convertible

The Lamborghini Reventon Roadster, a convertible version of the famed Italian marque's most coveted creation, has seen its price increase just a few weeks after it was unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Lamborghini announced that fewer than 20 and perhaps as little as 10 examples of the topless supercar (see video above) would be built, priced at €1.1 million or about $1.5 million. As with the original Reventon, however, it is thought that the limited edition Roadsters were quickly snapped up, and at least one early purchaser is already looking to turn a profit: a Reventon Roadster has now been listed for sale in Berlin via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for €1.45 million or $2.1 million. The car's 6.5 liter V12 engine pumps out 670 hp and can do 0 - 100 kph (62 mph) in just 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 205 mph.

Maybach is well known today as a modern ultra-luxury marque, having been revived by Mercedes-Benz in 1997; even more exclusive however are the original models made between 1921-1941. Less than 2,000 Maybachs were built during this period, of which fewer than 150 survive today, all in the tight grip of collectors. An ultra-rare 1938 Maybach SW 38 Cabriolet with coachwork by Spohn of Ravensburg (above) has now surfaced for sale in Germany via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for €690,000, or about $1 million. The elegant 5-passenger convertible, finished in two-tone red and aubergine, was exhibited at the 1938 Berlin motor show and sold right away to her first owner, Baron von Mylke. At the the end of the war the car was allocated to the Chinese military mission in Berlin and was acquired many years later later by a German architect who commissioned a meticulous restoration.

Last month we wrote about the famed "Star of India" 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II convertible custom made for an Indian Maharaja, slated to be auctioned off by a German collector. Now the incredible car has been listed for sale via online global luxury marketplace JamesList for £8 million, or about $13 million. If it fetches that price, the one-of-a-kind Rolls could capture the world's most expensive car title (in terms of confirmed sales), beating out the 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa that recently sold at auction for $12 million. The 40/50 HP Continental "All-Weather Convertible" features polished aluminum bodywork and saffron paint evoking the Indian spirit of Hindutva. The car is being sold off by famed Rolls-Royce collector Hans-Günther Zach, who's liquidating his private museum dedicated to the marque.

Rumors that Lamborghini will come out with a roadster version of its ultra-rare, €1 million carbon fiber Reventon supercar have been bruited about for a while. Now some more concrete reports have surfaced indicating a Reventon Spyder (rendering above) could be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Limited to only 20 examples, the Reventon quickly sold out following its original announcement. It's said that the Reventon Spyder, based on the Murciélago LP670-4 SuperVeloce with a 670 hp V12 engine, will be even more exclusive, with a production run limited to only 9 examples. The price? A cool $1.6 million.

Welcome to the first in a new series of exclusive photo features showcasing seasonal style essentials inspired by classic icons of elegance, sport and design, photographed with the most beautiful and coveted cars on the road. The emphasis is on luxury of course, but of the timeless variety as opposed to mere extravagance.

In our recent Classicist column on the 2010 Jaguar XK convertible coming out this August, we remarked on the sleek new cat's stylistic heritage dating back to 1948's XK120, as driven by the likes of Gary Cooper, Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable, as well as later models like the D-Type (or XK-SS) made famous by the great Steve McQueen. The first in our new series of exclusive shoots is inspired by them and stars the XK in homage to these stylish icons, both man and automotive (read all about the new XK here).

In particular, the influence of Gable (with his XK120 in 1954, top right) and McQueen (with his XK-SS, center right) can be seen in the summery style essentials we've assembled for this shoot. For the pastoral setting we drew on another classic Jaguar reference, an image of writer Truman Capote in a Jaguar XK-E, the model most closely aligned with the new XK, in the Hamptons in 1965 (bottom right).

In the spirit of summer we've chosen a classic combination of navy and white, popular as fashionable resort wear for a nearly a century and still going strong in the right circles. While navy blazers of the type shown here originated as part of English cricket club scenery and other elegant sporting occasions such as the Henley Royal Regatta, without gold buttons it needn't be unnecessarily nautical or costume-y.

The jacket shown here, in tropical weight wool with soft shoulders by the dashing Italian house of Etro, references its sporting antecedents with grosgrain tipping on the lapels, pockets and cuffs; however, since it is finished in the same color as the jacket the effect is a subtle one, while the slim cut updates the look with Italian flair. A cream linen camp shirt by Paul Stuart and white linen pants by Polo Ralph Lauren round out the rest of the ensemble.

