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Audi Super Bowl Ad Bashes "Old Luxury"

German automaker Audi is taking on not only Mercedes-Benz in a new ad it plans to run during the 2011 Super Bowl, it is taking on traditional symbols of luxury.

The ad, created by San Francisco ad agency Venables Bell & Partners, is a play on the children's book "Goodnight Moon." The voiceover in the ad backs up a camera shot that winds its way through a mansion of rooms. We see the mansion's exterior, a decadent table set complete with candelabras, some sort of exotic animal sleeping around the neck of a sleeping woman decked out in a party gown, and a fox-hunter lamp comes to life and turns its own light out. "Good night old luxury and all your wares....Good night bygones everywhere (the camera fixes on a Mercedes)." The video for the commercial is after the jump.

Audi of America chief marketing officer Scott Keogh says that his brand represents "progressive luxury," while brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW are "old luxury." In an interview with Luxist, Keogh even referred to BMW as suffering from "Snookization," a reference to the fact that the Snooki character from MTV's Jersey Shore bought a BMW 3 Series in the show's second season.

Tags: Audi, BMW, Jersey Shore season 2, Mercedes-Benz, Snooki, Super Bowl ads

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BMW Offers New Turbo Engine on Sold-Out X1 Crossover

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

BMW Offers New Turbo Engine on Sold-Out X1 Crossover

BMW's compact X1 crossover has been an unexpected success. In fact, the Bavarian automaker has sold so many of them since its market debut over a year ago in Europe that it's finding it can hardly keep up with demand. As a result, reports indicate that American buyers won't be able to get their hands on the model until early next year at the soonest.

When it does arrive, however, the X1 will be offered with a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine that offers about 16% better fuel economy than the six-cylinder model – about 30 miles per gallon by American standards – while still accelerating to sixty in 6.4 seconds when mated to an eight-speed automatic and BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive system.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: BMW X1

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Tags: bmw, bmw x1, crossover, x1

BMW Prices the 1 Series M Coupe & 650i Convertible

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

All the electronic gizmos and the state-of-the-art engine features are all well and good, but for many buyers, choosing a car comes down to one thing: pricing. So with its new 1 Series M Coupe and 650i Convertible debuting at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, BMW has announced pricing for both.

The smaller of the two, the 1 Series M Coupe carries a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price – including all destination charges – of $47,010. The much larger eight-cylinder convertible 650i Convertible, meanwhile, starts out at nearly double that: $91,375.

Tags: bmw, bmw 1 Series M Coupe, bmw 650i Convertible

Mercedes and BMW Test Car Sharing

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

BMW and Mercedes Benz are testing car-sharing in Germany and the U.S. with an eye toward expanding the idea. BMW on Demand will provide drivers with a 1 Series for as little as €16 per hour in Europe (around $21 USD/hr). Those wanting a 5 Series can get the sedan for €23/hr ($30/hr), including servicing and cleaning.

Mercedes has a similar program in both Austin, Texas and Ulm, Germany, though that program is offering smart brand vehicles. Sharers of smart cars pay 35 cents a minute, or up to $12.99 per hour and up to $65.99 a day. Users can reserve trim levels and colors on the Internet or by phone, use the vehicle for as long as they like and drop it off in car-sharing parking spaces. The time behind the wheel is automatically calculated and the user's bank account automatically debited. The system works similarly to the dial-a-bike program run in cities like Munich and Amsterdam.

The companies are interested in seeing the interest from the car sharing programs in part because of research showing a growing lack of interest in ownership from younger consumers and increased traffic in urban settings.

Tags: bmw, car sharing, mercedes-benz, SmartCar

New BMW 1Series M Coupe for 2012 Model Year

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

BMW will officially unveil the 2012 1 Series M Coupe at next month's Detroit Auto Show. But it showed the new vehicle today in all its glory to the Internet.

You can see the video of the M1 here.

