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Bentley & Audi to share new V8 – the end of the W12?

The Bentley Continental GT V8 will share an engine with Audi When we reported on the reveal of the new 2011 Bentley Continental GT, we noted that Bentley had plans to launch a V8 version  of the Conti sometime next year. What we didn’t get was too much information from Bentley on the new V8, except the little nugget that the V8 going in to the Bentley would be Audi sourced. Which makes sense.

Concept Car of the Week: Honda Kiwami (2003)

As part of Honda's exploration into new, clean-performing technologies, the Kiwami concept was created to test public acceptance of the idea of a large, fuel cell-powered luxury sedan.  Unveiled in 2003, the simple yet striking design seemed like a Japanese twist on the Renault Vel Satis concept, which shared a similar wedge profile, wide stance and minimalist approach.  However, the Kiwami found its own interpretation of modern luxury, expressed through elegantly integrated technology rather than with crystal champagne glasses.  Up front, a full-width LED strip headlamp sat flush with the flat bonnet and the rectangular bumper to create a design of primitive beauty.  Further examples of the same simple Japanese aesthetic are found around the car, including the uncluttered body panels and a full-width tail-lamp graphic that matched the front theme.  The dramatic proportions of the interior were closely related to the package of the hydrogen power plant. Unlike other manufacturers at the time, Honda engineers did not create a 'skateboard' fuel cell chassis below the cabin. Instead, a sideways H-shaped layout for the control unit, ultracapacitor, fuel cell stack, hydrogen storage and other components was used, helping to create a lower center of gravity.

Concept Car of the Week: Plymouth XNR (1960)

In the early ‘50s, both GM and Ford offered attractive and exciting sports cars, symbols of a proud post-war America. Ford had the Thunderbird and GM the Corvette, but Chrysler's approach was more pragmatic, producing cars that were practical and robust but also slow. After commissioning a long series of concepts designed by Italian carrozzeria Ghia, Chrysler gave a free hand to its design chief Virgil Exner to inject some life into its lineup.