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Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale by Zagato

Even on its own, Alfa Romeo is capable of producing some achingly beautiful sports cars. Just look at the 8C Competizione or the new 4C Concept unveiled in Geneva for evidence. But everyone can use a little help once in a while, and for Alfa, that help is coming from Zagato.

The Milanese design house has created countless rolling masterpieces, among them the TZ, the TZ2 and the TZ3 Corsa you see above. Commissioned as a one-off by a wealthy enthusiast, the TZ3 Corsa debuted at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este last year.

But what's that fourth car wrapped in a bow? We didn't know when it surfaced around the holidays, but now the company has confirmed that it will build a street version of the TZ3, available for purchase by those with the means.

The TZ3 Stradale is expected to be based on the Dodge Viper (whose parent company is linked to Alfa's), with an 8.4-liter V10 instead of the Maserati V8 that powers the Corsa. Pricing has yet to be revealed, but for those kind of exclusivity and beauty, don't expect it to come cheap.

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Tags: alfa, alfa romeo, alfa romeo tz3 stradale, auto, sports cars, tz3, tz3 stradale, zagato

Bell & Ross Clock In Peugeot SR1 Concept Car

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos

The marriage of timepieces and automobiles is usually skewed in the direction of the watch makers needing to communicate the value of the relationship. We have tons and watches out there dedicated to car makers or specific models, but anything in the reverse is much more rare. Sure there is the occasional novelty, such as the Parmigiani watch that will come with the upcoming Bugatti Galibier, but watch branded cars we have not, and having a branded clock in a car is uncommon at best.

Now watch maker Bell & Ross has teamed up with car maker Peugeot. Why these two brands together? Well they are both French, what else can I say? While not a production car (right now), the relationship has a Bell & Ross concept clock inside of the Peugeot SR1 concept car. It is interesting to see a sexy convertible roadster with an aggressive clock inside. The concept dashboard clock above is based on Bell & Ross's BR01 Pro models - but with some interesting design work and texturing on the dial (dial milled from solid piece of metal). An interesting item is the apparent presence of a power reserve indicator on the dial of the clock. This would typically infer that it is a mechanical clock, and that there would need to be either hand-winding or some type of mechanism in the car that winds the watch/clock. Also, Bell & Ross has released images of a stand alone watch. This might be something sold as a limited edition, or the concept clock in the car might be actually a removable wrist watch. I will just have to wait and see what the talk is all about when the Peugeot SR1 (pictured below in the gallery) is debuted at the Geneva Auto Show soon.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Bell & Ross for Peugeot SR1 car

Tags: auto, Bell Ross, BellRoss, car, clock, Peugeot, SR1, watch

Classic Mercedes Benz 300 SL Car Gets "A Bathing Ape" Camo Makeover

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

No worries, this auto overhaul is no sick joke. Japan based designer "Nigo" of A Bathing Ape (Bape) routinely asserts his brand of camouflage treatments to high-end and luxury products. The latest victim/subject is this Mercedes Benz 300 SL classic car. More than just a paint job, the car has been thoroughly mechanically upgraded by Mercedes in-house tuner AMG. Notice the wheels are new, and inside, the car has a new engine among a list of other goodies. Will this special one-off car be sold? Possibly? Price will be extravagant.

What else would you expect from the co-creator of another brand Nigo is involved in called "The Billionaire Boys Club?" With ongoing themes of luxury urban style - with an avant garde designer twist - BAPE creates some honestly creative fashion items, but of course succeeds in shocking or insulting many by what some would certainly describe as defacement of a classic icon car. Underneath, the Mercedes Benz 300 SL (made 1952-1963) is serious collector's car with its almost modern day handling and gullwing doors. Nigo pulls off design PR stunts like this for the attention, or maybe because he actually intends to cruise around in it. I'd keep it away from Stuttgart though. Click on the link below for more images.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Via Highsnobiety.

Tags: 300 SL, 300Sl, a bathing ape, ABathingApe, auto, bape, car, mercedes, nigo

The Swarovski-Encrusted Lexus SC430

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Talk about a great way to ruin a beautiful car -- paste pink Swarovski crystals on every visible surface. More than 300,000 crystals cover the car's hood, trunk, license plate, and even wheel rims, forming roses, hearts, ribbons, and lots of general over-the-top girliness to symbolize the beauty of marriage. Even the interior features crystals next to the shift knob and on front and backseat throw pillows (what?).

