Bentley Continental GT Speed: The Pinnacle of Performance Grand Touring

Bentley Continental GT Speed: The Pinnacle of Performance Grand Touring

Bentley has pushed the boundaries of performance grand touring with the 2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed.

Moving away from the philosophy of previous Speed models, Bentley has focused on improving the handling and driving dynamics, making the new Continental GT Speed the most dynamic road car in Bentley's history.

The company has introduced its most advanced chassis built using four chassis technologies that give the Continental GT Speed a new level of agility, performance and ride quality, improving the cars driving characteristics.

The Bentley Dynamic Ride and three-chamber active air suspension with adaptive damping help the new GT speed maintain the balance of the car while going through turns and bad roads while the addition of rear-wheel steering helps turn the car better at low and medium speed by turning the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels by up to four degrees.

The Continental GT Speed becomes the first Bentley to use an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD).  Tuned hand-in-hand with the traction control and active chassis system, the eLSD adds high-speed traction, improved lateral capacity and longitudinal stability.

The rearward biased all-wheel-drive system of the new Continental GT Speed combined with the intelligent eLSD and electronic stability control gives the driver a greater level of freedom before the safety systems intervene to correct any animalities. This clever combination makes this Bentley a born drifter.

The car also features the world's largest carbon-ceramic brake that stands 440 mm in diameter with a ten-piston calliper. The brakes have been designed specially to provide class-leading braking performance with copper-free brake friction material for reduced environmental impact.

The new carbon-ceramic brakes reduce the car's weight by around 33 kg, helping lower the car's inertia and aid handling.

In terms of the engine, the Continental GT Speed continues to carry forward the 6.0l twin-turbo W12 engine from the standard model with a slight increase in power to 650 hp. This increase in power translates to shaving a tenth off the 0-100 kmph time and an increase in top speed from 332-335 kmph.

Aesthetically, the Continental GT Speed features a blacked-out front grille with slightly redesigned side sills and 22-inch rims as standard. On the inside, there is a new dual-tone colour split for the leather and embroidered Speed badges on the headrests. (MT)

Mercedes-Benz India Launches Limited-Series GLE And GLS Night Editions

Mercedes-Benz India Launches Limited-Series GLE And GLS Night Editions

Mercedes-Benz India has introduced the GLE and GLS Night Editions, two exclusive limited-series models that bring a distinct visual identity and specially curated interiors to the brand’s best-selling luxury SUV range. These editions are part of a global limited run and will be available in restricted volumes, reinforcing their exclusivity and appeal to collectors. The configurations offered are not replicated on any standard variant.

Responding to rising customer demand for personalisation, the Night Editions feature darkened exterior styling with two colour choices: Obsidian Black and Alpine Grey. The Alpine Grey finish is reserved exclusively for this series, providing a more distinctive offering. Inside, both models elevate the cabin with black Nappa leather upholstance and Anthracite open-pore oak wood trim, details unavailable on standard versions. A head-up display comes as standard equipment across both vehicles.

The GLE Night Edition adds AIRMATIC suspension as an extra refinement, distinguishing its ride quality further from the standard GLE. The GLE has long been a consistent performer in Mercedes-Benz India’s core luxury SUV segment, and this new variant builds on that foundation with a sport-influenced black-centric exterior. Meanwhile, the GLS Night Edition applies the same design language to the flagship luxury SUV, which remains the highest-selling model in its segment. The black exterior styling gains greater visual authority on the larger GLS platform, while the premium interior upgrades extend the cabin’s luxurious character.

Pricing for the Night Edition GLS 450 stands at INR 14,100,000 ex-showroom all-India, while the GLS 450d is priced at INR 14,300,000. The GLE 300d Night Edition is available at INR 10,500,000, and the GLE 450 Night Edition at INR 11,400,000, both ex-showroom all-India.

Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “Continuous product innovation for customers through new products, their facelifts and exclusive editions has been core to Mercedes-Benz’s successful product strategy in India, consistently elevating the brand’s desirability. GLE and GLS are undisputed segment leaders in the luxury SUV category in India, elevating India into Mercedes-Benz’s top global markets for these SUVs. The introduction of the ‘Night Edition’ with bespoke design, curated interiors, exclusive appointments and a sharper focus on personalisation makes the SUVs highly exclusive and unmatched in appeal. As our discerning customers increasingly seek vehicles that reflect their individuality, the GLE and GLS ‘Night Edition’ sets a new standard in differentiated luxury, reinforcing Mercedes-Benz’s leadership in top-end luxury SUV space.”

