Luxist

What do you do when you work at a factory that's been shutdown due to a weak economy? Well, you can sit around and mope. Or you can volunteer your time and skills. Following their earlier art project to benefit cancer research, 59 craftsmen from the Bentley factory in Crewe have opted once again for the latter, and this is the result.

Named Luke, this retired London Routemaster double-decker bus was acquired by St Luke's hospice in Winsford, England, earlier this year. The idea was to transform it into a rolling vehicle for community service and public awareness. The Bentley workers put in some 2000 man-hours of their own free time to bring it to fruition, and the results look very impressive indeed. But don't take our word for it: see for yourself in the image gallery below.

BMW has finally taken the wraps off its brand-new 5 Series sedan, culminating months of anticipation for the Bavarian automaker's mid-range luxury saloon. The styling takes its cues from the new 7 Series and the recently launched 5 Series Gran Turismo, ending years of controversial styling ad replacing it with a more dynamic shape.

The new 5 is being offered in the North American market with a choice of two turbocharged engines: an all-new 300-horsepower twin-scroll 3.5-liter inline six for the 535i, and a 400hp twin-turbo direct-injection V8 in the 550i. Both are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and benefit from F1-derived regenerative braking for improved economy and optional four-wheel active steering. Additional engines – including diesels and more compact gasoline engines – are also available in overseas markets, with more powertrain options expected to join in the future, including hybrids and a new M5 performance model.

It's a pivotal product for BMW, and features a state-of-the-art cabin with all the luxury amenities you could expect from a luxury sedan. Browse through our high-resolution gallery below for a closer look, or follow the link to our sister-site Autoblog for a more in-depth analysis.

Back in 2005, BMW shocked the Formula One racing world by announcing it would leave its longtime partner Williams F1 in order to acquire its rival Sauber. But after four years of racing, the economy tanked and the coffers ran dry. BMW announced it would withdraw from the sport, leaving Sauber to look for a new investor.

A new investor was found, but reports now indicate that the deal could have been an elaborate fraud. The buyer was identified as Qadbak Investments, a mysterious Swiss firm that had recently acquired a football club in England and which was supposedly backed by wealthy Middle Eastern investors who preferred to keep a low profile. After an exhaustive chase of paper trails and dummy companies, it now appears that Qadbak is nothing but a front for one Russell King, a British national based in Dubai previously convicted of fraud.

According to the report, King was planning on using Sauber as a means to tap into the revenue sharing scheme in Formula One, worth tens of millions of euros.

With a shrinking economy and rising environmental conscience worldwide, the era of Bigger is Better in automobiles is coming to an end. In its place, customers are demanding more compact automobiles, even in the upper echelons of the market, and it now appears that both Bentley and Rolls-Royce are preparing to meet demand with smaller, more versatile products.

Bentley's plans are coming into focus with reports of a new range to be positioned below the existing Continental and Mulsanne. Sources suggest that the project tentatively known as the New Compact Bentley (NCB) could breed a three-door "shooting brake" (think a sportier take on the estate wagon) and a crossover. Both would sell in the $110-130k range, powered by a 4.5-liter twin-turbo V8 driving 550 horsepower to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Rolls-Royce's plans are a little less clear at this point. The most esteemed of luxury marques recently went down-market with the new Ghost, and is tipped to begin outfitting luxury Minis, but is also said to be working on a new compact crossover of its own. Code-named SHRIMP (for Short High Rugged International Metropolitan Project), the new Rolls would be positioned below its current offerings and take the brand into new territory.

Mercedes-Benz has a long history in grand prix racing. In the inter-war period, it competed with the famous Silver Arrows. After the war, the German automaker returned briefly, only to withdraw again after just one year. It wouldn't be until decades later that they'd come back to the scene, supplying engines first to the Sauber team (later acquired by arch-rival BMW) and then to McLaren, the championship team with which Mercedes has been tied – including a part-ownership and collaboration on the SLR McLaren supercar – since 1995. McLaren and Mercedes won several world championships throughout their fourteen-year history together, but now the two companies have gone their own separate ways. McLaren is building their own supercar – the MP4-12C – and Mercedes the SLS AMG, and now the two have announced a separation on the race track as well.

Although Mercedes will continue to provide McLaren with engines, the automaker has sold its stake back to the racing team. In its place, Benz has acquired a 75% stake in the Brawn GP team – which was previously Honda's, which in turn took over from British American Racing and Tyrrell before that. In its inaugural season, Brawn won both the constructors' title and the drivers' title, and will now be rebranded as Mercedes Grand Prix for the upcoming season. Eager to demonstrate German talent, the new Mercedes team has already signed Nico Rosberg – one of the youngest and most promising talents on the grid – and is preparing to announce its second driver shortly before returning for the 2010 championship in an effort to repeat this year's success.

