Yamaha Royal Star Venture Tall Windshield on 2040-parts.com

One Lap of the Web: Wax that woody; Bentley gets high-tech

-- Bentley comes striding into the 21st century with a Mulsanne souped up with no fewer than two keyboard-equipped iPads in the backseat, hidden behind veneered wood inlays. In a short film titled "Intelligent Details" -- one must assume Bentley marketers had to resist the urge to call it "Intelligent Design" -- Luc Donckerwolke, director of design, and Sang Yup Lee, head of exterior design, go for a ride in black-and-white Manhattan. Naturally, they are not driving.

Aston Martin in talks with Mercedes for engine supply

It has seemed for some time that Aston Martin’s wish-list for future engines revolved around Mercedes. They currently use a V12 developed from Ford’s Mondeo V6 and a V8 that’s a development of the 4.2 litre that was in Jaguars (and Range Rovers) until a few years ago, but new engines (and new platforms) are vital if Aston are to remain competitive. Before the recent investment in AML by Investindustrial, there were plans for Aston to use both engines and platforms from Mercedes (the Lagonda SUV was built on the underpinnings of the Mercedes GL) and even the possibility that Aston Martin would design and build the next generation Maybach.

Hyundai HND-9 Concept at Seoul Motor Show

The Hyundai HND-9 is a concept coupe from Hyundai, heading for the Seoul Motor Show at the end of March, and probably previews the next Genesis Coupe. The Hyundai HND-9 is, according to Hyundai, the ‘Latest luxury sports coupe’, which we assume means the HND-9 is pointing at the next generation Genesis Coupe, a car we don’t (yet) get in the UK. The HND-9 gets an evolution of Hyundai’s fluidic design (although, unlike the latest Santa Fe where Hyundai decided the new design was called ‘Storm’, the HND-9′s design doesn’t get a name) which Hyundai say is a modern reinterpretation of an elegant classic premium sports coupe.