BMW has released video of the production-ready M1. Its bulgy, brash aggressive front end and wider stance certainly give it the look of an M3 Junior. When details are released, we are expecting about 340 horsepower and a typically great six-speed manual transmission from BMW.

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Tags: bmw, BMW 1 Series, bmw 1 series m coupe, bmw 1-series

Qatar Royal Crashes Lamborghini in London

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth, Crimes and Misdemeanors

Qatar Royal Crashes Lamborghini in London

Back in August we told you about the Qatar royals' $2.5 million in customized baby blue supercars which were clamped by the cops in London outside Harrods, which they bought for $2.2 billion last spring. Now a member of Qatar's ruling Al-Thani clan has crashed one of them, the $550,000 Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce (above) in London as well. The car was nearly totaled at Hyde Park Corner after a high-speed chase involving a white BMW M5, which got the worst of it. "The BMW smashed into the central reservation, bounced off and then hit the Lamborghini," an eyewitness told the London Evening Standard. "Both cars were definitely traveling very fast." There were no injuries and no arrests following the incident, which came after most of the Arab playboys had taken their toys home again after a high octane summer. "We thought it was going to quieten down but it's picking up again," solicitor Bruce Beringer, who lives in the posh neighborhood, told the paper. "It's like a second season. We are kept up until 4 am because of the noise of these people revving their engines and racing down the street. These Bugattis and Ferraris make a huge amount of noise."

Tags: BMW, Bugatti, car crash, Ferrari, Harrods, Hyde Park, Lamborghini, London, Qatar, supercar, UAE, UK

LA Auto Show: New BMW 6 Series Convertible

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

BMW chose the LA Auto Show to release pictures of the restyled 6 Series convertible it will show in the flesh at January's Detroit Auto Show.

The convertible is very much an evolution of the outgoing 6, with fresh exterior styling first shown on the four-door BMW Gran Coupe at the Beijing motor show last April. The car sports a roomier four-seat interior, as well as an advanced, multi-layered cloth roof developed with German-based roof specialist Edscha.

BMW claims the automatic roof structure will open in just 19 seconds and close in 24 seconds at the push of a console-mounted button. As with the outgoing model, a separate glass rear screen, mounted vertically, can be opened separately from the cloth hood.

At 192.6 inches in length, 74.5 inches in width and 53.5 inches in height, the new 6-series convertible is 2.9 inches longer, 1.5 inches wider and 0.4 inch lower than its predecessor launched in 2004. The wheelbase has been extended by 2.9 inches, to 112.4 inches.

The new 6-series convertible will be launched in North America next year with just one engine, in combination with either a standard six-speed manual or an optional eight-speed automatic gearbox. The 650i convertible runs a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, delivering 400 hp and 450 lb-ft, sufficient, says BMW, for 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and a 155-mph top speed. Other engines will follow, including a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 320 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque in a less-expensive 640i convertible.

Gallery: BMW 6 Series Convertible

Tags: bmw, bmw 6 series, BMW 6 Series Convertible, la auto show 2010, los angeles auto show 2010

BMW Individual 7 Series Composition by Steinway & Sons

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Anyone who's ever bought a grand piano knows that they can cost as much as a car. Sometimes more. Now BMW has returned the favor with a special-edition luxury sedan.

Called the 7 Series Composition, the unique vehicle is a joint effort between BMW Individual and Steinway & Sons. It features either black or white paint specially applied with a three-layer clear coat, a gold pinstripe and special 20-inch wheels. The interior meanwhile is trimmed in merino leather (black or white to contrast the exterior), lambswool carpets, Alcantara headliner, special embroidery, and of course piano black trim.

No word on pricing, but the special trim level can be ordered on any model in the 7 Series range.

Gallery: BMW Individual 7 Series Composition

Tags: 7 series, bmw, bmw 7 composition, bmw 7 series, bmw 7 series composition, bmw individual, piano, steinway, steinway and sons, steinway sons

BMW To Build Hybrid Super Car

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

BMW AG will build its first hybrid supercar, with an expected launch coming in 2013.

