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Debuting today at The Quail is a new top-trim $339,150 Bentayga from Bentley’s Mulliner customizing division, with deliveries starting in early 2024.It’s powered by the same 542-hp twin-turbo V-8 as other Bentaygas, but it’s built on the long-wheelbase variant, which makes room for 22-way-adjustable rear seats with lots of recline.The tri-tone leather is tanned using a new process that employs wastewater from olive pressing.There appears to be no shortage of demand at the ultra-high end of the automobile market, which is keeping Bentley’s Mulliner customizing division plenty busy of late. After its farewell to the W-12 engine, the $2.1 million Batur, and building 12 new copies of the of the pre-war Speed Six for a similar price, Mulliner has now turned to the heart of the lineup, creating a more upscale Bentayga SUV. Shown today at The Quail, the place to be for all the big-price-tag automakers during the Monterey Car Week festivities, is the $339,150 EWB Mulliner, now the most expensive Bentayga.A little Bentayga background: the ultra-lux SUV starts at $200,025, with the extended-wheelbase (EWB) variant that was added to the lineup for 2023 jumping to $229,625. This new top-spec Mulliner, which is based upon the long-wheelbase model, leaps up another $110K, roughly $60K higher than the Bentayga Speed variant that was the previous top dog, and in the same neighborhood as the company’s Mulliner variants of the Continental GT coupe or convertible and Flying Spur sedan.EWB means a wheelbase stretch of 7.1 inches, with all of that additional length going to create stretch-out space in the rear seat. So, naturally, the Mulliner Bentayga comes standard with the 22-way-adjustable rear seats—Bentley calls this the Airline Seat, a descriptor it seems to consider as more positive than we might—that are a $11,195 option on the regular EWB Bentayga. These outboard rear seats (if you must be able to fit five, there’s a center-seat option) can recline to almost 40 degrees, complemented by a leather-trimmed footrest that folds out from the seat in front. The seats have both temperature and humidity sensors, which are used to determine whether to automatically apply heat, ventilation, or both simultaneously. They also periodically adjust to ward off fatigue. Take your shoes off, and your piggies will be dancing in 100-percent-wool floor mats. Tri-tone leather is exclusive to the Mulliner, with nearly 4000 possible combinations of the main color, secondary color, and accent color. And that leather, which Bentley calls Olive Tan, is made with a new process that employs wastewater from olive pressing to create the tanning agent. This is a further nod to sustainability, as the company already touts it uses only leather that’s clearly traceable to being a by-product of the meat industry. Embroidery on the diamond-quilted seats matches buyer’s selected interior color combo, and the Mulliner also comes with a matching, three-color pouch for the key fob.Other Mulliner bits include a diamond-patterned grille and a unique design for the 22-inch wheels fitted with weighted center caps that remain steadfastly upright. The powertrain is identical to much of the rest of the lineup, a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 making the same 542 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque and an eight-speed automatic. The company claims the Mulliner is but a tenth of a second slower to 60 mph than the short-wheelbase Bentayga S, which we coaxed to 60 in 3.5 seconds.The Mulliner Bentayga is available to order now, with deliveries starting in early 2024.More on the Bentayga SUVThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Director, Vehicle TestingDave VanderWerp has spent more than 20 years in the automotive industry, in varied roles from engineering to product consulting, and now leading Car and Driver’s vehicle-testing efforts. Dave got his very lucky start at C/D by happening to submit an unsolicited resume at just the right time to land a part-time road warrior job when he was a student at the University of Michigan, where he immediately became enthralled with the world of automotive journalism. More

Maserati revealed its track-only MCXtrema during Monterey Car Week on Friday, August 18.It will be powered by a 730-hp version of the Nettuno 3.0-liter V-6. The company will build only 62 copies, about half of which are destined for U.S. buyers.In the most basic of terms, the Maserati MCXtrema is a modified MC20 built solely for track use. The two models share a carbon-fiber tub and the same basic engine, but not much else. It’s like the Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport from Modena. But the Porsche is nearly four times as common. Maserati is keeping this model extra exclusive. Only 62 of these track-star cars are planned for production. About half of those will make it to the U.S., which also happens to be the largest MC20 