Recently making its debut at the New York Auto Show, Saleen's S5S Raptor is hot! As a two-seat, mid-engine car that can compete with some of the most notable Italian hot rods in size and style, the Raptor S5S has a 5.0L Supercharged engine which puts out 650hp. Unlike other fancy European rides, the Raptor is built to digest cellulosic ethanol making it a clean car as well looking out for the environment. According to Saleen executives, the Raptor is expected to hit the market in two years at about $185,000 MSRP.
My oh my Autoblog has found some sexy eye candy at the Geneva Auto Show in the form of the new cars from Ken Okuyama, the former Pininfarina designer who worked on the delicious Ferrari Enzo and the Maserati Quattroporte. The K.O. 7 and 8 are sleek cars made from carbon fiber and stamped aluminium. They are mean to be light and fast. The production model of the K.O. 7 should weigh in at around 1,650 pounds (without the optional roof). The K.O. 8 EV model is powered by a three-phase electric motor and has a 18 Kwh lithium ion battery pack for a range of around 100 miles per charge. There will be 99 K.O. 7's available when production begins later this year and they will be sold in Japan only for around $150,000.
The luxury market may be floundering but it was 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. As you might expect, Bentley's biggest increase was in China, where sales grew by a blistering 93% (with a total of 338 units). Sales in North America were up 4% with 4,196 units sold. It was the first year the cars were sold in Korea and 100 were sold.
Another story from my current home away from home Boca Raton, Florida. The Boca News reports the latest car club, Collexium, based in Fort Lauderdale has been created by Boca Raton resident Blas Moros. Mora, a former Microsoft exec, founded the club after he was in the market for a luxury car and found himself besieged with options. Collexium, opened in December 2006, has ten cars including an Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, Bentley Continental Flying Spur, Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo and Lotus Elise available at the Fort Lauderdale clubhouse. The clubhouse includes a lounge and a business center and serves as a showroom and setting for events.
Need an afternoon pick me up? Winter got you down? Our siblings at Autoblog have a lovely little gallery of the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. The new Gallardo does the zero to sixty hop in 3.8 seconds, .2 seconds less than the standard Gallardo and is a bit lighter thanks to a whole lot of carbon fiber and transparent polycarbonate. It comes in four colors, Midas Yellow, Borealis Orange, Telesto Gray and Noctis Black and options include a multimedia system, rear video camera, fixed rear spoiler and and carbon-ceramic brakes.
Rapper Jay-Z supposedly retired a few years back but now he's back and apparently his new video will get the added boost of a bit of supercar eye candy. Check out this pic found on ONTD which shows both a Ferrari and a Pagani Zonda being put to use in Jay-Z's new video. Jay-Z's not letting just anyone drive the car, it looks to be Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel of the Ferrari.
This year's annual Christie's sale in Monterey, California features a variety of expensive cars and one that is truly astounding. The sale, which takes place on August 17 before the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance features 50 cars and is expected to realize in excess of $10 million. Most amazingly, $3 to $4 million of that total could come from one car, this 1928 Mercedes-Benz Torpedo Roadster. The car is one of only 124 Type S models built in 1928. It was ordered by Mrs. Charles Levine from Mercedes-Benz, but when Mr. Levine lost all his money in the stock market crash the car remained in the Mercedes showroom until it was bought by Mr. Bedford. The car has stayed in the family ever since. Other treats in the sale include eight Porsches from a private collection, a 1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Spyder and a 1947 Bugatti Type 73C racing car.
I'm a little obsessed with luxury rental car agencies lately just because they give those of us without a few hundred thousand to spend on a car, the chance to drive for one for the day. DFW Elite Auto Rental in Texas recently added the 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder convertible to their impressive luxury car stable. It is in fact the only Gallardo Spyder in rental inventory in the United States (ooops, turns out there is more than one, see the comment below). The car was named the "Best Sports Car" of 2006 by Robb Report and can hit a maximum speed of 195 mph (just a bit speedier than your average rental). At $3,150 for a 24-hour period on the weekend it's a lot pricer than your average rental but what an experience.
