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Autoweek in review: The racing season heats up, we pick the Popemobile

The second week of March saw the racing season warming up. We also finished our Geneva motor show coverage and began to prepare for the New York auto show. Here are our top stories of the week.

Bentley Mulsanne Diamond Jubilee Edition: Exclusive

Bentley Mulsanne Diamond Jubilee Edition Bentley will unveil the Mulsanne Diamond Jubilee Edition tonight at the opening of one of the world’s largest Bentley dealers in Beijing. We already know that China is now the most important market for Bentley, and that Bentley provides the Queen with the Bentley State Limousine – a custom-built Bentley in Claret and Black. Now, with the Queen celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, Bentley has found a way to pull all these threads together with the Bentley Mulsanne Diamond Jubilee Edition, a run of 60 Special Edition Mulsannes to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee – one for each year of the reign of Elizabeth II.

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 (2011) track testing begins

McLaren has begun testing its latest track weapon, the MP4-12C GT3 ahead of the 2012 FIA GT3 season.  How different is the MP4-12C GT3 from the roadgoing edition? The MP4-12C GT3 is based on the standard machine but modified for FIA GT racing by McLaren GT - a joint venture between McLaren Automotive and CRS Racing, a UK-based team currently competing in FIA GT with Ferrari F430s.  Externally you'll notice the race-spec fixed rear wing, undertray diffuser, front splitter, louvres and vents. Underneath there's a new suspension system, ditching the road car's linked suspension for FIA-compliant conventional dampers and anti-roll bars. Akebono is supplying race-specific brake components, and Bosch Motorsport has installed its ABS system. The car sits 100mm wider on its new suspension and has suitably flared bodywork as a result.  It's still the McLaren's bespoke 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, tuned for racing.