The Vision Efficient Dynamics model, which accelerates to 100 kph (62 miles) in 4.8 seconds will emit just 99 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. BMW didn't give a price for the vehicle.

The hybrid sports car, says BMW, will have a similar acceleration rate to BMW's M6 supercar, while emitting just 30 percent of the M6 coupe's CO2 per kilometer.

The hybrid supercar and the battery-powered Megacity Vehicle, which BMW has talked about separately, are being developed by the Munich, Germany-based automaker to help meet tougher environmental regulations and to boost sales to 2 million vehicles by 2020 from 1.4 million this year. The new sports car, which has doors that open upwards, is powered by a three-cylinder diesel engine and two electric motors.

The environmentally-friendly Vision Efficient Dynamics sports car was first introduced at the Frankfurt auto show in 2009.

Tags: bmw, BMW Hybrids, BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics, hybrid car, vision efficient dynamics, vision efficientdynamics, vision efficientdynamics concept

BMW Z4 Silver Top Edition

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

If you live in Japan and have an extra 6 million yen just kicking around, you might want to contact your local BMW dealer, because the German automaker's Japanese importer has just announced a rather enticing special edition.

It's called the Silver Top edition, and is based on the Z4 sDrive23i. It's powered by a 2.5-liter inline-six with a six-speed automatic transmission, but what sets it apart is the color combination: A silver retractable hard-top (with matching door mirrors) contrasting the black body and a red leather interior. Gorgeous, but it's only available in Japan and only 15 examples will be made.

Gallery: BMW Z4 Silver Top Edition

Tags: bmw, bmw z4, BMW Z4 Silver Top Edition, limited edition, silver top, special edition

BMW Shows Concept C Super Scooter

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

BMW, known for the finest premium performance sedans in the world and motorcycles for "Men in Suits," is expanding its motorized offerings to include big commuter scooters.

Called Concept C for now, BMW Motorcycles is not releasing your average delivery person's Vespa

Known as "maxi scooters," BMW says it will soon enter the market with two gas-powered versions, with an electric version in the works.

BMW hasn't said how big an engine the Concept C uses, except to say it is a new inline two-cylinder powerplant with a continuously variable transmission. BMW says power and torque figures will be in the top range of the large scooter segment.
The Concept C, which stands for "Commuter," uses a number of design features found on other BMW motorcycles. The front uses the "split-face" design found on models such as the S1000RR which also inspired the Concept C's twin-tipped front spoiler. The bash plates and air intakes were taken from BMW's GS line.

BMW has long been known for "sport bikes. It marketed a cruiser bike for a time to compete against the likes of Harley Davidson, but it left the market when it didn't catch on. In Europe, it is not uncommon to find business professionals commuting to work in a BMW motorcycle, often outfitted with a plexi-glass surround for rain protection.

Urban commuting in Europe and prospering Asian cities is a major focus of automakers as demands for small vehicles and electric vehicles grows with policies meant to reduce carbon emissions and vehicle over-crowding in city centers. Besides Concept C, BMW is also developing a small front-wheel drive city car that is expected to compete against vehicles such as Mercedes-Benz's smart.

Gallery: BMW Concept C

Tags: BMW, BMW Concept C, commuter scooter, motorcycle, motorcycles, scoooter, scooters

BMW Previews Upcoming 1 Series M Coupe

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

While the BMW M3 has grown into a V8-powered muscle car, the original was a different story altogether: a compact, nimble coupe that could school supercars. It's to those roots that BMW is returning with the upcoming 1 Series M Coupe.

Envisioned as a successor to the original M3, the 1 Series M Coupe will pack a 340-horsepower twin-turbo six driving the rear wheels through an old-school six-speed manual transmission. BMW's been teasing the car bit by bit, but will pull the wraps off sometime in December ahead of its full debut at the Detroit Auto Show.

