A new report coming out of England indicates the next Volkswagen Phaeton will launch with a battery-powered drivetrain.

The Wolfsburg-based firm’s biggest sedan will use an evolution of the all-electric drivetrain inaugurated earlier this year at the Frankfurt Motor Show by Audi’s e-tron quattro concept. The setup will likely consist of a potent battery pack located right under the passenger compartment, an electric motor on the front axle, and two additional motors out back. All told, the Phaeton will offer roughly 425 horsepower and 600 lb-ft. of instant torque.

It stands to reason the Phaeton will benefit from the same wireless charging technology as the production version of the e-tron quattro concept. Range is expected to check it at over 300 miles, but the final figure will vary depending on how fast battery technology advances over the next couple of years.

The Phaeton will be available with all of the bells and whistles buyers expect from a full-size luxury sedan. Fully-loaded models will boast advanced connectivity features such as a gesture-controlled infotainment system, and a long list of electronic driving aids including self-driving technology.

Volkswagen executives confirmed to British magazine Autocar that the Phaeton has been delayed for cost reasons. The flagship sedan is tentatively scheduled to arrive towards the end of the decade, though a more specific launch date isn’t available yet. Similarly, it’s too early to tell if Volkswagen will offer the Phaeton with gasoline- and diesel-burning engines.

Note: Chinese-spec 2016 Phaeton pictured.

Famed BMW tuner Alpina has given the 5 Series-based B5 Bi-Turbo a host of updates for the 2016 model year.

The B5 receives an evolution of BMW’s 4.4-liter V8 engine that develops 600 horsepower and 591 lb-ft. of torque thanks to the use of two Alpina-designed turbochargers, new lightweight pistons, a high-capacity fuel system, a bigger oil radiator, and three intercoolers. Bolted too an eight-speed automatic transmission, the eight-cylinder sends the B5 from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and on to an Autobahn-friendly top speed of nearly 204 mph.

Buyers can order the B5 as a sedan or as a station wagon. Both models ship with an adjustable suspension, active roll stabilization, and a standard mechanical limited-slip differential. They’re instantly recognizable as members of the Alpina family because they boast heritage-laced Alpina Classic wheels, decals on both sides, and an aerodynamic body kit.

Inside, both versions of the B5 offer a posh cabin with Merino leather upholstery sourced from BMW, piano lacquer trim, and an Alpina-specific instrument cluster. Every option offered by BMW on the 5 Series is available on the B5, and buyers with particularly deep pockets can work with Alpina’s in-house customization department to design a unique car.

The 2016 Alpina B5 Bi-Turbo is on sale now across Europe. In Germany, the sedan carries a base price of €108,600 (roughly $115,400) while the wagon starts at €111,900 (about $119,000). At the time of writing Alpina is not planning on selling the B5 Bi-Turbo in the United States.

Volvo and Microsoft are teaming up to develop technologies for automotive applications. The first fruits of the partnership will be the HoloLens augmented-reality glasses, which will be used in Volvo showrooms to enhance the car buying experience.

To start, the HoloLens can project life-sized renderings of Volvo cars, equipped in various trims, options, and colors. It can also strip away the sheetmetal to give wearers a glimpse of what’s underneath, from the drivetrain to the chassis.

HoloLens can also be used to demonstrate safety features such as forward collision braking assist, which can’t be easily demonstrated during an actual test drive. It projects a 3D traffic simulation and can “give a human being the vantage point of a sensor,” says Aric Dromi, whose fantastic title is Chief Futurologist at Volvo.

Microsoft and Volvo are considering adding software that could let potential customers sit in a Volvo in the showroom while going on a virtual test drive via the HoloLens.

For Volvo’s part, the company says that partnership emphasizes its commitment to its core values of technology and safety. HoloLens should be in showrooms next year. Watch a video demonstration below.

Tesla is recalling all Model S vehicles because of a single report about a seat belt that inexplicably came apart while in use.

Tesla sent out an email to all 90,000 Model S owners this week, asking them to bring their cars into a Tesla service center for a precautionary safety inspection. It is the largest recall in the company’s history.

The seat belt in question came undone when an improperly installed anchor plate came disconnected. The issue discovered when the driver turned around to talk to passengers in the back; the strain of the seat belt caused the anchor plate to detach.

Though no one was injured, Tesla is acting upon what the company is calling “an abundance of caution” by encouraging every Model S owner to have their cars inspected. Tesla says it will take a technician three to six minutes to complete the inspection. The company has already examined 3,000 cars, none of which exhibited the issue.

As a stopgap measure, customers can also perform their own inspections by yanking on the lap belt with a force 80 pounds or more, which Tesla says should reveal whether the belt is affected by the same issue. However, this is not a substitute for a Tesla-sanctioned safety inspection.

“This is above and beyond what is traditional in the industry,” said a Tesla representative, “but everyone from Elon [Musk] on down [says] that the fact this appeared on even a single vehicle is unacceptable.”

Bentley has confirmed it will expand its lineup with a smaller SUV and a new sport-focused coupe.

Speaking to British magazine Autocar, company boss Wolfgang Dürheimer explained the coupe will essentially be a toned-down version of the well-received EXP 10 Speed 6 concept (pictured) that was shown earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show. While most models will roll off the assembly line with an Audi-derived V8 in the engine bay, the range-topping version will use an all-electric drivetrain made up of two electric motors and three-stepped automatic gearboxes.

Bentley’s first-ever regular-production EV will offer all-wheel drive and anywhere between 400 and 500 horsepower, enough to reach a top speed of 200 mph while boasting a level of performance that Dürheimer qualifies as “stunning.” New battery technology will give the 4,400-pound coupe a 300-mile range.

The still nameless coupe won’t launch until a second SUV has arrived. Designed to lure new, younger buyers into showrooms, the SUV will be bigger than a Porsche Macan but smaller than a Cayenne. Bentley insiders predict it will be relatively cost-efficient to build because it will share many of its mechanical components — including its chassis and its eight- and twelve-cylinder engines — with the bigger Bentayga.

“It’ll be a matter of plug and play,” explained Dürheimer. The executive stresses that neither model has been approved by parent company’s Volkswagen’s top brass, but he’s confident both will be given the green light for production because they’re high-volume, high-profit cars.

Bentley’s baby SUV is tentatively scheduled to land in 2018, meaning the coupe could conceivably arrive in 2020. It’s not too far-fetched to imagine both models will be previewed by close-to-production concepts a year or so before their official debut.