As an alternative on cooler days or evenings - which we've certainly had plenty of this summer - we've also included a variation of the navy blazer by Brooks Brothers made of butter-soft goat suede with spiffy sporting details including a throat latch, stand-up collar, action back and pure Irish linen lining, which calls to mind the jacket worn by Gable above.

While a polka dot foulard silk scarf by the venerable British clothier Turnbull & Asser (shirtmaker to the Prince of Wales) provides not only another classic touch and added dose of sprezzatura, it also protects against the elements while piloting the XK with the top down at serious speeds. A hefty dose of McQueen meanwhile can be seen in the rakish cap, sunglasses and watch. For the feet and the road, a pair of pebble-sold leather driving moccasins by Tod's keep the haute Italian vibe going.

The checked linen driving cap - this model is made by Brooks Brothers - of the type favored by McQueen has no brim to collide with a car's headrest, and is infinitely more elegant than a baseball cap. Also on view: iconic Italian Persol sunglasses, in particular the model made famous by McQueen in The Thomas Crown Affair. Starring in this feature are a foldable version of McQueen's faves, as well as a couple of other killer Persol models; all are available at Ilori. Also included is a pair of shades by Paul Smith. The watch is a classic and vintage stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II, available at Tourneau, of a similar design to the Rolex Submariner model favored by McQueen (and which recently fetched a record price at auction). Read on for details of the rest of the accessories after the jump.

Looking to get your hands on the hot new Lexus IS convertible? You may have to wait a while, as early sales figures indicate a high demand for the luxury cabrio without enough supply to meet it. Demand is so high, in fact, that parent company Toyota had to increase production at its assembly plant in Japan to 1200 units per month. Of those, nearly a quarter go to the Northeastern United States alone, and you can be sure that California and Florida boost those number significantly as well.

The model is available as both the IS250C and IS350C, the former of which –with a 204hp 2.5-liter V6 and $38k sticker price – accounts for some 85% of sales, while the latter – the more powerful $44k 306hp 3.5-liter IS350C – makes up only 15% of sales for the luxurious hard-top convertible. But as demand increase, buyers may be looking at dealer premiums to get ahead on the waiting list.

A few years back we went on one of the best road trips ever at the wheel of a Jaguar XK convertible. So we literally leapt at the chance to take the brand new one for a spin. Jaguar roadsters have always held a place of honor in the pantheon of stylish sports cars, dating back to the legendary XK120, forerunner of the current model - although stylistically the new XK owes more to the XK-E (E-Type) with its oval mouth. The XK120 referred to the car's top speed; when introduced in 1948 it was the world's fastest standard production car, with killer looks to match. It acquired an instant aura of glamor and cemented Jaguar's reputation forever when Gary Cooper, Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart cruised Hollywood in their XK120s like stylish gods. (We'll develop on this theme further in a later installment).

The XK120 evolved into the famous race-winning XK120-C, or C-Type, that in turn led to the wicked D-Type, made famous by Steve McQueen, and eventually the iconic E-Type, which as noted the current model most closely resembles. First unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961, the E-Type's legendary power to attract the opposite sex was phrased best by American motoring writer Henry Manney III, who dubbed it "The greatest crumpet-catcher known to man." Not a bad precedent for its more recent relation. While we didn't actually catch any crumpets with the new XK, it wasn't the car's fault as we were more interested in zooming down the road than cozying up to the local flora and fauna. Also there are a lot more outlandish-looking autos on the road these days; compared to these the XK exudes an elegant aura of restrained power that behooves its feline namesake; very British in a sense.

For 2010 the aluminum-bodied XK available as of this August is kitted out with an AJ-V8 Gen III 5.0-liter engine capable of delivering 385 hp and 515 Nm of torque (a supercharged version produces 510 hp and 625 Nm of torque). With these numbers the naturally aspirated version hits 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, while top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph. Some subtle, sporty updates over previous models have been made to the exterior without detracting from the car's stylistic heritage, including a new front end, new rear lights fitted with LED technology, a new rear body valance, body-colored side power vents, chrome-detailed inserts, and sleek alloy wheels.

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo's black-on-black Porsche 911 convertible (above) is being offered for sale in the UK. As we reported back in January, the champion athlete who is set to play for Real Madrid after his club Manchester United accepted a record £80 million bid last week, totaled his Ferrari but walked away unscathed. The car on offer is a Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Tiptronic S which Ronaldo bought in 2007, the UK Auto Trader reports.