The good thing about buying a Ferrari that used to belong to NBA star Shaquille O'Neal is that he always puts his own custom touches in. Case in point, this 1998 Ferrari F-1355 convertible. The sound system, seats and wheels have all been customized for Shaq and the car has a modified gas tank. The car is up for auction at the 15th annual Auburn Spring MotorFair this weekend through Kruse International. A sweet ride but in my opinion silver is not a good look for Ferraris.
A few weeks ago we learned about young Spyder Dobrofsky, a teenager with a yen for filming exotic cars in the fertile hunting grounds of Beverly Hills. Spyder first came to nationwide attention when he caught pictures of Stefan Eriksson's wife having her Mercedes McLaren confiscated. The LA Times profiles Spyder and his merry band of teenage filmers as they hit the streets with their video cameras creating footage for car-spotting sites like ExoticSpotter and StreetFire. The article has more pictures of Spyder, his brother Dash and the rest of the "Car-parazzi." Spyder and Dash's parents are supportive of the hobby and spend lots of family time shuttling the boys around the pricey neighborhoods where these cars are often found.
We first mentioned nearly a year ago
that Lamborghini was ready to open a dealership in Russia. It has finally happened, they have opened their first
Russian dealership in the Barvikha Luxury Village, southwest of Moscow and plan to open a central Moscow dealership
this summer. There's only one problem. No Lambos. The Moscow Times reports that this year most of
the 20 Lamborghinis which will be sold in Russia this year are already taken. Rich Russians will have to wait up to a
year for their custom cars and the starting price is $260,000. Another oops, they opened the first Russian dealership
on Orthodox Good Friday which is traditionally a day for quiet religious observance.
A post on Born Rich, led me to this unique vehicle.
This swoop-fendered car is known as a Bufori. The exotic cars are made in Malaysia
and the company was launched 19 years ago by three Australian brothers. The cars get their inspiration from 1930s cars
but include modern details like ergonomic adjustable seats, a satellite navigation system and Bluetooth telephone. The
car shown here is the Bufori MKIII La Joya, a two-seater with a V6 engine and a five-speed tip tronic gear box. Inside,
it's exactly what you would expect from a luxury car aimed at the ultra-monied: glossy wood and soft leather with
gold details on the dials. It looks like they are available in the States
with a base price of around $110,000. An interior shot is after the jump. Many more pictures can be found at Serious Wheels.
It's time to check out the goods for the next
Barrett-Jackson auction. The next auction, in Palm Beach, March 30 and April 1
will include two of Dr. Phil's exotic rides. The talk show host is unloading a 2002 Ferrari 360 Spider and a
2001 Gemballa Porsche Turbo. The Ferrari has titanium paint, chrome wheels and a blue convertible top with matching
interior and the black Porsche is a 911 Turbo modified by Gemballa with a 415-horsepower 6-cylinder engine and
upgraded performance suspension. The cars should both bring in six figures. Also on sale is a 2006 Cadillac CTS owned by musician
Paul McCartney. The car was built for McCartney with no animal products and proceeds from the sale of
McCartney's car will go to Adopt-A-Minefield.
We have seen
exotic and classiccar clubs and fractionalownership opportunities sprouting up all over the place. A
recent Wall Street Journal article
covered the trend including a few options we hadn’t seen yet. The article mention new elite garage services and
high-end clubs that cater to car enthusiasts. DreamCar Carriage House sells
spaces that start around $50,000 and include amenities like a lounge for entertaining, wine storage and a guest office
with Internet access. They also offer detailing, mechanical and valet services. Other clubs such as theAutobahn Country Club focus on people’s need to drive their cars
on private roads and tracks. These clubs make perfect sense for someone who has bought something truly amazing and want
to see what their new baby can do without worrying about running afoul of the law. The Autobahn Country Club charges a
$25,000 initiation fee and dues of $3,000 per year for use of the track and clubhouse.
