Bentley is building up to the launch of its all-new Flying Spur, previewing the car’s interior ahead of its debut later this year. While Mercedes-Maybach S 600 rival’s interior is seen for the first time in this image, it’s not exactly revealing, showing the front door card design. Bentley is previewing what it claims to be a world-first: three-dimensional, textured leather upholstery. Bentley describes the new Flying Spur as a “ground up development that pushes the boundaries of both technology and craftsmanship to deliver segment-defining levels of performance and refinement”. The luxury saloon is the firm’s answer to the Rolls-Royce Ghost, as well as the Maybach. While it has commonly been known as the four-door sibling to the Continental GT – and will continue to be closely related under the skin – it is understood that the Flying Spur will have a far more distinctive design, intended to make it stand alone as a model in its own right. As hinted at a previous video showing the car’s bonnet and emblem, the model’s styling will follow the themes of the Continental GT but has more distinct surfaces and sharper swage lines. The latest Continental GT launched early last year, and the maker recently unveiled the V8 variant and the GT Convertible. A full range of engines is expected to be launched on the next Flying Spur, including Bentley’s V8 and W12 petrol options, and a plug-in hybrid based around a V6 petrol engine instead of going down the diesel route. Hybrid options will be key in bolstering Bentley’s sales in China in particular. In time, a Speed variant will crown the range. It will feature a higher-performance engine that will also be used in the Continental GT and GT Convertible. Once the Continental range has been completed, the firm will turn its focus to what Autocar understands will be a next step in its design, promising a more radical change to something more fresh and modern. It is Bentley’s centenary year, and a host of celebrations in July will include a concept reveal which is expected to showcase this change in design direction. Bentley, under the tenure of boss Adrian Hallmark, who joined last year from Jaguar Land Rover, is finalising its broader model strategy for the next few years, which is expected to focus on grand touring models and SUVs rather than sports
Origin: New Bentley Flying Spur: luxury saloon’s interior previewed
luxury
Uber’s luxury clientele can now request silence from drivers in-app
Jesse Vega checks a vehicle at the first of Ubers Work On Demand recruitment events where they hope to sign 12,000 new driver-partners, in South Los Angeles on March 10, 2016.Mark Ralston Ever climbed into an Uber only to immediately wish you could flip a switch and put your overly chatty driver on mute? With the app’s latest update, you kind of can. This week, Uber announced new features to its rideshare platform, specifically for those booking Uber Black rides, the app’s luxury experience that offers trips in high-end vehicles. Most notably, the “enhanced” experience includes an option called Quiet Mode where users can can request the driver remain silent during the trip. Quiet Mode, available now for users booking trips on Uber Black, includes three options: “quiet preferred,” “happy to chat” or “no preference.” Uber Black is, on average, 100 times more expensive than UberX, and 200 times more expensive than Uber Pool. It sounds like this could be a welcomed feature, not only for busy professionals looking to take a business call or have a moment of silence, but also for anyone whose skin crawls at the thought of making awkward small talk. Or worse: becoming a therapist for a disenchanted driver. The concept is sort of like a digital version of the quiet floors that GO Transit implemented on its commuter trains in the Toronto area a few years back. Still, Uber isn’t known for making the best HR moves, and some outlets are accusing the ride share app of “dehumanizing” its drivers. With this new update, Uber Black users will also be able to request the driver adjust the temperature or notify the driver if they have luggage that needs to be loaded into the vehicle. All of these preferences need to be selected before you book the fare, not while the vehicle is in transit or while you’re on a ride. Is this a smart business play or just plain rude? Tell us in the comments. Or keep your silence, that’s cool, too.