market.”If you have to ask how much?” or however it goes, seems to apply here because all MCXtrema cars are spoken for. We’re guessing seven figures, considering how much the car has changed from the MC20.Powering the MCXtrema is a Nettuno 3.0-liter V-6 turned up to 730 horsepower. While the torque peak of 538 pound-feet at 3500 rpm remains unchanged, engineers squeezed 109 more cavallini from the MC20’s engine with updated turbochargers and exhaust, plus the requisite engine programming. From the bellhousing, the engine turns a paddle-shifted six-speed sequential transaxle fitted with a limited-slip differential.Race-Ready InteriorWe didn’t see the production interior in person, but the design indicates the MC20’s interior is totally stripped. All the controls reside on two futuristic-looking consoles that flank the driver. A racing-style yoke replaces a steering wheel, and a six-point harness lashes the driver to a fixed bucket. A safety cage built to FIA standards increases chassis stiffness. Adding a passenger seat is an option.In addition to the adjustable wing, flat underbody, and ankle-lacerating splitter, a.k.a. standard track-car kit, Maserati fitted a longitudinal spine. It splits the roof-snorkel engine intake and is said to increase in-corner stability and rear-wing efficiency. Large side scoops, a design detail not on the roadgoing MC20, feed the intercoolers and rear brakes. All the suspension arms, of unequal-length front and rear, are billet aluminum and attach to the body and upright via ball joints. The suspension also features Ohlins four-way adjustable dampers and adjustable anti-roll bars. From the steering wheel, the driver can adjust ABS and traction control. Race tires, the kind that use metric sizing and aren’t road legal, wrap 18-inch center-lock wheels.MCXtrema mechanics—because, let’s face it, those owners probably have mechanics on payroll—can leave the floor jacks at home because this has air jacks. On the scale of track-day flexes, air jacks is pretty high up there. All signs indicate this big-kid toy will be a ton of fun to own and run at a track. Maserati says the MCXtrema is the first of its kind, which kind of implies there will be other low-volume specials that may or may not be street legal in our future. That’s a good thing. Executive EditorK.C. Colwell is Car and Driver’s executive editor, who covers new cars and technology with a keen eye for automotive nonsense and with what he considers to be great car sense, which is a humblebrag. On his first day at C/D in 2004, he was given the keys to a Porsche 911 by someone who didn’t even know if he had a driver’s license. He also is one of the drivers who set fast laps at C/D’s annual Lightning Lap track test. More

Automobili Pininfarina has unveiled its second model, the B95 speedster, at Monterey Car Week.The B95 uses the same powertrain as the Battista coupe, an 1877-horsepower quad-motor setup developed by Rimac.Only 10 units will be assembled, and Pininfarina is offering endless customization options such as the houndstooth fabric adorning the seat headrests in this example.The Pininfarina Battista burst onto the scene in 2022 with a sharp design and an 1877-horsepower electric powertrain borrowed from the Rimac Nevera. Automobili Pininfarina—spun off from the famous design house of the same name after it was purchased by Indian industrial conglomerate Mahindra—has now revealed its second model, an open-top hypercar called the B95, at Monterey Car Week.The B95—”B” is for barchetta, an Italian word for roofless, two-seat sports cars—is built on the same Rimac-sourced bones as the Battista, with a T-shaped 120.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack slotted into a carbon-fiber housing. It feeds juice to four electric motors, one at each wheel, for a total of 1877 horsepower, and Pininfarina claims a 60-mph sprint of under 2.0 seconds and a top speed over 186 mph. That seems plenty fast for a car without a windshield, let alone a roof. Pininfarina also promises that the B95 can charge at up to 270 kW on a DC fast charger, going from 20 to 80 percent in 25 minutes.While the powertrain may be nothing new, the stunning bodywork certainly is. The B95 is wide and low, with flowing curves and a pointy front end featuring a visor-like full-width trim piece that houses LED headlights. Although there is no traditional windshield, the clear polycarbonate aero screens are mounted on aluminum arms that can raise or lower to help shield the occupants from wind. Pininfarina will also offer bespoke matching helmets for B95 buyers. Two streamlined fairings sprout up behind the seats to improve the airflow over the vehicle.The example unveiled in Monterey is painted in a grayish hue called Bronzo Superga that contains gold flake, juxtaposed with bright yellow Giallo Arneis paint on the nose and driver’s side fairing. The front splitter and rear diffuser are finished in exposed carbon fiber and the B95 rides on black