Posts tagged Cars at Luxist

Posts with tag cars

Hard Times For Hummer

Posted Jul 6th 2008 4:02PM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Wheels

For years, the Hummer from General Motors has been a symbol of American exuberance. The beefy road-dominating car was a freeway favorite for its spacious interior even spawning a whole fleet of Hummer limos. But with gas and oil prices at all time highs, the brand is in big trouble. In an article in the Baltimore Sun, new figures from Autodata show that sales of the SUV are down 40 percent through June. The Hummer has the dubious honor of being the worst selling car brand in America right now. Hummer owners are also facing increasing scrutiny from the more environmentally-minded drivers who see the car as a vehicular affront to green values.

Still, there will always be Hummer fans. Those who are very tall and those who have money to spend on big cars with low gas mileage such as professional athletes will always have room in their garage for this car. The Hummer's brash masculine style still drives people to showrooms but the recent economic woes have weeded out those who are not hard-core enthusiasts.

BMW's GINA Concept: A Whole New Kind of "Convertible"

Posted Jun 24th 2008 2:02PM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Wheels

The new GINA Light Visionary Model concept by BMW is a whole new kind of convertible that's a shape-shifter of sorts. The body of the car is made up of a flexible fabric that's stretched over a movable metal frame, so the car actually changes it's shape based on what features you activate. For example if you turn the headlights on the front end rearranges itself to expose the them and allow the light to reach the road, but when you're not using the headlights they remain hidden. Same with the doors, you can't see them unless you're using them.

No word on when (or if) this car will go into production, and when (or if) it does what kind of price point we're looking at. But if it does ever come into existence will you be interested in owning one? I kinda would be, as long as all that fabric doesn't start to flap around and make noise when driving at interstate speeds.

Gallery: BMW's GINA Light Visionary Model

Lamborghini To Launch Pre-Owned Program

Posted May 18th 2008 12:02PM by Lisa Palladino
Filed under: Wheels

You know you should drive a hybrid, but you know you want something more upscale. Like, say, a Lamborghini. Spend a little less and get all the quality with a pre-owned Lamborghini. The company is developing a certified pre-owned program that should launch by the end of the year. According to Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann, the program will be rolled out worldwide, beginning with dealers in the United States and Europe. Inspection and certification details have not yet been released, but sales will only be allowed through authorized Lamborghini dealers.

Thanks to our sister blog, autoblog, for sharing this news.

Bentley Headed For A U.S. Downturn?

Posted Apr 20th 2008 7:02PM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Wheels

In the past five years, once-staid Bentley has been the car of choice for those with six figures to spend on transportation. But could the current economic downturn finally be starting to affect the luxury carmaker? The Times reports that Franz-Josef Paefgen, chief executive of Bentley, has said the English brand is noticing less sales in their number one market, the good old U.S.A. Traditionally, cars at the highest end of the market are more immune to the economy than those in the middle-to-upper range. Just a couple of months ago, we heard news that 2007 was the the best year ever for Bentley. The luxury car company sold 10,014 units worldwide, outselling Rolls-Royce, which also broke through the 1,000 mark for the first time last year, by around 10 to one.

But Dr .Paefgen says that Bentley, which is owned by Volkswagen, is now experiencing lower demand in their two top U.S. markets, New York and California. Bentley sells about 45 per cent of their cars in the US. Many of Bentley's deep-pocketed customers are in the financial sector which is an area that has taken deep hits recently.

Bentley's saving grace may come from China and Russia which are both just beginning to to really catch fire. In 2007 in China, sales grew by a blistering 93%, offering the automaker hope for a growing market.

Renting a Car the High-Class Way

Posted Apr 10th 2008 11:03AM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Services, Wheels

I think having an excuse to rent a car is fun, and what makes it even funner (yeah, I know that's not really a word!) is to get a really nice car that's comfortable and fun to drive. Now for some people a Mustang convertible might be the height of car-renting luxury, but for others names like Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Bentley are what really sound good. Car clubs and car rental agencies that specialize in high-end luxury automobiles have seen major growth over recent years, resulting in more opportunities for those car lovers who, for whatever reason, just aren't looking to commit to a purchase.

