breaking news! At least 20 of the existing Ferrari F50s have now actually been driven by their current owners. Yep, we're as shocked as you are. We know this fact because Ferrari's 'F50 Legacy Tour 2025' has just come to an end, and the pictures have made us really quite jealous indeed. And yes, we would also have ours in yellow.
