custom cars

Avert Your Eyes: The World's Ugliest Ferrari

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Art, Video

Digital art innovator Laurence Gartel has had his work exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art among others and is known for creating custom pieces for the likes of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.

His latest "masterpiece," however is rather abominable -- the world's ugliest Ferrari. And he claims it's worth $1 million.

We don't think Gartel, whose work is in the permanent collection of Smithsonian's Museum of American History, set out to make the luxury car unattractive. He transformed a $300,000 Ferrari F430 Scuderia into a moving canvas using every color imaginable in a nightmarish combination, apparently commissioned by "art social network," Artfellas.

Check out a video of the emetic supercar above, but be forewarned -- Ferrari lovers might cry, and the rest of you will probably need a bucket.

Source

Tags: art, art cars, Artfellas, britney+spears, britneyspears, custom cars, digital art, Ferrari, Ferrari F430, Ferrari F430 Scuderia, Laurence Gartel, Laurence Gartel cars, Laurence Gartel Ferrari, luxury car, supercar, ugliest+ferrari, ugliestferrari, video

Porsche Celebrates 25 Years of Custom Cars

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

Porsche Celebrates 25 Years of Custom Cars

25 years ago Porsche became the world's first car manufacturer to create a special customization department at its factory. The program, called Porsche Exclusive, allows customers to get a car from the factory with just about any personal detail and refinement they want – provided that it's technically feasible and won't compromise the vehicle's quality. To celebrate the program's silver anniversary the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany is showcasing the Exclusive's special skills and craftsmanship with a 25 years of Porsche Exclusive show running through May 1st.

Visitors will be able to see some of company's most unique and rare special models, including the Porsche 911 Turbo S 3.6, which in 1997 was the first Porsche series production sports car to break the 186 mph (300 km/h) barrier. Also on display is one of only two Porsche 911 Speedsters in the world dating from 1995, as well as a gold-colored Porsche 959 that was extensively modified for a member of an Arab royal family and which features, among other things, gold plated tailpipes. A book is being published in conjunction with the exhibit as well.

Tags: custom cars, Germany, luxury cars, museum, museum exhibit, Porsche, Porsche 911, Porsche 959, Porsche Museum, porsche+cars, porsche+custom, porschecars, porschecustom

Qatari Pagani Zonda Uno Listed for Sale at $2.3 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

Qatari Pagani Zonda Uno Listed for Sale at $2.3 Million

A one-of-a-kind Pagani Zonda Uno custom-built for Qatar's royal family – the ones who recently paid $2 billion for Harrods – has been listed for sale in Italy via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for about $2.3 million. As my colleague Noah Joseph reported last summer, the supercar borrows elements from the exclusive Zonda Cinque and blends them with parts from the track-only Zonda R (see video below) for a truly unique creation. The 690-horsepower 7.3-liter V12 engine paired with plenty of carbon fiber make it a barely street-legal beast that burns fuel like mad but has lots of fun doing it. It's painted a pretty garish shade of turquoise like all the Qatari royal vehicles, including the Lamborghini they crashed back in November. We have no idea why they're selling this one but we somehow doubt it's because they need the cash.

Tags: carbon fiber, custom cars, Harrods, JamesList, Pagani, Pagani Zonda, Pagani Zonda Uno, Qatar, supercar, UAE

Dartz's Racy Take on Rolls' 'Spirit of Ecstasy'

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Irreverent Russian SUV makers Dartz have already proved themselves masters of mixing the grotesque with the extravagant – you might recall their $1.5 million gold and diamond-trimmed armored truck upholstered in whale penis leather than sent Pamela Anderson into a tizzy. Now Dartz, which also customizes ultra-luxury vehicles from other marques, has come out with a tongue-in-cheek version of Rolls-Royce's famous mascot, the Spirit of Ecstasy. The Dartz version, which is gold plated, is dubbed the Spirit of Xtasy and features a copulating couple, the male member of which bears a striking resemblance to nutty Dartz founder Leonard F. Yankelovich. Dartz is mounting the saucy statuettes on Rolls-Royce Phantoms in place of the original, along with other modifications. The folks at Rolls' UK headquarters in Goodwood will no doubt not be amused.

Tags: custom cars, Dartz, gold, luxury cars, Rolls-Royce, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Russia, SUV

Continue reading “Dartz's Racy Take on Rolls' 'Spirit of Ecstasy'”

Rare Custom Ferrari 550 GTZ by Zagato at Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

Last year we reported on the ultra-exclusive Ferrari 550 GTZ, a custom coachbuilt convertible by famed Italian design house Zagato. Only five examples were built for wealthy collectors worldwide, all of them spoken for long before the general public even knew the damn thing existed. Using the limited edition Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina as a platform, the 550 GTZ is based on the one-off Ferrari 575 GTZ built by Zagato for Yoshiyuki Hayashi, an avid Ferrari collector in Japan. Now one of the ultra-rare autos, the only right hand drive example of the 550 GTZ (above), is being put up for auction at Bonhams' Important Motor Cars and Fine Automobilia sale at Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey, UK on December 6 (where Elvis Presley's Mercedes limo is also crossing the block). The fabulous Ferrari is expected to fetch over $1 million and bidding is likely to be fierce.