Origin: Uber’s luxury clientele can now request silence from drivers in-app
The new McLaren GT is a luxury supercar for cross-country trips
McLaren has just revealed its newest supercar, the GT, and it’s one that’s a little softer than what we’re used to from the British marque. Off the bat, we have to say the GT – for Grand Tourer – has to be one of the best-looking road cars McLaren has ever made, if not the best-looking. That’s likely because it shares a lot of its DNA from the new Speedtail, and leaves the wide angles for the Senna. Even the colour is a more subdued version of the usual high-intensity McLaren orange. The interior is a lot more plush than a regular McLaren supercar, to make it bearable for long journeys. They’re even heated for us Canadians with cold bums. To make the drive even more special, there’s ambient lighting and an electrochromic glass roof panel. A 12-speaker Bowers Wilkins premium audio system with carbon-fiber subwoofer and Kevlar midrange speakers can also be added, if you don’t think the engine noises are music enough. Under the rear glass is 420 litres of cargo space, or, enough to put a set of golf clubs and maybe a weekend bag—that is, the perfect amount of space for a grand tourer. Underneath your Pings and Titleists and behind the driver is McLaren’s go-to engine, a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that’s been updated to provide peak power and torque between 3,000 and 7,250 rpm. Power, by the way, is 620 horses and 465 lb.-ft. of torque, geared to sling you to 100 km/h in just 3.2 seconds. The biggest contributor to the softer ride of the GT is the Optimal Control Theory software built to sense the road ahead, and adjust the dampers within two milliseconds. Prices start at US$210,000, and deliveries will begin worldwide near the end of
Origin: The new McLaren GT is a luxury supercar for cross-country trips
Save up to $20,000 off these three luxury sedans
2019 BMW 7 SeriesHandout / BMW On the last three Fridays of every month, Graeme Fletcher combines manufacturers’ incentives from Unhaggle.com with resale value, dependability and overall ratings to find you the best deal for your money in new cars. This week, we look at deeply discounted luxury sedans with all-wheel-drive. The hot deals are on the 2019 BMW 750i xDrive and Mercedes-Bens S 450 along with the 2018 Lexus LS 500. BMW 7 Series 2019 BMW 7 Series Handout / BMW Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $117,750 Manufacturer Incentive*: $20,000 Unhaggle Savings: $1,500 Total Savings: $21,500 Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $3,215 Total Before Tax: $99,465 — lick here for exclusive local pricing Seldom do you see a discount exceed $20,000, but that’s the case with the 2019 BMW 750i xDrive, as the revamped 2020 model is already sitting on dealer lots. As luxury cars go, the big 7 Series has always been one of the sharper — the secret is it blends a luxurious ride with some decidedly sportier undertones. As such, it can be almost anything to just about any prospective owner. The cabin is marked by its quality and lengthy amenity list. Key is the revamped iDrive infotainment system — it features a 10.2-inch touchscreen that recognizes hand gestures using a 3D camera. Twirling a finger counterclockwise reduces the audio volume; the opposite increases it. The driver can also accept or reject incoming calls with a hand swipe. It works with Apple CarPlay, but sadly not Android Auto. Once too complicated for its own good, iDrive is now much easier to use. The rear environment is as opulent as up front, boasting one of the largest back seats in the business with just about a metre of legroom. Behind is a 515-litre trunk. Blind-spot monitoring, front/rear sonar parking sensors and automatic high beams are standard. The Advanced Driver Assistance package ($2,200) adds lane-departure warning with keep assist, dynamic cruise control with stop/go functionality, park assist and forward cross-traffic alert. Given the 750i’s price tag, this should all be standard. The 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 is good for 445 horsepower and 479 lb.-ft. of torque. The upshot is a broad power curve that never leaves the driver wanting. It works with an eight-speed automatic and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system. Under normal circumstances the systems sends 40 per cent of the power to the front wheels and 60 to the rear. The split varies according to road conditions, and also uses the stability control system to quell under- and oversteer. It’s one of the better systems around. The combination sees the 750i xDrive run from rest to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds, complete the 80-to-120 km/h passing move in 3.1 seconds, and it’s rated to deliver an average fuel economy of 11.5 L/100 kilometres. BMW’s self-leveling air suspension and adaptive dampers are standard. The air suspension adjusts the ride height to suit the drive, while the adaptive dampers control body roll and the steering obeys input with unerring accuracy. The result is a sharp-handling car that is not out of place on a racetrack, yet it is supremely comfortable when cruising the highway. The BMW 