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The World's Top Luxury Toys for Men

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Yachts & Sailing, Luxury Cars & Autos, Wings, Books, Wealth

Luxury Toys for Men

What are the world's top luxury toys for men? Uber-luxe German publisher teNeues has the answer with its newest super-sized volume, Luxury Toys: For Men. The awesome Aston Martin One-77, so named because of its limited 77-example run and $1.7 million pricetag, appears on the cover.

Other supercars that make the cut, including the Audi R8 GT, Rolls-Royce Ghost, Jaguar XKR Special Edition, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S Awards Edition, and Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible. Quite the garage.

Covering transportation, style, accessories and dream vacations, the massive 220-page volume features 138 giant full-color photographs and text in English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian. Not based merely on price, the selections show how "emotion and finesse can be combined with spectacular aesthetic purity."

Audi R8 GT Coming to America for $200K

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Audi R8 GT

Exclusive. Fast. Stylish. Few cars are as eminently desirable as the Audi R8. More desirable still is the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI. But at the top of the heap is the R8 GT. Unveiled at the Paris Auto Salon last year, the R8 GT packs the same V10 engine, but tuned to 560 horsepower and with 180 fewer pounds to drag around, it's that much faster.

Only 90 examples of this raw performance machine will be coming to the United States, each carrying a price tag of $196,800, making it the most expensive car Audi offers, and probably the most expensive it ever has.

$2 Million Bugatti & Three Other Supercars Smashed in Wild Autobahn Weekend

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Crimes and Misdemeanors


A recent weekend in Germany saw the wanton destruction of a small fortune in supercars in a series of unbelievable smashups on the Autobahns. In the space of a mere 48 hours a Bugatti, two Lamborghinis and an Audi R8 were all totaled while traveling at eye-popping speeds. The first two casualties were a rare $2 million Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport (above) and a Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster, involved in separate incidents mere hours apart. The Lamborghini was driven by a 32-year-old who lost control of the car in Vaterstetten in lower Franconia but miraculously walked away unharmed. The driver of the Grand Sport lost control while passing another car at 125 mph, causing some $560,000 worth of damage. Then a black Lamborghini LP670-4SV driven by a couple of mechanics who'd just performed an oil change on the vehicle spun out and got pretty badly banged up. And finally a limited edition $200,000 Audi R8 GT, one of only 333 built, burned to cinders after crashing near Denkendorf on the A9.

Audi Debuts the New R8 GT at the Paris Auto Salon

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos



As far as mainstream production automakers go, few have managed to impress the way Audi has with the R8. Then the German carmaker kicked things up a notch with the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI. But for those looking for something even closer to the razor's edge, Audi has now unveiled the new R8 GT at the semi-annual Paris Auto Salon.

The GT model packs the same 5.2-liter V10 as the existing model, but boosts its power up from 525 hp to a full 560. To further unburden the powerplant, Audi has also trimmed 229 lbs off the curb weight, thanks mainly to lighter windows. Only 333 examples will be produced, each carrying a €193,000 ($256k) price tag.

Audi Announces Availability of R8 4.2 Spyder

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos



When a company like Audi unveils a new model, they tend to try to keep things simple by limiting the number of choices available at launch. Makes it easier to meet orders, you see. But once those initial orders are fulfilled, they tend to open up the books to more variety. Case in point: the Audi R8.

First unveiled with a V8 engine, Audi waited a while before introducing the V10 model. But when the convertible Spyder version came along, they did things the other way around, offering it at first only with the V10. Now the German automaker has opened the order books for customers who want the open-air experience of the Spyder with the more economic V8 engine. Customers who opt for the V8 model can still choose from manual or automatic transmissions, available carbon-ceramic brakes and can upgrade to the V10 version's larger wheels and upgraded suspension. So if you've been hankering for an R8 Spyder but the V10 has been a little out of reach, now could be your time.

Less Weight, More Power: Audi Announces Limited-Edition R8 GT

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

audi r8 gt

Making a car – especially an exotic supercar – go even faster may be a complicated business, but the idea is simplicity itself: decrease the weight, and increase the power. It's the same notion that has made such supercars as the Ferrari 430 Scuderia and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera better performers than their progenitors. And now Audi's applied the same formula to its R8.