Tags: auctions, Bonhams, convertible, custom cars, Ferrari, Ferrari 575 GTZ, UK, Zagato

Shiekh Wheels: Rolls-Royce Debuts Bespoke Editions for Abu Dhabi

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

A regular old Rolls-Royce? Strictly for peasants, my friend. No filthy rich oil sheikh would be caught dead in one. Hence the new bespoke Phantom editions built specially for Abu Dhabi, which as we all know has the actual cash, as opposed to Dubai which thrives on flash and debt thanks to Abu Dhabi's indulgence. Inspired by the emirate's "rich culture and landscape" emphasis on rich – the new models are of course extremely vulgar and insanely expensive. The special edition Phantom Drophead Coupe (above) is called Shaheen, after the local word for the prestigious peregrine falcon used for hunting. It features a marquise-white exterior with Tudor red lines and a red and seashell leather interior, brass falcon inlays and falcon embroidered head-rests. The Phantom sedan meanwhile is named Baynunah after Abu Dhabi's sand dune covered western region. Fittingly finished in shades of brown and tan, it features hand-crafted inlay and marquetry, some of it applied with tweezers to ensure maximum precision, and a solid gold Spirit of Ecstasy on the hood. Better bring a solid gold bucket.

Gallery: Rolls-Royce Abu Dhabi Editions

Tags: Abu Dhabi, bespoke, custom cars, Dubai, hunting, oil, Rolls Royce, Rolls-Royce, Rolls-Royce Phantom, sheikh, UAE, wealth

Hennessey Introduces the Venom GT

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Lotus Elise is one of the most nimble, agile sportscars on the market. The one thing keeping it from taking on the big boys is a relative lack of power: the smallest of sportscars from Lotus use small Toyota-sourced four-cylinder engines. Leave it to Hennessey to find the solution.

The American tuning house best known for modifying Dodge Vipers to 1000+ horsepower capacities has just rolled out the Venom GT. Work starts with the Lotus chassis, which is chopped up and reformed with a longer wheelbase capable of accommodating a much larger engine. A Corvette engine, in this case: to be specific, the supercharged LS9 V8 from the all-conquering Corvette ZR1. Hennessey then further tunes the engine to 725 horsepower, with the addition of a pair of turbochargers bringing output up to 1000 or 1200 horsepower, according to the buyer's specifications.

The power is handled by a six-speed manual transmission, programmable traction control and a fully adjustable suspension, and kept in check by massive 15-inch carbon-ceramic brakes. Only ten units will be built each year, starting at $630,000.

Gallery: Hennessey Venom GT

Source

Tags: corvette, corvette zr1, custom cars, elise, hennessey, hennessey venom gt, lotus, lotus elise, ls9, LS9 V8, venom gt, zr1

CA$H.CAMO Bentley GT from Dartz

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Dartz, the whacked-out Russian luxury SUV brand known for the grenade-proof Kombat and whale penis leather-upholstered Monaco Red Diamond monstrosity, have come out with another assault on aesthetics: the CA$H.CAMO Bentley GT. Designed in collaboration with Russian supercar tuner TopCar, the Bentley gets some body mods and upgrades along with a truly hideous wrap. The Kevlar-based vinyl covering combines a camouflage pattern with the graphics of a 500 euro banknote with its purple color scheme and architectural motif, the currency's highest denomination. The 500 euro note is known to be a favorite with the Russian mafia. The wrap is also designed to have a texture that makes it feel like an actual banknote. The barfy Bentley will be unveiled at the upcoming Top Marques Monaco show.

Tags: Bentley, camouflage, currency, custom cars, Dartz, Dartz Kombat, Russia, Top Marques Monaco

Queen of England's Bespoke Jaguar Daimler for Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

A luxurious bespoke Daimler Majestic V8 (above) built by Jaguar and used by the Queen of England as her personal motor is being offered for sale in the UK. The British racing green vehicle, used as the Queen's daily driver between 2001 and 2004, includes several bespoke royal touches, such as a special holder for her favorite handbag, a console of switches to control flashing strobe lamps and blue emergency convoy lights, a secure telephone once linked to Downing Street and the Home Office, and special rear seat protectors for transporting the royal dogs. No price is being advertised but the car cost about $100,000 when new. The Queen's motor pool still includes two Bentleys, three Rolls-Royces and three Daimlers, among sundry other vehicles.

[The Independent via LuxuryInsider]

Tags: British royals, custom cars, Daimler, Jaguar, Queen of England, royalty, UK

Mansory Cyrus Carbon Fiber Aston Martin

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Pepto Bismol pink Vitesse Rosé Bentley Continental GT by Mansory that we wrote about last week was a truly hideous piece of automotive madness. The exotic auto tuner rescued its reputation somewhat with the carbon fiber version of an Aston Martin it displayed at the Frankfurt Auto Show. The Cyrus as the car is called can be built from either the DB9 or DBS (James Bond's model of choice), with carbon body mods including front and rear wing extensions, side skirts, a front skirt with enlarged air intakes, and a reconfigured bonnet, plus a new rear skirt with an integrated diffuser and quadruple stainless steel exhausts. Interior upgrades include a carbon fiber dashboard and center console elements, a custom steering wheel and two-tone black and red leather upholstery.