750i xDrive arrives with a staggering $21,500 combined Unhaggle discount and a sticker of $99,465. Mercedes-Benz S-Class 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Handout / Mercedes-Benz Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: $108,100 Manufacturer Incentive*: $10,000 Unhaggle Savings: $1,500 Total Savings: $11,500 Mandatory Fees (Freight, Govt. Fees): $2,810 Total Before Tax: $99,410 — lick here for exclusive local pricing After last year’s refresh and the introduction of the new S 450 model featured here, the 2019 S-Class remains unchanged. The cabin is slick with everything from heated 16-way front seats, and a choice of 64 colours for the cabin’s ambient lighting, to a 13-speaker, 590-watt Burmester sound system. The highlights are two 12.3-inch screens for the instrumentation and infotainment system housed beneath a single pane of glass. The COMAND infotainment is operated through a central controller with a rotary knob and one-touch keys for major functions, including navigation. It also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Move rearward and the short-wheelbase S-Class has 947-millimetres of rear seat legroom and a 464-litre trunk. While blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, automatic high-beams and rain-sensing wipers, among other safety features, are standard, the S 450 requires the Intelligent Drive package ($2,300) to get adaptive cruise control, active/evasive steering assist, congestion emergency braking, active lane keep assist and active blind-spot monitoring among other things. The package gives the S 450 a Level 2 self-driving capability. Again, this should be standard fare considering the price tag. The S 450 is powered by a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 that makes 362 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque, anywhere between 1,600 and 4,000 rpm. The early entry of peak
Origin: Save up to $20,000 off these three luxury sedans
Thieves are targeting luxury cars’ rear-view mirrors in New York City
Hondas clever mirror-mounted camera displays the passenger-side blind spot on the centre dash screen when the right-hand turn signal is activated. At the risk of giving criminals everywhere their next bad idea, the New York Post is reporting there has been a rash of high-tech car mirror thefts in Manhattan. The thieves are targeting newer models from luxury brands like Porsche, Lexus, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, stripping them of their expensive side-view mirrors, which contain high-tech camera equipment and are valued between $2,000 to $2,600, and selling them on the black market. The NYPD says the criminals hit the Manhattan area a total of 19 times in March and April. “This is a local pattern in Manhattan North and does not appear to be a citywide condition,” an NYPD spokesman told The Post. Part of the problem, suggests Manhattan precinct commander Deputy Inspector Timothy Malin, is that we’ve become accustomed to the sound of car alarms in busy cities. “People tend to ignore car alarms nowadays,” he said, “but if you hear one going off in the middle of the night, take a look, and if you see something suspicious, call 911.” Sure, it may be Manhattan’s problem for now, but if it works for thieves there, it’ll work for them
Origin: Thieves are targeting luxury cars’ rear-view mirrors in New York City
Canada’s 10 most popular luxury vehicles in 2019’s first quarter – it’s an SUV game
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350ePeter Bleakney / Driving It has not proven to be the kind of start many premium auto brands desired. After years of record-breaking performances, some of the most popular luxury brands kicked off 2019 with a whimper. Granted, auto sales on the whole are falling. After five consecutive record years, 2018 volume dipped marginally. Through 2019’s first three months, total industry volume has declined by more than 4 per cent. Plunging car sales and slowing pickup truck momentum deserve some of the blame, but decreased demand for many of Canada’s favourite premium-badged vehicles plays a significant role, as well. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi – Canada’s three top-selling premium auto brands – combined to lose 3,750 sales in 2019’s first quarter, a year-over-year drop worsened by decreases at Acura, Alfa Romeo, Lincoln, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Maserati. In total, premium brand auto sales are down by nearly 7 per cent. With no manufacturer-supplied monthly reports from Tesla, it’s difficult to obtain firm figures for the Model 3. Based on data from Canada EV Sales, Model 3 demand plummeted following Ontario’s rebate removal, from a high of 1,540 Ontario sales alone to merely 49 in January. For the time being then, there’s no Model 3 on this list of Canada’s 10 top-selling luxury vehicles in 2019’s first-quarter. With sales reports from the Global Automakers of Canada, these are Canada’s luxury leaders so far this year. 10. Infiniti QX60: 1,159, up 41 per cent No vehicle on this list has gone longer without a major redesign than the QX60, which debuted as the JX35 in early 2012. The QX60 has consistently been Canada’s favourite Infiniti despite the fact that it only partially veils its proletarian Pathfinder underpinnings. Yet having never topped 5,000 sales in the past, Infiniti is on track for over 6,100 QX60 sales in 2019. Infiniti’s other utility vehicles combined for a 16-percent uptick in Q1. 