It's just one of a fleet of supercars which have been owned by the 24-year-old, who mainly drives a Bentley Continental GT Speed these days. The Porsche can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 5.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 177 mph. It has only 16,000 miles on it and is priced at £69,995 or about $115,000. Ronaldo was recently snapped canoodling with Paris Hilton in Las Vegas celebrating his new contract.

If the environmental activists are right, the planet should be getting warmer every year, so if the world's really going to hell in a proverbial handbasket, you might as well enjoy the weather behind the wheel of a convertible. But while there are plenty of delectable cabrios and roadsters on the market already, some want something a little different. Fortunately there are skilled chop-shops that can lop the roof off just about any car and replace it with a folding canvas top. One of the most experienced is California's Newport Convertible Engineering, whose portfolio includes such recent and varied conversions as a Hummer H2 sport-utility, Toyota Prius hybrid, Cadillac CTS sedan and the Mercedes CL coupe you see here. Benz has been talking about bringing back the CL cabriolet for some time, but evidently one customer was tired of waiting. The conversion job costs about $10,000, but considering that this donor vehicle cost six figures already, that seems like just a drop in the bucket.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger made a surprise appearance at the Geneva Motor Show today, where he checked out a $230,000 Bentley Continental GTC Speed, the most powerful convertible the marque has ever produced. Accompanied by Bentley CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen, Schwarzenegger eyed all the Bentleys on display but seemed to prefer the GTC Speed, which he sat in and fondled lovingly, MotorTrend reports. The Governator also visited several other stands including Audi's during his whirlwind tour of the show. He has been in Europe this week attending the CeBIT 2009 in Hanover, Germany, billed as the world's largest technology trade fair for digital business solutions and information and communications technology. California is the first U.S. state to partner with CeBIT.

An image of Lamborghini's hotly-anticipated $380,000 Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster (above) has been leaked, and it looks to be well worth all the build-up. Only 50 examples of the limited edition convertible will be produced. The car's powertrain has not yet been revealed, but it's expected to get a 650hp V12 engine capable of about 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds.The exterior is finished in a special flat gray with bright orange accents employed on the side skirts and front lip, as well as to highlight details inside the cabin, while dark alloy wheels complete the lean, mean look. The interior features an asymmetric dashboard, Alcantara and leather upholstery, and plenty of bells and whistles.

[Autoblog.nl via MotorAuthority]

At the Detroit Auto Show, Bentley will unveil a supercharged version of its Continental GTC drophead coupe, the GTC Speed. The new model (above) features a twin-turbo V12 producing 553 lb-ft. of torque and 600 horsepower - 100 more more than the Azure T we wrote about in November - for a 0 - 60 time of 4.5 seconds, making it the most powerful convertible Bentley has ever produced. Other modifications over the standard GTC include a "more upright, dark-tinted matrix grille" flanked by chrome bezels around the headlights, and a face "framed by firmer lines sweeping up from the lower air dam." Cosmetically, there are two new official exterior paint choices, Aquamarine and Blue Crystal, and you can have the leather interior done in Aquamarine as well. It's expected to sell for around $230,000 starting this summer.

[via Autoblog]

At the L.A. Auto Show, which opens next week, Bentley will debut an ultra-luxe drop-top version of its Arnage T, the Azure T (above), dubbed "the world's most elegant convertible." Embracing the concept of "extreme luxury", the 500-hp, twin-turbo Bentley Azure T will be available next year with many customization options. On offer will be a choice of 42 exterior colors, eight wood veneers, and 25 exclusive leathers, though Bentley's Mulliner bespoke shop can outfit the vehicle to your specifications using any "authentic materials." Finishing touches include Le Mans-style vents, diamond-quilted seats and door panels, embroidered seatbacks with Bentley inserts and engine-turned aluminum finish fascia reminiscent of the marque's 1920s racing models. The final price has not yet been set.

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.

For her 25th birthday, Beyonce Knowles got a very pricey gift from boyfriend Jay-Z. He picked out a 1959 Rolls Royce convertible with an estimated value of $1 million dollars, though the full amount he paid for the car will probably be known only to him and the dealer.

Even with a steep price tag, the gift doesn't quite measure up to the $5.4 million necklace Mariah Carey got from her prince, but it's safe to say that Beyonce could have done a lot worse than this car.