Stellantis Unveils STLA One Global Modular Vehicle Architecture

Stellantis STLA One

European automotive major Stellantis has introduced STLA One, a new modular vehicle architecture designed to consolidate five existing platforms into a single, scalable system.

Scheduled for launch in 2027, the platform aims to support the company’s vehicle segments (B, C and D) and is projected to underpin more than 30 models, with production targets exceeding 2 million units annually by 2035.

The platform is claimed to be engineered to deliver a 20 percent improvement in cost efficiency through design modularity, increased component reuse and strategic battery technology choices.

STLA One is central to the company’s broader strategy, which aims for 50 percent of total volume to be produced on three global platforms by 2030. It is the first Stellantis architecture slated to integrate the full suite of the company's ‘STLA’ technology stack, including STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit and steer-by-wire systems.

It is designed with common interfaces to reduce complexity and speed up development times across different vehicle segments. The architecture is engineered to be ‘dedicated per energy by design,’ ensuring efficiency for various powertrain types (including electric and hybrid variants).

The platform will support Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery technology to improve affordability and reduce dependency on critical raw materials. It will also feature cell-to-body integration to reduce weight and complexity and will be 800-volt capable to support faster charging.

While the STLA One announcement represents a new modular approach for the B, C and D segments, it joins the broader family of Stellantis global platforms, which previously included the STLA Small, STLA Medium, STLA Large and STLA Frame architectures. The company’s overall strategy continues to focus on consolidating its diverse portfolio into fewer, more efficient and highly flexible platforms.

MINI India Expands Into Jharkhand With New Ranchi Dealership

MINI Dealership - Ranchi

MINI India, part of the BMW Group, has entered the Jharkhand market with the appointment of Titanium Autos as its authorised dealer partner in Ranchi. This opening is part of the brand’s 2026 expansion strategy, which has already seen market entries in Guwahati, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Surat.

The new Titanium Autos Retail.NEXT dealership, located at NH-33, Chakla, Ormanjhi, offers a multi-brand experience by housing BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad vehicles under one roof. The facility showcases eight BMWs, one MINI, and seven BMW Motorrad units, supported by a workshop featuring three mechanical bays and four body and paint bays.

The dealership utilises the BMW Group’s 'Retail.NEXT' immersive concept, focusing on a customer-centric environment that integrates modern architecture with digital tools.

Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO, BMW Group India, said, “MINI’s entry into Jharkhand marks an important step in expanding the brand’s presence in emerging premium markets across India. Jharkhand is witnessing a growing appetite for distinctive, design-led and engaging luxury mobility, making it a strategic market for MINI. We are pleased to appoint Titanium Autos as our dealer partner for Jharkhand.”

Utkarsh Singhania, Dealer Principal, Titanium Autos, added, “Jharkhand represents a promising market with evolving customer aspirations, and we look forward to building a strong MINI presence through exceptional sales and service standards.”

Titanium Autos, which also represents the BMW Group in Guwahati and Patna, aims to provide comprehensive sales, service, and lifestyle offerings at this new location.

Hyundai Motor Group Showcases Hydrogen Ecosystem Vision At World Hydrogen Summit

Hyundai Motor Group - World Hydrogen Summit

South Korean automotive major Hyundai Motor Group is presenting its integrated hydrogen value chain at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which runs from 19th May to 21, 2026.

The exhibition highlights the Group's shift from a mobility provider to a comprehensive hydrogen ecosystem player, featuring technologies across production, infrastructure and fuel cell systems.

The exhibition centres on the Group’s hydrogen brand and business platform, HTWO, and features the all-new NEXO, which serves as the successor to the company's fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). This model represents the Group's continued development in hydrogen mobility and fuel cell expertise.

Furthermore, the company also showcased its hydrogen fuel cell systems designed for use beyond mobility, supporting stationary power solutions, industrial applications and integration into broader energy systems.

The Group is aiming to strengthen its role in Europe’s transition to hydrogen energy by leveraging real-world experience gained from deployments in Korea.

Mark Freymuller, CEO, Hyundai Energy & Hydrogen Europe, said, “Our goal is to become a reliable partner in Europe’s hydrogen journey. We see hydrogen not as a stand-alone technology, but as a key enabler for cleaner mobility, resilient energy systems, and new industrial opportunities. Europe has ambitious hydrogen plans, and we bring experience from successful deployments that can help turn these plans into robust ecosystems. Hyundai Motor Group has accumulated extensive real-world experience with hydrogen across the entire value chain in Korea. We now want to bring this system-level expertise to Europe, with proven technologies, industry-leading expertise, and the willingness to build lasting relationships with policymakers, industry, and infrastructure partners.”