exotic cars

Lamborghini Discontinues the Murcielago

After nine years and 4,099 examples built, the Lamborghini Murcielago has reached the end of its line. The final example – an orange SuperVeloce model – was built last week at the company's factory at Sant'Agata Bolognese in northern Italy. And there will be no more.

In its place, Lamborghini is anticipated to launch an all-new model that promises to eclipse the Murcielago with higher power and much lighter weight. The latter is expected to be achieved through the widespread use of carbon fiber, whereas the outgoing model was built on a steel chassis.

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Tags: exotic car, exotic cars, lamborghini, lamborghini murcielago, lamborghini murcielago lp670-4 superveloce, lamborghini murcielago sv, supercar

Pagani Zonda RAK

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Have a spare $2.5 million sitting around? Then this one-of-a-kind Pagani Zonda can be yours. Called the Zonda RAK, it's been commissioned by Auto Salon Singen, a dealership in Germany, which has put it up for sale.

Like the PS, Uno, Tricolore, HH and 750 specials we've reported on previously, the RAK edition is a one-off, based essentially on the Zonda Cinque and decked out this time in yellow from exterior and the brake calipers to the top-stitching on the interior.

Gallery: Pagani Zonda RAK

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Tags: exotic cars, pagani, pagani zonda, pagani zonda rak, supercar, zonda rak

Bentley Reveals the Torque-tanic 2011 Continental GT

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The 2011 Bentley Continental GT is just the second generation of the segment-busting coupe that rumbled ashore eight years ago. And frankly, this new one looks a lot like that ancient one, but Bentley wants you to know that this is a completely new car. Outside, the bodywork gets all kinds of massaging: pronounced front fender lines that roll over the headlights and into the more-upright grille; a more pronounced grille treatment that asserts itself into the lower intake; LED running lamps surrounding the main headlight elements; the double-horseshoe rear-end treatment inspired by the Mulsanne and taillights that curl into the rear fenders. For a start...

More substantively, the 2011 Conti gets a boost in horsepower from the 6.0-liter, twin-turbo W12, hitting 567 horsepower and 516 pound-feet. The engine swipes a page from the Continental Supersports playbook and goes FlexFuel, accepting any combination of gasoline and E85. To keep you in touch with that power, Bentley's six-speed Quickshift transmission swaps cogs more quickly and does double downshifts. To keep that power in the right place, the rear track is wider, front-to-rear bias of the all-wheel-drive system is now 40/60, and the coefficient of drag has been reduced to 0.33.

As of next year the nominally eco-conscious can get their Continental GT with a 4.0-liter V8. Numbers haven't been released but you can expect it to register high on the horse and torque while getting much better gas mileage than its big brother.

Perhaps the best upgrade of all: the interior accouterments that now boast an eight-inch touchscreen interface, dynamic navigation and Google Maps. Joining that are a sleeker dash, climate-controlled "Cobra" seats sculpted to provide more rear legroom, and leather-lined door pouches with water-bottle holders. It's everything the current Continental GT is. Only more.

Gallery: 2011 Bentley Continental GT

Tags: bentley, bentley continental, Bentley Continental GT, exotic cars, luxury car auction

Thirteen Lamborghini Reventons Now Available on JamesList

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Back in March 2009 Reuters was astonished to report that seven out of the 20 ultra-exclusive Lamborghini Reventon supercars in the world were being offered for sale on a single website, global online luxury marketplace JamesList. Exactly one year later we can reveal that number has nearly doubled to 13, meaning that 65% of the total Reventons in existence are now available on the one site. Prices for the 650 hp beauties range from $1.4 million - $2 million with cars on offer located in the U.S., U.K., UAE, Germany and Switzerland. Perhaps the guy who just bought 10 Aston Martin One-77s will snatch up the lot. Meanwhile, JamesList also has listings for 4 out of the 15 recently unveiled Reventon Roadsters, which are even more exclusive than the original.