aluminum wheels measuring 20 inches up front and 21 inches at the rear. The brakes match the contrasting Giallo Arneis paintwork.The cabin, if you can even call it that, uses a dashboard and center console design that appears nearly identical to that of the Battista coupe, with a trio of screens situated behind the steering wheel and lots of carbon fiber trim on the rest of the dashboard. Tan leather covers the seats, center console, and dashboard, contrasting with brushed black aluminum trim, while the seat headrests are decked out in a snazzy Pied de Poule Houndstooth fabric. Pininfarina will only build 10 units of the B95, with nearly unlimited customization options allowing each example to be unique. There’s no word on price, but with the Battista starting at $2.2 million for the 150-unit production run, we imagine the much more exclusive B95 will cost a significant chunk more.More from PininfarinaThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb 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. More

Acura revealed its Electric Vision concept during Monterey Car Week.The show car was designed in-house at Acura’s California design studio.The concept appears to preview an EV supercar—could it be an early look at a future NSX?After unveiling its first production EV, the 2024 ZDX, during Monterey Car Week, Acura pulled the sheet off a second electric vehicle, this Electric Vision Concept.Whereas the ZDX is a fairly standard-style SUV, which will see deliveries early next year, the Electric Vision design study takes the shape of a supercar. The proportions are ultra-low, and the design language is curvaceous rather than angular. Exterior lighting is used as a design element and is color-changing. While the ZDX rides on a General Motors platform (the same one that underpins the Cadillac Lyriq), the concept is not believed to have been designed around a specific production-ready platform.Related StoriesInstead,Acura design chief Dave Marek describes it as a high-performance model that “is inspiring everyone in our studio to push the boundaries.” He did not describe it as a first step toward a next-generation NSX, but we’re free to speculate. After all, Acura head honcho Jon Ikeda has been quoted as saying, “There’s gonna be another one.” And with Acura transitioning to an EV brand, well, a third-gen NSX necessarily would be electric. So, this very well could be the starting point on that journey. Do you like where Acura is headed?Deputy Editor, Reviews and FeaturesJoe Lorio has been obsessed with cars since his Matchbox days, and he got his first subscription to Car and Driver at age 11. Joe started his career at Automobile Magazine under David E. Davis Jr., and his work has also appeared on websites including Amazon Autos, Autoblog, AutoTrader, Hagerty, Hemmings, KBB, and TrueCar. More

Ford has revealed a very special version of the Mustang called the GTD.It has a supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 engine, active aerodynamics, and numerous other track-oriented modifications.It will cost around $300,000 and will be built in limited quantities starting next year.After seeing the clay model of the Ford Mustang GT3 race car in the design studio, Ford Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley decided the Blue Oval needed to turn it into a road car. Built from a desire to win Le Mans with a Mustang, the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is essentially the street-legal version of Ford’s upcoming racer that is due to debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona before heading to Le Mans. Unhindered by racing rules, the GTD street car will have more power (approximately 800 horsepower) and active aerodynamic features that are illegal in the series Ford will race the Mustang GT3 in. Ford plans to build the street-legal GTD in limited numbers and it intends for this super ’Stang to take on the best track cars in the world. As Farley puts it, “It’s for AMG Black, Aston Martin, Porsche GT3 RS. We want to beat it [the GT3 RS] at Le Mans, but we [also] want to beat it as a street car.”Ford Performance + Multimatic = Mustang GTDDesigned and engineered by Ford Performance and Multimatic, the GTD starts life as a body-in-white run-of-the-mill Mustang that leaves the model’s Flat Rock, Michigan plant and heads north toward Multimatic’s factory in the Canadian province of Ontario. From there, the rear of the Mustang shell undergoes surgery to fit the GTD’s transaxle, which contains a Tremec eight-speed dual-clutch transaxle. A transaxle cooler mounted onto the trunk lid chills the gearbox. Ford tells us there’s still some trunk space under the transaxle-cooler’s ducting and radiator, but we didn’t get to see it.Fitting a transaxle that connects to the front-mounted engine via a carbon-fiber prop shaft shifts the balance of weight rearward. Ford claims the GTD has a nearly 50/50 front-rear balance, which compares quite favorably to the