9. BMW X1: 1,283, up 2 per cent There’s no shortage of competition for the X1 right inside BMW’s showroom, but X1 sales continue to rise. Including the X1 and its X2 offshoot, sales of BMW’s two smallest utility vehicles are up 28 per cent so far this year. The duo combines to produce more than one-fifth of the brand’s Canadian volume. Gone are the days when BMW’s 3 Series was Canada’s top-selling premium automobile – the 3er only ranks fourth in BMW’s own lineup. 8. Acura RDX: 1,518, down 3 per cent Not likely to remain in the red, the new third-generation Acura RDX is just exiting the transition phase and is likely to soon see positive forward sales momentum. The RDX is hugely important to Acura, which has seen its car sales slow to a trickle (the RDX outsells Acura’s entire car lineup by a wide margin) and suffered meaningful MDX decline, as well. 7. BMW X5: 1,521, up 25 per cent On track for a huge year of more than 8,000 sales, the X5 is the most costly vehicle on this list of best sellers. Pricing begins above $70,000 – none of the others even start above $60,000. Yet the X5 is now producing significantly more sales than similarly sized mainstream SUVs like the Nissan Pathfinder, GMC Acadia, and Subaru Ascent. X5 demand was not slowed by the arrival of the larger X7 in March. BMW Canada reported its first 180 X7 sales while X5 volume jumped 30 per cent to 504 units. 6. Lexus NX: 1,544, down 2 per cent Anyone who thought the NX’s face was too controversial for mainstream success was, evidently, wrong. So common is the NX half a decade into its tenure that its divisive face is now almost normal. Nearly 30,000 NXs have found their way into Canadian driveways since 2014. Even if the current pace of modest decline continues in 2019, Lexus will still likely add over 5,500 more NXs to the tally by year’s end. 5. Lexus RX: 1,635, down 0.2 per cent Perennially a U.S. luxury sales leader, the Lexus RX remains popular in Canada despite a recent loss of momentum. The RX was long Lexus’ most affordable utility vehicle. Now, two nameplates – the NX and new UX – sit beneath the RX. Lexus has nevertheless expanded the RX lineup to include a three-row RX L, and that vehicle could swing the tide in the RX’s favour. March volume, for example, was up 20 per cent. 4. Mercedes-Benz C-Class: 1,640, down 35 per cent There is but one passenger car on this list of Canada’s 10 top-selling luxury vehicles. This is it. You won’t find the BMW 3 Series here, nor the Audi A4. Meanwhile, C-Class sales are plunging along with sales of its traditional rivals. A4 volume is down 40 per cent this year; 3 Series sales are down 38 per cent. The C-Class is outselling both, combined. 3. BMW X3: 1,653, down 14 per cent Although BMW is currently producing over 200 monthly Canadian sales with its specialty utility vehicles – the X2, X4, and X6 – the brand’s first forays into the luxury SUV market remain the most popular. With its X3, now in its third generation, BMW builds Canada’s third-best-selling premium
Origin: Canada’s 10 most popular luxury vehicles in 2019’s first quarter – it’s an SUV game
New Mercedes-Benz GLS: re-engineered luxury SUV unveiled
The new Mercedes-Benz GLS has been revealed at the New York motor show. The luxury SUV has been completely re-engineered in an attempt to better the refinement and efficiency of rivals such as the new BMW X7 and Range Rover. Following the standard seven-seater, an uber-luxurious Maybach version will arrive, aimed directly at the Bentley Bentayga. Styled along similar lines to the new GLE, alongside which it will be produced at Mercedes’ plant in Alabama, US, the new GLS is of an evolutionary appearance, retaining its prdecessor’s upright stance but omitting its prominent sharp lines. Aerodynamic refinements are said to yield a drag coefficient of 0.32Cd, along with “dramatically reduced wind noise at speed”, according to design boss Gorden Wagener. This compares to the previous GLS’s 0.35Cd. At 5207mm long and 1956mm wide, the new GLS is 77mm longer and 22mm wider than its predecessor and a considerable 277mm longer and 6mm wider than the GLE. In comparison, the long-wheelbase Range Rover stretches to 5200mm long and 1990mm wide. The new GLS is based on Mercedes’ Modular High Architecture (MHA) platform, as is the GLE. This is heavily related to the Modular Rear Architecture (MRA) that underpins the C-Class, E-Class and S-Class. The GLS’s interior has also been thoroughly redesigned. Like the new GLE, it features a 12.3in digital instrument display, a 12.3in infotainment screen, touchpads within the upper spokes of the steering wheel and a touchpad on the centre console in place of the old rotary controller. Mercedes’ MBUX interface supports touchscreen control as well as a voice control in conjunction with the Mercedes Me smartphone app. The GLS also comes with Mercedes’ latest driver assistance systems, including Active Tailback Assist, which recognises tailbacks