To make the R8 GT, Audi has fitted thinner glass (replacing that giant rear window over the engine bay with a plastic one) and replaced many of the aluminum body panels with carbon fiber, shedding 220 lbs off the curb weight. Meanwhile, the German automaker has increased output from the 5.2-liter V10 from 525 horsepower to 560. Mated to the R-Tronic semi-automatic transmission, the R8 GT runs from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds and tops out just shy of 200 miles per hour.

Audi will only make 333 examples of the R8 GT, selling for €193,000 ($256,000) apiece.

Review: 2009 Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10, An Everyday Supercar

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

2009 Audi R8 V10 - click above for high res image gallery

Not so many years ago, driving a exotic supercar while clearly demonstrating the owner's financial wherewithal to own such a vehicle was not always such a pleasant experience. Such cars were typically built by small financially shaky companies that didn't have the resources necessary to properly develop the vehicles to be reliable and robust. The interiors were often poorly built and outfitted and were afflicted by assorted mechanical and electrical glitches.

Then in 1990 things suddenly changed when Honda rolled out the NSX. Instantly people realized that there was no reason why a high performance, mid-engine exotic sports car couldn't be just as a reliable and hospitable as an Accord. By the end of the 1990s exotic car builders like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin had all come under the wing of major automakers like Fiat, Volkswagen Group and Ford and the engineers began tapping into the parents resources to improve their cars.

Lamborghini in particular took advantage of its relationship with Audi to help develop the Gallardo, the best selling Lambo ever. Audi in turn decided to reverse the process with a supercar of its own to celebrate its decade long dominance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and used the Gallardo as the jumping off point for the R8. We recently got to spend some quality time with the fastest R8, the 5.2 FSI V10 and you can read about it after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Max Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Audi Tipped to Put E-TRON Concept Into Production

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green



If you still think that electric cars have to be small, weird, uncouth modes of transportation for tree-hugging hippies, may we suggest you look to Germany's latest. At the recently-concluded Frankfurt auto show, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all took the wraps off exotic supercars that will at some point arrive on the market with electric power.

The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept, unveiled in Frankfurt, is tipped to give birth to a new hybrid sportscar from the Bavarian automaker. The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, also unveiled in Frankfurt, is confirmed to breed an electric version. And the Audi e-tron concept, debuted in – you guessed it – Frankfurt – showed the way for what an all-electric version of the company's popular R8 sportscar could look like.

Now reports indicate that Audi is preparing to put the e-tron into production, with working prototypes expected to begin testing within the next two years. Packing four electric motors and a lithium-ion battery, the electric R8 produces a modest 313 horsepower but an absolutely bonkers 3,319 lb-ft of torque, firmly leaving those little electric city cars in its clean wake.

2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Audi e-tron Concept

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green



The Audi R8 ranks among the fastest cars you're likely to see on the road, but the German automaker isn't about to rest on its proverbial laurels. After the V8 version came the 5.2-liter V10, and while the turbo-diesel V12 TDI version never made it past the concept stage, Audi has tantalized the torque-happy alternative-energy crowd with the e-tron concept.

Based on the R8 and unveiled last week in Frankfurt, the e-tron replaces the gasoline-burning engine in the existing supercar with no less than four electric motors and an enormous lithium-ion battery pack to supply it with juice. The result? A relatively modest 313 horsepower, but an absolutely bonkers 3,319 lb-ft of torque. And no, that's not a typo: it really does have more than ten times the torque of most of the cars. To go with the alternative power, Audi updated the e-tron's design details. But don't take our word for it: have a look for yourself in our high-resolution photo gallery below.


2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Audi R8 5.2 FSI Spyder

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos



It's been a long time coming, but the Audi R8 Spider is finally here. The convertible version of Audi's mid-engine supercar debuted at the Frankfurt auto show after months of speculation, finally giving enthusiasts the car they want.

The design is essentially the same as the R8 coupe, but replaces the fixed roof with a folding soft-top. Gone as well are the iconic side blades that characterize the coupe's profile. The structural reinforcement and collapsing roof structure add an extra 476 lbs to the curb weight, but the 525-horsepower V10 engine should have no problem hauling the extra heft in return for the open-air experience and unmitigated exhaust note.