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Tags: 1 series m coupe, 1m coupe, bmw, bmw 1 m coupe, bmw 1 series m coupe, bmw m3

BMW To Sell Small Front-Drive Cars in the U.S.

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

German automaker BMW will sell a family of small front-drive cars in the U.S., likely launching them in 2012. The report, first published in trade publication Automotive News, was confirmed to Luxist by company officials.

That the Bavarian car company was developing small front-drive cars was not a secret. But it was an open question as to whether the cars, to be built in Europe, would come to the U.S. BMW has long championed rear-drive cars for its BMW brand, leaving front-drive cars to its MINI brand. But BMW's desire for global sales growth, combined with the need to sell more smaller, fuel efficient cars to meet toughening fuel economy standards, forced the company's hand.

BMW has studied the problem for years. At one time, it considered buying Swedish car company Volvo, the vehicles of which are front-drive. But BMW, stung by a disastrous and costly acquisition of the British automaker Rover MG in the 1990s, was gun-shy about acquiring another company.

Pricing of the cars in the U.S. would be expected to be around $28,000 and up.

Initial sales projections of the front-drive small cars, which will be powered by four cylinder engines, is about 100,000 worldwide. But that number will surely grow once BMW gets comfortable selling the line in different markets.

BMW already has a 1-Series lineup that is built on its smallest rear-drive chassis. The name of the small front-wheel-drive lineup has not been divulged and may not have even been decided yet.

Tags: BMW, BMW front-drive, MINI, Volvo

BMW 5 Series Touring Unveiled at Paris Auto Salon

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

It's not for lack of experience that luxury automakers like BMW surmise that American buyers like sedans, while European buyers gravitate towards wagons. The conclusion is backed by decades of sales numbers, and that's why the BMW 5 Series Touring wagon you see here, unveiled for the first time at the Paris Auto Salon, won't be coming to the Western shores of the Atlantic.

Although the Touring model retains nearly all the handling dynamics of the sedan while packing additional cargo capacity, American buyers fill that niche with crossovers. Which is a bit of a shame, but if you're looking for a more versatile version of the latest 5, BMW can arrange a nice Gran Turismo model – taller and bulkier though it may be – to suit your requirements.

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Tags: 2010 paris, 2010 paris auto salon, 2010 paris auto show, 2010 paris motor show, 5 series, bmw, bmw 5 series, bmw 5 series touring, paris, paris auto salon, paris auto show, paris motor show

The Classicist: UK's Elite Meet & Greet at High Net Worth Event

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wings, Events, Charity, Men's Style, The Classicist, Wealth, Architecture & Design

Some of the UK's wealthiest citizens met up recently at Cotswold Airport in the heart of bucolic Gloucestershire to rub elbows while eyeballing the latest in supercars and private jets. The ultra-exclusive Elite 2010 event was organized by Aeronautics Ltd. and the Fine English Company, dedicated to the best in bespoke British luxury. 200 high net worth VIPs were in attendance at the occasion hosted by British Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. The event benefited Fly2Help, a charity dedicated to helping those who have suffered disaster, difficulty or tragedy by allowing them to experience the fun and love of flying. We got an inside look at the proceedings thanks to Fine English Co. founder Benedict Wormald.

Aeronautics Ltd. are the UK Sales Representative for Hawker Beechcraft and specialize in the sales, acquisition, management and charter brokerage of private jets. Other participating organizations at Elite 2010 included Aston Martin Racing, the famed British marque's motorsports division; Coutts, the legendary private bankers to the Queen of England and the British Royal Family as well as famed figures from the Duke of Wellington, Charles Dickens and Lord Nelson to The Beatles; Von Essen Hotels, the private collection of individual country house hotels in the UK and France which includes the famous Cliveden, once home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor; London's The Nth Degree Club Concierge, whose services include event management, private dining, exclusive chef's tables at top London restaurants and personal shopping; PremiAir Aviation; and Affinity Marketing Group.

Gallery: Elite 2010 UK