Mustang Shelby GT500’s 56.6/43.4 percent distribution. More Racy MustangsThe automaker is keeping the GTD’s final weight under wraps for the time being. With the exception of aluminum door skins, carbon-fiber forms the rest of the bodywork. Before you ask, exposed carbon-fiber panels (as on the GT supercar) are under consideration. However, such an option may ultimately prove too complicated and expensive. The Secretariat of Ford MustangsNo doubt, the GTD will be quick. Motivation comes courtesy of a slightly modified version of the Shelby GT500’s supercharged 5.2-liter V-8. In GTD guise, the blown bent eight ought to make around 800 horsepower—up from the GT500’s 760 horsepower—and redline at 7500 rpm. A dry-sump oil system should allow the engine to keep all eight cylinders sufficiently lubricated on the track. Even with this addition, the engine maintains the same mounting position as the GT500. An available titanium exhaust made by Akrapovic blows hot air out of two large pipes that protrude from the rear fascia. We assume the GTD includes a launch-control system so it can make the most of the traction provided by the mammoth 345/30ZR-20 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rear tires. Up front, Ford fits the GTD with 325/30ZR-20 rubber, among the widest tires we can recall seeing fit to the front end of a production car. A bespoke suspension makes the most of the rubber’s grip. Multimatic’s adaptive spool-valve (ASV) dampers pair with a new unequal-length control-arm front suspension, while the rear end incorporates a pushrod-style multilink setup that works with inboard-mounted ASV dampers and coil springs.Forged aluminum wheels come standard, but even lighter forged magnesium wheels are optionally available to further reduce unsprung weight. Massive carbon-ceramic brake rotors hide behind the GTD’s wheels. Dedicated cooling ducts help keep the front rotors from overheating. GTD Brings the Wing With the push of a button, the GTD’s body drops approximately 1.6 inches in order to make the most of its aerodynamic package. The massive wing hanging off the C-pillar is an optional extra and it’s due to come with a hydraulically controlled active drag-reduction system (DRS) to increase downforce when necessary. Pressure-reducing vents in the front fenders and hood look like pieces pulled from a dedicated Le Mans racer. For those wanting the most extreme aero package, Ford will offer a carbon-fiber underbody that comes with hydraulically actuated, active front flaps. In person, the GTD is shockingly wide, with aggressive fender sculpting. The four-inch wider track, aggressive stance, and improved proportions of the approximately $300,000 Mustang variant made the Shelby GT500 that Ford parked nearby look like Danny DeVito to the GTD’s Arnold Schwarzenegger. The tinted glass of the prototype vehicle limited our view of the interior. Nevertheless, we caught sight of the latest Mustang’s large gauge cluster and infotainment screens, as well as the racing-style Recaro front seats. There are no rear seats. Befitting its big wing, the GTD’s options menu includes a 3-D–printed rotary shifter and shift paddles made from the titanium parts of a Lockheed Martin F-22.Production of the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is still more than a year off, with the Blue Oval planning to build between 1000 and 2000 examples of this mighty Mustang. We’re sure Ford will sell every last one. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Editor-in-ChiefTony Quiroga is an 18-year-veteran Car and Driver editor, writer, and car reviewer and the 19th editor-in-chief for the magazine since its founding in 1955. He has subscribed to Car and Driver since age six. “Growing up, I read every issue of Car and Driver cover to cover, sometimes three or more times. It’s the place I wanted to work since I could read,” Quiroga says. He moved from Automobile Magazine to an associate editor position at Car and Driver in 2004. Over the years, he has held nearly every editorial position in print and digital, edited several special issues, and also helped produce C/D’s early YouTube efforts. He is also the longest-tenured test driver for Lightning Lap, having lapped Virginia International Raceway’s Grand Course more than 2000 times over 12 years. More