Audi Announces Pricing for V10-Powered R8 5.2 FSI Quattro

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos



Have your eye on the new V10-powered Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro? You're not alone, but you'll have to pay big for the privilege as Audi has announced U.S. pricing for its top-of-the-line supercar.

The R8 5.2 packs two more cylinders, 105 more horses and 74 more lb-ft of torque, for which buyers will have to pay nearly $32,000 more than the existing V8 version. While the eight-cylinder R8 4.2 sells for $114,200 with a manual transmission or $123,300 for the R-Tronic version, the ten-cylinder R8 5.2, as has now been revealed, goes for $146,000 with a clutch or $155,100 without, all prices before the $1,200 destination charge. But if that seems hefty, consider that one of the first examples to reach the United States went for $500,000 in a recent charity auction.

Gallery: Audi R8

Too Beaucoup? The Chromed-Out Audi R8

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos


This chromed-out version of Audi's awe-inspiring R8 supercar has sparked debate amongst enthusiasts after having been spotted in the UK. The one-off vehicle, finished either in full chrome or polished aluminum depending on whom you ask with black intakes and sideblades is certainly an eye-catcher. This on a 414 hp car that in its factory form Autoblog decreed has "all the crowd-stopping presence of Heidi Klum walking down Wall Street wearing only a pair of Pradas and a matching handbag." Meanwhile, an outrageous convertible version of the R8 was recently spotted co-starring with Robert Downey Jr. while filming the upcoming Iron Man sequel.

Audi R8: Turbodiesel V12 Canceled, Convertible Coming Soon

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos



The Audi R8 took the supercar market by storm when it launched in 2006. But if you were waiting for a better version, we've got good news and we've got bad news. The good news is, after launching the V10 version at the Detroit show late last year, plans are reportedly moving ahead to introduce an open-air version of the Audi supercar which should be on the road within the next two years. That's bad news enough for the likes of the Aston Martin DB9 Volante and Jaguar XKR, but the real disappointment is that Audi has reportedly canceled the development of its V12 turbo-diesel version. After previewing the idea as a concept car at the Detroit show in January 2008 and then again in Geneva the following March, Audi has determined that the costs involved with reshaping both the engine and the chassis to fit the former into the latter are just too high to be justified in this economy, particularly wit diesel prices as high as they are in the United States, a key market for the R8's financial success. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.

The Most Anticipated Luxury Cars of 2008

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos


The term "luxury car" can apply to autos priced from fairly economical $20,000 options all the way up to the indulgent $400,000 range and higher. It's a large class of vehicles. And although everyone may not agree (with that many cars in the mix there's bound to be varying opinions!) this list is a fun one: Forbes has narrowed the new 2008 luxury releases into their own top 10 most anticipated. Here's their list, but as in anything with cars to really get the effect you should see it in pictures.
  • Audi R8
  • BMW M3
  • Cadillac CTS
  • Infinity G37
  • Lexus LS 600h L
  • Maserati Grand Turismo
  • Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
  • Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet
  • Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe
  • Volvo C30
I can't help it, I love them all!

$100,000+ For An Audi?

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Sure, if it feels like it should cost $200,000. The always-funny Ezra Dyer got to take a spin through Beverly Hills in the 2008 Audi R8 for the New York Times, where he bemoans the car's sideblades (or "sideburns," as Dyer calls them) but not much else.

Despite the price tag of $110,000 and up, the DNA shared between the street-bound R8 and Audi's lauded race car R8 -- midengine layout with most of the torque going to the rear wheels, dry-sump lubrication, etc. -- makes the 2008 Audi R8 one of the few cars allowed on municipal pavement that truly feels like a race car. In effect, the R8 is more like its Lamborghini cousins (also owned by VW) than like its other Audi siblings.

Unlike most Audis, which Dyer says are criticized for lacking any soul, the R8 offers up plenty of meat to get us grunting like cave men -- yes, even the women -- from an exhaust note that gets your blood rushing to optional LED lights that appropriately light up the engine under its transparent cover when the parking lights are on (should you be showing things off under the hood after dusk).

Click through for the full review, and watch this space in the coming months for more news about the R8, including rumors that it will soon be packing an optional V10 courtesy of Lamborghini.

[Source: The New York Times]

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