via real-time traffic updates and reduces speed to 60mph as a precaution. Once in the tailback, the car can autonomously stay within its lane and maintain a safe distance to the vehicle ahead at speeds up to 37mph. The new GLS is said to be considerably more spacious than its predecessor, which saw close to 800 units sold in the UK last year, making up around one percent of Mercedes’ total sales. The wheelbase has increased by 60mm to 3135mm, giving second-row passengers up to 87mm more leg room, while the third row is also roomier than before. All seven seats are electronically adjustable, and the rearmost pair fold away to leave a flat extended boot floor. Nominal luggage capacity is yet to be revealed, but Mercedes says the maximum load space is up to 2400 litres. The new GLS is will be produced with four engines – two petrols and two diesels – from the outset, but just one, the top-shelf diesel in the GLS 400d, is planned to be offered in the UK. This is a turbocharged 2.9-litre in-line six-cylinder unit with an output of 325bhp and 516lb ft of torque. Official (WLTP) fuel economy and CO2 emissions are 37.2mpg and 201g/km. Pricing is set to start from around £72,000, with deliveries beginning this autumn. In other markets, a lower-tuned version of this engine will be offered in the GLS 350d, making 282bhp and 442lb ft. Both of these models use a 31.6-litre AdBlue tank and a secondary ammonia filter, enabling them to comply with 6d-Temp regulations on the Real Driving Emissions Stage 2 test, which will become mandatory from 1 January 2020. The petrol line-up is headed by a new 48V mild hybrid engine in the range-topping GLS 580. This combines Mercedes-Benz’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 with an electric integrated starter motor, delivering 482bhp and 516lb ft of torque, with a further 22bhp and 147lb ft for available for a brief period under acceleration. The GLS 450 is also a 48V mild hybrid, using a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine and an integrated starter motor for 362bhp and 369lb ft, with an additional 22bhp and 184lb ft available under acceleration. According to Mercedes, the 400d’s engine is “perfectly suited to the vehicle’s size and weight, and the performance expectations of our customers.” All engines are combined with a nine-speed torque converter automatic gearbox and the latest version of Mercedes’ 4Matic four-wheel drive system, which provides fully variable apportioning of power between the front and rear axles. Also available as part of an Off-Road Package is a transfer case with low-range gearing. Two AMG performance versions of the new GLS will arrive in 2020, with the GLS 53 using a mild hybrid petrol engine and the GLS 63 a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre petrol V8. Mercedes is also preparing to offer the SUV with an updated version of the petrol-electric plug-in hybrid powertrain used by the S560e with a significantly greater electric-only driving
Origin: New Mercedes-Benz GLS: re-engineered luxury SUV unveiled
Genesis unveils the Mint Concept, a teensy, luxury all-electric city car
Genesis just pulled the cover off its newest product at a rather avant garde NYC event ahead of the 2019 New York International Auto Show. There was music and dancing and even a sort of fashion show. We half-expected Kanye to appear from the mist. And of course, there was the car, the Genesis Mint Concept, a two-door, two-passenger all-electric vehicle with no trunk, scissors-style side openings and a screen in the centre of an oblong steering wheel. Now that’s how to unveil a concept! At least, that’s how to unveil a concept as funky as this. View this post on Instagram Oh hai, it’s the Genesis Mint EV Concept. #genesis #ev #conceptcar #mint #genesismint #nyautoshow #nyautoshow2019 A post shared by Roberto Baldwin (@strngwys) on Apr 16, 2019 at 4:20pm PDT Whatever casual vibe you get from its diminutive, hatchback-esque stature and Hunter Green matte paint evaporates when you catch a glimpse of the interior, or how the rear windows/trunk doors open. The interior experience is what Genesis calls reductive and decluttered, featuring lots of leather and a new digital UX. It’s got an oblong steering wheel, with a rectangular screen displaying primary info dead in its centre and six circular copper Graphic User Interface dials mounted around the wheel. In place of rear seats or any sort of conventional rear storage space is a “parcel shelf,” which is accessed by those nifty scissor-style openings. Specs are sparse, but Genesis says the mini-EV should manage 322 kilometres per charge and be capable of 350-kWh quick charging. In the “lightweight runabout,” that 350-kWh ability will probably result in a speedy re-up, making the Mint convenient for the city life it was designed for. So, is this concept just a hype machine or is it destined to come to fruition? According to Manfred Fitzgerald, the global head of Genesis, who addressed reporters ahead of the reveal, Genesis is all in if its parent company Hyundai Motor Group gives the green light.
Origin: Genesis unveils the Mint Concept, a teensy, luxury all-electric city car
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