Tags: exotic cars, JamesList, Lamborghini, Lamborghini Reventon, reventon

Rare Bugatti Found In A Barn

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

I usually hear these "found in a barn" stories when it comes to art but it happens with rare cars too. A rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante was found in the barn of Dr. Harold Carr. The car is one of a limited run of 17 examples, and a quarter of them are housed in a museum in rural France. This one went missing half a century ago before ending up in Dr. Carr's garage. The car will be auctioned off in Paris on February 7 as part of the Bonhams Retromobile sale. The estimated value has been listed as high as £6 million (about $8.8 million). The car has an odometer reading of just 26,284. Since it has been garaged for so long it is in need of some restoration but it will be a true find for a lucky collector.

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Tags: atalante, bohams, bugatti, exotic cars, ExoticCars, rare cars, RareCars

Rolls-Royce Sapphire

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The latest treasure from the bespoke department at Rolls-Royce is the Phantom Sapphire. The Sapphire is built on the long wheelbase spaceframe and painted a deep Milori Sapphire blue, a color inspired by the gemstone. The leather interior is available in either navy blue with seashell highlights or seashell with navy blue highlights. The walnut burr veneers are inlaid with handmade diamond-pattern marquetry. A two-bottle cool box lis located beneath the rear lounge seat and incorporates a drinks holder milled from a single billet of aluminum that can be concealed in the facia of the cool box. A lounge seat glass cabinet holds a pair of crystal tumblers and champagne flutes. The glassware bears the same diamond motif featured in the Phantom Sapphire's marquetry. A blue decorated Rolls-Royce clock is set with a sapphire and the driver receives matching blue accented silver key fobs and a Conway Stewart fountain pen set in a lacquered, walnut veneer box.

[via Autoblog]

Gallery: Rolls-Royce Sapphire

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Tags: bespoke cars, exotic cars, ExoticCars, luxury cars, LuxuryCars, rolls-royce, sapphire

Fiat Goes Beachy With The Fiat Fiorino Portofino

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

A car with nautical ropes instead of doors? You are staring at the 2008 Fiat Fiorino Portofino. Fiat Professional asked customizer Vernagallo-Holiday and SALT to create a show car that looked like the Italian luxury beach buggies of the 1950s and 1960s. They took one of Fiat's FIorino vans and created this. The car has wood laminate flooring and the interior was created using natural fibers treated with a special waterproofing. They say it can seat five (five beach bunnies perhaps) and the rear seat folds down for your nautical gear. It's not known if the Fiat Fiorino Portofino will be produced as a regular car for the masses but it will be making the show rounds. Autoblog has a couple hi-res shots of this unique creature.

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Tags: concept car, exotic cars, fiat

Saleeen S5S Raptor

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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.

Gallery: Saleen S5S Raptor

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Tags: exotic cars, ExoticCars, New-York-Auto-Show, saleen, Saleen-S5S-Raptor

K.O. Cars Knock Out My Heart

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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.

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Tags: exotic cars, geneva auto show, ken okuyama, KenOkuyama, ko cars

2007 Was a Great Year for Bentley

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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.

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Tags: bentley, exotic cars, luxury cars, rolls-royce

Collexium, Fort Lauderdale's New Luxury Car Club

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services, Luxury Cars & Autos

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.

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Tags: aston martin, AstonMartin, car club, collexium, exotic cars, ferrari, lamborghini, lotus

Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera revealed

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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.

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Tags: cars, exotic cars, lamborghini, superleggera

Luxspotting: Jay-Z's New Video

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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.

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Tags: exotic cars, ferrari, jay-z, pagani, zonda

1928 Mercedes Torpedo Roadster Could Bring in $3 or $4 Million

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

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.

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Tags: christies, concours, exotic cars, mercedes

How Much Is That Gallardo In The Window?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

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.

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Tags: exotic cars, gallardo, lamborghini, luxury car rental