EV startup Fisker has revealed additional details about the Alaska pickup truck that it recently previewed.The Alaska will feature a 4.5-foot bed that can be extended to up to 9.2 feet thanks to fold-down rear seats and a partition at the back of the cabin that folds away.Fisker aims to sell the Alaska for $45,400, with deliveries planned for the first quarter of 2025.After previewing three future models at an event in California, EV startup Fisker has begun providing more details on the vehicles that will constitute its lineup in the coming years. Last week Fisker showed off the Rōnin, a $385,000, 1000-hp four-door convertible. Now the automaker is providing specifics on the Alaska pickup, including performance, range estimates, and expected production dates.While the Alaska’s 208.8-inch length is dimensionally closer to mid-size such as like the Rivian R1T, Fisker claims it will also aim to compete with larger pickups like the Ford F-150 Lightning thanks to its innovative bed design. In its standard configuration, the bed measures 4.5-feet long, equal to the R1T. But a divider—which Fisker called the “Houdini partition”—aft of the rear seats can electronically lower to elongate the bed to 7.5 feet, outdoing the Lightning’s 5.5-footer. Lowering the rear seats provides even more room, extending the horizontal space to 9.2 feet. Panels raise up behind the front seats to protect them from the cargo and there will also be an insulated front trunk.Under the skin, the Alaska will be offered with two battery packs, both of which appear to be the same units offered in the Ocean crossover. Fisker predicts that the smaller pack, with a 75.0-kWh gross capacity, will provide at least a 230-mile range. Fisker quotes the larger pack at 113.0 kWh, and it likely has the same usable capacity of 106.0 kWh as the Ocean’s battery. The maximum range estimate for the larger pack is 340 miles.Fisker says the Alaska will be able to reach 60 mph in 3.9 seconds for the quickest models and 7.2 seconds for the less performance-focused variants. No other powertrain details were provided, but we expect the pickup to be offered with single or dual motor setups powering either just the front wheels or all four, with 20- or 22-inch wheels available. The Alaska’s cabin will focus on practicality. The center armrest will include storage space for small objects like flashlights and pens, while the front passenger will get a tray with a tablet holder and there will also be a storage cubby for work gloves. A couple of quirkier ideas include a “big gulp” cupholder that Fisker claims to be the largest in the world and a dedicated “cowboy hat holder.”More on FiskerFisker says it aims to start production of the Alaska in the first quarter of 2025, with pricing expected to start at $45,400. Fisker also says the Alaska will be built in the U.S., although it didn’t specify where, and reservations are already open. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb 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. More

Infiniti is showing a new concept car called the QX Monograph.It appears to preview the next-generation QX80 full-size luxury SUV, which should arrive within the next year.The concept uses Infiniti’s new three-dimensional logo and incorporates a new design language.Infiniti’s biggest SUV, the QX80, is poised for an imminent redesign if this new concept car is any indication. Called the QX Monograph concept, this design study being revealed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance appears to be a close preview of what the next-generation QX80 will look like.With its huge front grille and distinctive lighting elements, the new design follows the trend of other big luxury SUVs such as the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator. Infiniti says that the grille texture is meant to resemble a bamboo forest, while the LED daytime running lights are reminiscent of “digital piano keys.” Interestingly, the actual headlights are separate from these DRLs, mounted lower down on the fascia. Infiniti’s new 3-D logo is prominently displayed in the center of the grille.Out back, the taillights are a full-width LED unit with a vertical hash pattern meant to mirror the DRLs up front. The concept is finished in a paint color called Akane, meaning “deep red” in Japanese, that’s meant to change colors in different lighting, while the windows are subtly tinted red and the roof is finished in gloss black. The 12-spoke wheels also have red accents.There aren’t too many concept-car flights of fancy in play here, so we don’t think the eventual production model will look too different from this. The QX Monograph concept doesn’t have an interior, but we expect it to feature numerous upgrades over the current QX80’s somewhat dated cabin, such as nicer materials and more modern infotainment displays.Look for more information to come soon on the next-generation QX80, which could arrive as soon as the 2025 model year in the U.S.More on the QX80Senior EditorDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More