And who doesn't want to be that person spotted in a new luxe car?

Britney Spears May Soon Lose Her Cars

Posted Mar 18th 2008 9:02AM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Wheels, Celebrity Shopping

In the last few months, Britney Spears has been spotted around Los Angeles in a variety of vehicles. Now it looks like some of those cars may soon be for sale. Access Hollywood reports that a judge has granted Jamie Spears, Britney's father and co-conservator of her estate, the authority to sell off some of her cars. Britney Spears was also recently order to pay ex-husband Kevin Federline $375,000 to cover his extensive legal fees in the former couple's ongoing dispute over the custody of their two young sons. No word on which of Britney's cars will be sold yet but I'm betting there may be a Mercedes or two with a pop star pedigree on eBay soon.

The Iconic GTR: Redefining Luxury Cars?

Posted Mar 15th 2008 3:03PM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Wheels

Iconic Motors is a company that's looking to redefine the luxury sports car market, and the car they're planning to start with is the Iconic GTR. Besides having all the usual supercar mechanics under the hood, the Iconic GTR boasts an interior loaded with jewelry-grade stainless steel accents along with synthetic sapphire actuators and gauge faces. It also has patents pending on its gas cap control system, door hinges, and shifter. No idea how much the Iconic GTR costs yet, but considering it looks like a modernized Batmobile I'm sure it won't be cheap!

Gallery: Iconic GTR

What Your Expensive Car Says to Your Dates

Posted Feb 14th 2008 2:02PM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Wheels

So if you're single chances are you've either got a big date tonight/this weekend, or you wish you did. It's a story lived by millions everyday all over the world who are looking for love. We tend to worry and agonize over what we wear and what we do in an attempt to make the right first impression, but have you ever thought about what the car you drive is saying to those potential dates? From "well-rounded and stylish" to "determined and driven to succeed" it may be telling them a lot before they even get a chance to meet you in person. Check out some of these examples and see if your car is saying what you thought it was.

Gallery: What Your Car Says About You

The Ferrari F430 Spider Bio Fuel

Posted Jan 17th 2008 2:02PM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Wheels, Green

Fast high-end sports cars are generally not considered to be eco-friendly, with their gas guzzling turbo engines and energy-sucking luxury features. But that's not to say they aren't trying -- Ferrari for example, revealed their F430 Spider Bio Fuel model earlier this week in Detroit. It burns a mix of 85% natural ethanol and 15% gasoline, which results in +10hp (meaning its got a solid 500hp to work with) and a 5% increase in gas mileage over its gas-only counterpart. As for now the F430 Spider Bio Fuel is only a concept, but Ferrari says they'd like to put it into production as part of their efforts to cut emissions by 40% by the year 2012. Like the looks of it? See more photos here.

Luxury Vehicles: Which Give You the Best Bang for Your Buck?

Posted Dec 20th 2007 3:02PM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Wheels

Although the first thought that comes to mind when thinking "luxury vehicle" is probably not "bargain shopping," that doesn't mean that people with taste and money aren't also looking for a good deal. So besides the obvious value to be found in features like premium leather, a fast engine, a smooth ride, and fancy electronic gadgets, what makes a luxury car a good deal? Forbes recently compiled a list, taking into consideration things like initial cost, dealership service, the complete ownership experience over several years, and depreciate/maintenance costs over the life of the vehicle.

The winner? With its company's legendary service coupled with features that aren't always offered on entry-level luxury vehicles, the Lexus IS250 came out as the #1 best value. See the runners up below:

Gallery: The Best Luxury Cars For Your Buck

Koenigsegg Limited Edition CCX and CCXR

Posted Dec 4th 2007 8:01AM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Wheels

Koenigsegg has, due to popular demand, created limited edition versions of its CCX and CCXR cars. And they mean it when they say "limited," as there will be only 14 of the Koenigsegg Edition CCX and 6 of the Koenigsegg Edition CCXR built. Each Edition model gets a boost in performance over their standard counterparts (from 806hp to 888hp for the CCX) and both cars can go from 0-60mph in just 2.9 seconds. If you're seriously interested you better get moving since 2 of each limited edition model has already been sold, and get ready to shell out somewhere between 1,330,000 and 1,500,000 Euros.

