After decades in the shadow of Rolls Royce limousines, the Bentley has now emerged as a magnificent luxury vehicle in its own right. With the Mulsanne, Bentley is reviving the heyday of the marque.

Not since the legendary Continental of the 1950s have Bentleys looked so good. The renaissance of the brand began with the beautifully styled and engineered Continental, no doubt inspired by its famous namesake. It is good to see that Bentley have built upon the success of that model to allow its design style to evolve into something truly special. That something is the Mulsanne, itself the bearer of a name laden with history, tradition and a reputation for motoring excellence. (more…)

The biennial Paris Car Show is not just the oldest and one of the largest in the world, but also one of the most glamorous events on the annual car show circuit.

The names are familiar to those of us who love cars. Earl’s Court, London, Geneva, Detroit, Frankfurt and Paris. Along with a growing number of Asian car shows these are the industry’s calling cards, the glamorous occasions when manufacturers from across the world show their imminent new models and the flights of fantasy that designers and engineers have moulded into physical shape. (more…)

Though yachting, power boating, tennis and a host of other sophisticated sports feature prominently in Monaco, it is motor sport that above all runs in the veins of this principality.

Over the years Monaco has built up a sporting tradition that far outweighs its size both in terms of area and population. Professional French League football club AS Monaco, the international athletics meets, tennis championships and offshore power boating competitions are fine examples of these, but if you mention sport and Monaco in the same breath the first association will undoubtedly be with motor sport. (more…)

The jeep has come a long way from the simple utility vehicle it once was. The original army jeep, and the early commercial models that followed it, may have been crude and devoid of any comfort, but it was meant to be a workhorse that could go anywhere, not a luxury car. This very clear division of labour was shattered in 1970 with the introduction of the Range Rover. Every bit as revolutionary as the original American Jeep, it was the first to combine luxury and true off-road capability.

For years, the Range Rover stood alone as the ‘Rolls Royce of four-wheel drives’, while the likes of Toyota, Fiat and even Mercedes continued to build conventional, truck-like jeeps. That is, until the early 90s, when a more pampered clientele made the switch and turned the humble jeep into a must-have status symbol. Manufacturers quickly responded to the executives and housewives who had embraced all-wheel drive, and started producing off-roads that were comfortable, opulent and above all, easy to drive. (more…)

Built for individualists with a penchant for style and elegance, Wiesmann cars are as exclusive as they look – a modern sports car beneath classic retro charm.

On the outskirts of the German town of Dülmen stands a modern building whose stunning architecture offers a hint at what is inside. No, this is not a state-of-the-art museum, a science faculty or a futuristic conference centre but actually a factory where cars are made. (more…)