This 85 percent scale replica of original 1929 Blower is a Bentley-sanctioned product.It has a 20-hp electric motor and a 25 mph top speed, as it’s classified as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle.It’s produced in the U.K. by Little Car Company (LCC) and is set to carry a six-figure price tag.When Bentley built a “continuation” run of its famous 1920s ‘Blower’ it charged $2.1 million for each and limited production to just 12 cars, all of which were sold well before the program was officially announced. Now here is a chance for anybody who missed out on that allocation to get a very slightly downsized version of the same car in EV form: the Bentley Blower Junior.Freshly unveiled at Monterey Car Week, the Blower Junior is another product from the Little Car Company in the U.K. This is the same outfit responsible for the Bugatti Baby II as well as other downsized and electrified classics including an Aston Martin DB5, Ferrari Testa Rossa and Jaguar E-Type—plus the forthcoming upsized Tamiya Wild One Max we told you about last month. But the Blower Junior is the most ambitious classic evocation so far, being both bigger—an 85 percent scale version of the original car—and also boasting what will be the novelty of street legality on both sides of the Atlantic.BentleyNot that it will be suited to relaxed long distance touring. In Europe, the Blower Junior’s rear-mounted 20-hp electric motor will give it a top speed of 45 mph and allow it to be sold as an ‘L7e quadricycle’ that can be used on most roads except high-speed highways. But in the U.S., tougher legislation means the Junior will be regarded as a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, limited to 25 mph and, in most states, unable to legally travel on any road with a posted speed limit higher than 35 mph. This means few American buyers are likely to ever test the claim that the Blower Junior will be able to manage around 65 miles of range under Europe’s WLTP testing methodology.Bentley Past and PresentRegardless of the modest potential for speed, the Blower Junior is a beautiful thing. LCC employed many of the construction techniques used for the original car, including the hand-formed louvers in the center-hinged aluminum hood held in place by leather straps. The lack of an engine up front meant it was possible to see some non-prototypical daylight through these gaps when we saw the prototype version, but LCC says it is looking at ways to use the space for luggage accommodation—in other words, a very elegant frunk. The prototype already has a small amount of storage space within the carefully modeled fuel tank at the back of the car; without the need to carry gasoline, this hinges open to offer a lockable trunk. The 10.8-kWh, 48-volt battery pack sits beneath the floor and is recharged by a socket integrated into the cast ‘supercharger’ at the front of the car.As with its earlier mini recreations, LCC has tried to keep the new Bentley chassis components similar to those of the original car, with elliptical springs and circular friction dampers at each corner. But in the interests of safety, the braking system is upgraded with hydraulic actuation for front discs and rear drums. The braking capability of the ‘continuation’ Blower was the least modern thing about it when we drove it two years ago, and the Junior will also have a conventional layout for its brake and accelerator pedals (the original car pre-dated standardization and had the brake on the right).BentleyBeyond the electric drivetrain, some other details have been changed. The Blower Junior’s rear body is made from carbon fiber rather than a timber frame, although this is still surfaced in 1920s-spec impregnated fabric. The reduced dimensions of the new car also mean it adopts an unusual seating layout with the passenger offset to the right behind the driver. The need to meet safety standards for road use has also brought inelegant pillars for three-point seatbelts. The Junior’s polished aluminum dashboard is necessarily smaller than that of the original Blower, with fewer dials, but period details such as the use of domestic light switches have survived. And we love the string-wrapped steering wheel.Junior drivers will have no need to try and deal with a recalcitrant pre-sychromesh ‘crash’ gearbox like those of the full-sized cars, as you merely have to choose between Drive and Reverse. There are also three power modes, selected by the spherical wooden handle tha, in the original car, was for the fuel pump. Comfort restricts the output to 2.7 hp, Bentley raises it to 10.7 hp, and Sport brings the full fury of 20hp. With that pitted against an occupant-free weight of around 1200 pounds, acceleration will likely be leisurely. BentleyWhile considerably cheaper than the Continuation Blower, the Bentley Blower Junior is definitely not going to actually be cheap. LCC says that the limited-to-99 First Edition—all in British Racing Green with Union Jack flag on the side—will cost £90,000, or $115,000 at current exchange rates. That is serious coin for a car that can only do 25 mph, but not for a vintage Bentley.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior European CorrespondentOur man on the other side of the pond, Mike Duff lives in Britain but reports from across Europe, sometimes beyond. He has previously held staff roles on UK titles including CAR, Autocar and evo, but his own automotive tastes tend towards the Germanic, owning both a troublesome 987-generation Porsche Cayman S and a Mercedes 190E 2.5-16. More