Designed by Zheng Zhiren the car is currently on display in Taiwan and is apparently a big hit. It's valued at approximately $306,000.

Gallery: Swarovski-Encrusted Lexus SC430

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Tags: auto, autos, car, cars, japan, lexus, swarovski, wheels

Will Rolls-Royce Make An Electric Phantom?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

It looks very likely that in the near future Rolls fans will have the option of owning an all-electric version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Tom Purves, the Rolls-Royce CEO, has revealed that he'd not only like to build an electric Phantom but thinks it would fit in perfectly with what a lot of Rolls customers are looking for. Thanks to the technology used in the new BMW Mini-E the hard part of developing an electric engine that measures up is already done -- it's really just about refinement and tweaking a few technology details.

No word yet on when an electric Phantom can be expected but it sounds like it could be as soon as the next few years.

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Tags: auto, autos, bmw, car, cars, eco-friendly, electric, electric car, ElectricCar, green, mini cooper, mini e, MiniCooper, MiniE, phantom, rolls royce, rolls royce phantom, rolls-royce, RollsRoyce, RollsRoycePhantom, wheels

Italian Police Get New Lamborghini

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

I've seen the occasional Mustang or Camaro police car before and thought that the cop driving it must feel pretty special, but that's nothing compared to how awesome the Italian police must feel: they just got a brand new Lamborghini Gallardo.

The Gallardo LP560-4 is all decked out with the usual police decals and lights, plus they managed to squeeze in all the high tech police equipment like radio and video equipment, gun racks, and even a cooler (for body parts?!).

It's not Italy's first law enforcement Lamborghini (Rome has had one for awhile) but still! Pretty awesome.

Gallery: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia

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Tags: auto, automobiles, autos, car, cars, gallardo, lamborghini, lamborghini gallardo, LamborghiniGallardo, wheels

The Carlsson CK63 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Carlsson of Germany is premiering the CK63 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG this month. The list of exterior features includes a front grille insert, rear spoiler, and Carlsson stainless steel exhaust system while the interior boasts a Carlsson sport steering wheel, enhanced multi-media, and fully customizable trim options. That's all well and good (it does look awesome!) but the best part is how they've improved the vehicle's performance, giving it 565hp and the ability to go from 0-60mph in just 3.8 secs. The engine is capable of moving the car much faster but (to protect us all from the crazies out there) it's electronically limited to a mere 186 mph. Even so the whole deal sounds (and looks) pretty sweet.

Gallery: The Carlsson CK63 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

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Tags: auto, automobile, car, mercedes, mercedes benz, mercedes-benz, MercedesBenz

Lux Tip: Drive a Luxury Car for Less

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Lux Tips

Want to drive a luxury brand automobile but can't afford it? You might be surprised to find that many luxury brands (like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Lincoln) offer vehicles that start in the low 30s. Just by foregoing a few extras like a bigger engine and built-in GPS you could be driving a new luxury car for about the same as you'd expect to pay for a nice Toyota or Honda. It really comes down to deciding if the term "fully loaded" is really that important to you -- do you have to have that gas-guzzling V8? If the answer is 'no' then you suddenly have a lot more options.

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Tags: audi, auto, automobile, automobiles, autos, bmw, car, cars, lincoln, lux tip, lux tips, LuxTip, LuxTips, mercedes, mercedes-benz, tip, tips, wheels

The Rolls Clutch, Handbag of the Day

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

Here's a classy looking clutch that has absolutely nothing in the way of ruffles, gems, or other frills. It's even a fairly rugged shade of pewter gray. The perfect nice-but-just-a-little-casual clutch to go with a favorite sweater dress or maybe nice jeans and a cute top. The Rolls Clutch by Marc Jacobs features an old-time Rolls-Royce on its foldover front with silver-studded wheels, press stud closure, zipped compartments on both the back and on the inside, and an interior fully lined in smooth brown leather. Bring a small bit of unexpected fashion statement to your next get-together. $1,095

Gallery: Marc Jacobs Rolls Clutch

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Tags: auto, automobile, bag, bags, car, clutch, handbag, handbag of the day, HandbagOfTheDay, handbags, marc jacobs, MarcJacobs, rolls, rolls royce, RollsRoyce

The �1 Million Bespoke Aston Martin One-77

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The next Aston Martin flagship automobile is due for release later this year (possibly in Paris) and recently a few of the much anticipated details were released. What we know about the new One-77 model is that it will feature a hand-built 7.0-liter V12 engine, an aluminum and carbon fiber chassis, a top speed of 200+ mph, and a 0-60mph time of about 3.5 secs.