Want more photos? Click here.

Anonimo Shelby Mark II SE Watch

Posted Nov 2nd 2007 11:03AM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Timepieces, Wheels

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A new watch with a car tie-in the, Anonimo Shelby Mark II SE watch will be launched at the upcoming Cigar Aficionado Big Smoke in Las Vegas on November 9-10. The watch is a tribute to Carroll Shelby and the Shelby cars such as the Shelby Cobra and the 2007 Ford Shelby GT. The watch has a very classic and masculine look much like the cars themselves, it's as fitting a match as the elegant pairing of Brietling and Bentley. The movement is the automatic chronograph, modified Valijoux 7750 with small seconds subdial suppressed, 25 jewels Incabloc. It has a power reserve of 40 hours without the chronograph counting. The stainless steel case has a screw-locked bezel with a screw-locked back cover that has an exhibition back to allow the viewing of the movement balance. There are 500 of each of the two dial colors available and they sell for $5,500 each.

Simon Cowell Picks Up A Bugatti Veyron

Posted Oct 16th 2007 8:02AM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Wheels, Celebrity Shopping

Simon Cowell blew some serious cash on some serious wheels recently when he had some spare time on his hands (and apparently some spare cash) due to a week off work for the Rugby World Cup. He dropped over £1,000,000 in LA on two new cars: a £750,000 Bugatti Veyron and a £400,000 Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe.

Somehow this doesn't surprise me. Simon Cowell hardly seems to shy away from flash and attention, and although fast cars don't necessarily mean an ego problem (I would love to have a Veyron myself!) I think in his case they might!

Luxury Car Condos and Extreme Garages

Posted Oct 8th 2007 12:01PM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Services, Wheels

The thing about collecting cars is that storage easily becomes an issue -- you can't leave a 1956 Mercedes-Benz sitting out on the street. But if you're regular garage is already full of other vehicles, what's to be done? Usually cars end up in storage garages or in public parking facilities, but obviously sitting an investment like that in a corner somewhere under a tarp collecting dust is hardly ideal.

Enter the Taj Garage (I can't help but smile at the name), and other companies like it springing up across the country. They will work with you to create a customized car-storage experience -- basically a beautiful, clean condo for your vehicle(s) to live in complete with bathroom, wet bar, 24 hour security, and maybe even a private rooftop club for socializing with your car-minded condo neighbors. Now it can't get much better than that.

Via Trendir

The Colorless Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang

Posted Sep 15th 2007 4:02PM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Wheels

I love a shiny red sports car as much as the next person, but here's something completely different: how about getting a new Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang and passing on the paint job altogether? The colorless design ends up two-toned, and highlights both the functionality and artistic beauty of the vehicle. The dark carbonfiber down the center covers the W16 engine, passenger cell, crash box, and linkages to the wheels while the shinier aluminum sides give the car its sleek shape and silhouette. The car will be available in limited edition for about 1.4m euros.

So what do you think? I love it.

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#	Blogger	Posts	Cmts
1	Deidre Woollard	159	2
2	Rigel Gregg	70	4
3	Jared Paul Stern	51	0
4	Laura Malesich	27	0
5	Lisa Palladino	17	0
6	Star Sutherland	11	0
7	Marsha Reid	1	0

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Hard Times For Hummer

BMW's GINA Concept: A Whole New Kind of "Convertible"

Lamborghini To Launch Pre-Owned Program

Bentley Headed For A U.S. Downturn?

Renting a Car the High-Class Way

Britney Spears May Soon Lose Her Cars

The Iconic GTR: Redefining Luxury Cars?

What Your Expensive Car Says to Your Dates

The Ferrari F430 Spider Bio Fuel

Luxury Vehicles: Which Give You the Best Bang for Your Buck?

Koenigsegg Limited Edition CCX and CCXR

Anonimo Shelby Mark II SE Watch

Simon Cowell Picks Up A Bugatti Veyron

Luxury Car Condos and Extreme Garages

The Colorless Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang

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