Tags: Aston Martin, AstonMartin, carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, custom cars, CustomCars, Frankfurt Auto Show, FrankfurtAutoShow, James Bond, JamesBond, Mansory

Mansory Carbon Fiber Porsche Cayenne

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Exotic auto tuner Mansory, makers of the $2.5 million Vincero Bugatti Veyron we wrote about earlier this year, have turned their attention to the Porsche Cayenne for their latest over-the-top creation. The Chopster as it's called has basically been completely rebuilt in carbon fiber with the addition of sporty chrome wedge-shaped panels on the doors. A product of Mansory's recent acquisition of Rinspeed's Porsche tuning arm, the revamped super-SUV has a wider, lower profile. Powering the beast is a 710 hp turbocharged V-8 with 665 lb.-ft. of torque and a top speed of 188 mph, while amped-up brakes are housed in massive 23″ x 11″ wheels. Inside you'll find even more carbon fiber, two-tone leather upholstery, a refrigerator, DVD player, internet-enabled laptop, head-rest monitor screens and more.

Tags: carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, custom cars, CustomCars, Mansory, Porsche, Porsche Cayenne, PorscheCayenne, SUV

Holland & Holland by Overfinch: The World's Most Luxurious Range Rover

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Sports, Men's Style

The Holland & Holland Range Rover by Overfinch, the "ultimate all purpose, all season luxury supercar" with a sporting edge billed as the most luxurious Range Rover ever made, will make its debut in the UK later this month. Limited to only 100 examples and expected to be priced at around $300,000, it will be a contender for the title of world's most expensive SUV, in competition with Spyker's Peking-to-Paris. Based on the supercharged 503 hp 2010 Range Rover, bespoke tuner Overfinch collaborated with Holland & Holland, maker of fine shotguns established in London in 1835 who hold two Royal Warrants, on the vehicle. A saddle-stitched leather interior is offset by a 32 piece, hand-carved woodwork set available in a selection of finishes. The rear console includes an integrated refrigerator, capable of chilling two full size champagne bottles, along with storage space for two flutes. The luggage compartment contains a beautiful hand-crafted bespoke gun cabinet with multiple drawers capable of holding up to eight crystal champagne flutes and whisky tumblers, as well as two cased shotguns, cartridges and all the accessories.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Tags: custom cars, CustomCars, Holland Holland, HollandHolland, Overfinch, Range Rover, RangeRover, shotgun, sporting, UK

Abu Dhabi Royals' Custom Mercedes G-Glass

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

What's the best, most luxurious SUV in the world? Well, at least until the long-awaited $300,000 Spyker Peking-to-Paris finally materializes, the Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG holds the top spot. So that's what the royal family of Abu Dhabi decided to base its bespoke off-road vehicle on. They turned to German tuner A.R.T. for the one-off AS55K YAAS Edition (above). Output from the standard model's supercharged V8 engine has been amped up to an impressive 620 hp. Aerodynamic components were added to the front, side, rear, and roof, including a whole new hood, all finished in carbon fiber. Numerous highly-polished stainless steel decorative elements highlight the air vents and other details, and red brake calipers add a pop of colour. Rounding out the bespoke options are bi-xenon headlights, four fog lamps, a two-tone leather, wood and carbon fiber interior, an A.R.T steering wheel and of course a customized entertainment system.

Tags: Abu Dhabi, AbuDhabi, carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, custom cars, CustomCars, Mercedes-Benz, SUV, UAE

Custom Camouflage Ferrari 599 GTB

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

There seems to be something about the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano that induces those with more money than sense to customize them in ever more ridiculous ways. Last month we wrote about Fiat scion Lapo Elkann's 599 with a custom denim interior. Now a desert camouflage version has been spotted on the famed Croisette in Cannes. Our first guess would be that this automotive confection hails from the UAE, where overkill exotics flourish in the desert heat and oil revenues. However it also calls to mind avant-garde Japanese Bathing Ape designer Nigo's camo Mercedes 300SL Gullwing - another aesthetic travesty, but fully in keeping with his modus operandi. Which doesn't mean you should try it at home.

Tags: Cannes, custom cars, CustomCars, Ferrari

Chromed-Out Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

A couple weeks back we wrote about a chromed-out Audi R8 supercar spotted in the UK which sparked a heated debate on automotive aesthetics. Now a chrome Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster (above) has been seen prowling around London where it's been turning heads to say the least as you can see. The Lamborghini is already eye-popping enough in normal livery for most folk, so the chromed-out version seems designed to scream "Look at me!" And maybe traffic-choked London is simply the wrong setting for this thing - perhaps it could be quite beautiful out on the Bonneville Salt Flats or something - but it seems to me we're straying into Prince of Brothels territory here. What do you think?

Tags: chrome, custom cars, CustomCars, Lamborghini, London, supercar

custom cars

Featured Galleries

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular

Also on AOL