Only 77 One-77's will be made, each able to be customized to the individual owner's tastes and each carrying a price tag of about £1 million.

Gallery: The Aston Marton One-77

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Tags: aston martin, AstonMartin, auto, autos, car, cars, wheels

The Scorpion Hybrid Supercar

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

It's red, it's sleek, it's the Scorpion from the newly formed Ronn Motor Company. It's main features include the fact that it goes from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and gets 40 mpg. So what's so special about that? How about the fact that it's also a hydrogen burning hybrid?

I'm no mechanic (couldn't be farther from it, actually) but the description on AutoblogGreen of how the engine works is really interesting. This car sounds like a really satisfying way to satisfy both a need for speed and an interest in preserving the planet (too bad it looks like a refurbished Viper).

The Scorpion will be manufactured in Texas and should be available to consumers this fall.

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Tags: auto, autos, environmentally friendly, EnvironmentallyFriendly, green, hybrid, ronn motor, ronn motor company, RonnMotor, RonnMotorCompany, scorpion, the scorpion, TheScorpion, wheels

Liberty Electric Cars to Convert Thousands of Luxury Autos

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Over in the UK there's a new company in town called Liberty Electric Cars, and it's looking to turn the electric car industry on its head. Liberty Electric Cars has plans to take £30 million and use it to convert "tens of thousands" of luxury vehicles over to electric power. The world's first zero emission electrically powered Range Rover will be among their offerings, and depending on the model the Rovers will be priced at £95,000 - £125,000 (or about $187,000 - $246,000). Apparently the electric power technology they plan to use is cutting edge and will result in cars with more power and longer time between charges. Sounds cool but too good to be true? Guess we'll find out!

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Tags: auto, autos, electric cars, ElectricCars, environment, green, liberty, liberty electric cars, LibertyElectricCars

Weber Sportscars Faster One: The World's Fastest Car?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Weber Sportscar's faster one is being billed by its Swiss manufacturer as the world's fastest street legal sportscar. It can reportedly go from 0 - 62 mph in 2.7 seconds and 0 - 124 mph in just 6.6 secs. It's a lightweight two-seater with a V8 engine and has serious aerodynamic styling including doors with no external handles, a smooth underfloor that flairs into an upturned Venturi tunnel, and an electronically controlled deployable rear wing.

It might be fast but to me it's a little "flimsy" looking. And for almost $1.6 million dollars I want something both fun to drive and fun to look at.

Gallery: Weber Sportcars Faster One

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Tags: auto, automobile, fast, faster one, FasterOne, weber, weber sportscars, WeberSportscars, wheels

Bentley Goes Electric with Greenpower

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Cute, streamlined, and boasting zero emissions, the new electric Bentley Greenpower tops out at 40mph while running on two 12-volt batteries that power its lightweight motor. Built by a group of Bentley factory apprentices (who are now referred to as Team Bentley) the one-wheel-drive car is comprised mostly of carbon fibre and features a bright chromed grill, Bentley leather interior and a custom Bentley-branded steering wheel. The car will participate in several races throughout the summer with the final one happening at Goodwood in October.

Via Edmunds

Gallery: Bentley's Greenpower

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Tags: auto, automobile, bentley, car, greenpower, race, racing, wheels

Drop in Demand for Luxury Cars Continues

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Do luxury markets really hold up better than others during an economic crunch? Many experts say no, and it would seem the steady decline in luxury auto sales is backing them up. Estimates say that automobile sales fell in March, which would mark the 5th straight month of decline and could result in the lowest numbers since 2005. Analysts speculate the drop in auto buyers has to do with several factors, including higher-end buyers holding onto their vehicles longer (waiting for the market to improve) and fewer entry-level lux auto owners being able to afford to buy right now due to increasing costs in other areas of their budget.

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Tags: auto, automobile, automobiles, autos, economy, luxury, luxury market, LuxuryMarket, money, shopping, spending, wheels