Expect to see a lot more BMWs, Rolls-Royces and Minis in Hollywood as the German automaker has signed a new deal with one of the world's leading product placement agencies. The firm, Propaganda GEM, represents such brands as Panasonic, Bang & Olufsen and Nokia, to name just a few, but is ending its 13-year tie-in with Audi – which placed its vehicles in such hit films as Iron Man and I, Robot – in favor of a new one with the BMW Group.

BMW is certainly no stranger to product placement, having launched both the Z3 and Z8 roadsters in the Piece Brosnan-era 007 films. The Bavarian automaker also launched a highly successful short-film series called The Hire in 2001 that attracted several guest directors and starred Clive Owen. But now that BMW has pulled out of Formula One, Propaganda plans on using some of the newly-available marketing funds to place BMW products – including the cars and motorcycles as well as Minis and Rolls-Royces – in more films, TV shows, music videos and video games, in addition to sponsoring events like the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games in London.

See that polo-sporting playboy climbing out of the Ferrari convertible? Look at his shoes. They're probably made by Tod's. The Italian shoemaker has become synonymous with the exotic automaker, and not just because the chairman of the latter sits on the board of the former. Now the two kindred spirits have come together for a special line of driving mocs made by one for the other.

The Tod's for Ferrari line consists of three models – the Leccetto (with laces), the Laccetto Tubi GT (with tassels) and the Mascherina Griglia (with a special emblem styled after the grille of the iconic 250 GTO). The latter two are available in black and brown suede, with the former also available in red and blue (in true Elvis style). Each feature insoles ribbed like the seats of a Ferrari sportscar, and are made in the same time-honored tradition that makes any pair of Tod's loafers indispensable for the playboy lifestyle. They sell for 290 to 320 euros, and are available directly from Ferrari's online store.

Any performance automaker worth its logo has got to have a wristwatch to match. And while a carmaker's choice of wristwatch – think Panerai and Ferrari, Breitling and Bentley, Parmigiani and Bugatti – is meant to reflect the company's image, in some cases (like this PVD titanium one) it's more a reflection of the brand's aspirations. Because Abarth has always been about punching above its weight and taking on vehicles twice its size and ten times its price. So it should stand to reason that, even though its performance hatchbacks sell for relatively modest sums, the Abarth chronograph goes for more than €4,900, or the equivalent of some $7,300.

The timepiece is crafted by none other than Bernard Richards Manufacturer, a watchmaking atelier already known in motor racing circles for their inspiration from automobiles. To top the racing-themed design of the stock V12-T-44 chronograph, BRM has further differentiated the Abarth special edition with such custom touches as chrome hands and red stitching on the Nomex wrist-strap. Only 49 examples will be made available exclusively from BRM's website, making this timepiece considerably more exclusive than the cars its made to accompany.

Used to be if you wanted an exotic Italian automobile, you were looking at a two-door sportscar. Maserati's Quattroporte and Lamborghini's LM002 proved the exceptions, but even the most expensive luxury sport-utility vehicles were boxy, slow-moving machines. Long before Porsche came along with their Cayenne, however, Fornasari was working on a formula for the best of both worlds. For years they produced the three-door RR450 and RR600, but now they've come out with their first five-door sport-ute, and the numbers are unbelievable.

Powered by a 6-liter V8 provided by GM driving 610 horsepower to all four wheels via 60/40 rear split limited-slip differential and six-speed gearbox, Fornasari claims their latest SUV can reach 62 miles per hour in just 3.8 seconds and hit 174 mph flat out. All this in a coachbuilt Italian body. Pricing and availability are not yet available, but with an item like this, if you have to ask....

A Porsche is special enough for most, but for those looking for a bit more, there is no shortage of German tuners that specialize in Zuffenhausen's finest who'll be glad to bring it to the next level. Arguably foremost among them is 9ff, the relatively new outfit that made its mark with the record-breaking GT9.

With the Essen aftermarket tuner show coming up next weekend, 9ff has prepared the new Speed9. Based on the latest 911 Turbo convertible, the Speed9 sacrifices its rear seats for a slick profile evocative of the iconic 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster, with enough ground effects to match. Naturally 9ff hasn't stopped at looks alone, boosting the twin-turbo engine up from 473 horsepower to a shocking 650. No official word on price or performance, but you can expect both to exceed expectations.