luxury car

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van Service from Brilliant Transportation

Increasingly concerned with comfort and less with some stodgy image, luxury buyers are ditching the traditional limousine in favor of more commodious modes of transportation. A few months ago, we brought you news of the exclusive Sprinter Grand Edition from Mercedes-Benz Manhattan, but if laying out $190,000 for the privilege of riding in an opulent van doesn't strike you as a smart buy, you may want to turn to Brilliant Transportation.

The luxury shuttle service operates fleets in New York and Los Angeles. Its vans -- based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter -- may look like delivery trucks, but inside they're more luxurious than a Maybach.

Four leather arm chairs and a plush rear bench distinguish the interior, along with a pair of 32-inch flat-screen televisions, with wireless headphones, satellite TV and an eight-speaker sound system. There's also wireless internet on board, a color printer and speaker phone.

If you're chartering a jet from coast to coast, we couldn't think of a better way to get to and from the airport on either end.

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Tags: brilliant, brilliant transportation, brilliant van, car service, luxury car, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz sprinter, shuttle, shuttle service, sprinter

Porsche Panamera Turbo S

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

With sales of its four-door coupe hitting record numbers around the globe, Porsche has announced a new top-of-the-line model. The Panamera Turbo S packs a prodigious 550 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque from its twin-turbocharged V8 engine – 50 and 37 more than the existing Panamera Turbo.

The extra oomph is said to drive the Turbo S to a 3.6-second 0-60 time and a 190 mph top speed. In other words, supercar levels of performance, with a suitably supercar price: $173,200 is where it starts. The Porsche Panamera Turbo S will be unveiled in April at the New York Auto Show.

Tags: luxury car, new york auto show, panamera, panamera turbo s, porsche, porsche panamera, porsche panamera turbo s

BMW M3 Matte Editon for China

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

While some automakers roll out special editions around the entire globe, the BMW Group has of late opted to create individual specials for specific markets. Witness, as examples, the Trusardi edition 5GT (exclusive to Italy), the Z4 Silver Top edition (Japan), the M3 Pure edition (Australia) and the M3 Frozen Gray edition (United States). BMW's subsidiaries Mini and Rolls-Royce have followed the same formula with the Mini Cooper Mat Edition (France) and Yas Eagle edition Phantom (Abu Dhabi), and now BMW has announced a new special edition M3 exclusive to China.

The M3 Matte Edition packs the same V8 engine and everything else as the standard model, but is distinguished by its special matte black paint scheme, offset by black chrome trim and high-gloss 19-inch alloy wheels. Inside there's carbon fiber and red trim, but you'll have to live in China and act fast to get your hands on one.

Tags: bmw, bmw m3, bmw m3 matte edition, china, luxury car, matte, special edition

Prince Charles' Ferrari Daytona Up for Auction

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona - chassis #16531

A very special Ferrari is set to cross the auction block in May. One of only 1,400 examples made, and only 158 in right-hand drive, this metallic blue 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona has some very prominent provenance indeed.

Chassis #16531 most recently appeared on an episode of the hit BBC television program Top Gear, where celebrity presenter Richard Hammond drove it along the riviera from Portofino to Saint-Tropez while his co-host James May raced him in a speedboat. But long before the filming of the episode, its first owner was none other than HRH Charles, Prince of Wales. The car is being auctioned by Historics at Brooklands and is expected to fetch around £180,000 - £210,000.

Gallery: 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona #16531

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Tags: brooklands, daytona, ferrari, ferrari 365 gtb4 daytona, ferrari daytona, historics, historics at brooklands, luxury car, prince charles, top gear

Rolls-Royce Flagship Showroom Debuts in Abu Dhabi

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Rolls-Royce has 82 dealerships around the world. But the largest of them isn't at its factory in Goodwood. It's not in London, either, nor is it in Manhattan or Beverly Hills. It's in Abu Dhabi.

The latest of eight dealerships in the Middle East, the new Abu Dhabi showroom encompasses some 10,000 square feet of floorspace, including uncluttered display for five cars (Rolls currently only makes four model variants) plus a coffee bar, customer configuration lounge and adjacent service center.

Tags: abu dhabi, emirates, luxury car, rolls-royce, uae, united arab emirates

Audi R8 GT Coming to America for $200K

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Exclusive. Fast. Stylish. Few cars are as eminently desirable as the Audi R8. More desirable still is the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI. But at the top of the heap is the R8 GT. Unveiled at the Paris Auto Salon last year, the R8 GT packs the same V10 engine, but tuned to 560 horsepower and with 180 fewer pounds to drag around, it's that much faster.

Only 90 examples of this raw performance machine will be coming to the United States, each carrying a price tag of $196,800, making it the most expensive car Audi offers, and probably the most expensive it ever has.

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Tags: audi, audi r8, audi r8 gt, luxury car, r8, r8 gt, vehi

BMW to Show 6 Series Coupe in Shanghai

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

BMW will unveil its 6 Series coupe at the Shanghai Motor Show next month, highlighting in part the importance of the China market for the German automaker.

Media insiders got a look at a "concept" 6 Series coupe last September at the Paris Motor Show, but this will be the final production version. It will arrive in European and U.S. showrooms by this Fall.

The coupe will face stiff competition against the Jaguar XK and Mercedes E-Class coupe, as well as the recently introduced Cadillac CTS-V Coupe -- which has been extremely well received by the motoring press.

The 650i will come with an 8 cylinder gas engine, while the 640i is powered by a 6-cylinder. Both are fitted with an 8-speed sports automatic gearbox as standard equipment. A diesel powered version will follow the launch.

The price in Europe for the 640i Coupe will be about $106,000 (74,700 euros).

Tags: BMW, BMW 6 Series coupe, Cadillac CTS-V, Jaguar XK, luxury car, Shanghai Motor Show

Porsche 918 Spyder Heading to Production for $845,000

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

At the Geneva Motor Show last year, Porsche wowed the crowds with the 918 Spyder. A conceptual successor to the Carrera GT, the 918 Spyder showed what a hybrid could be in the extreme. Greeted by positive reactions, Porsche approved the model for production, and has now announced that it is accepting early orders.

The production version packs a 4.0-liter V8 engine and a pair of electric motors, working in unison to deliver 718 horsepower for a 3.1-second sprint to sixty and an impressive 78 miles per gallon. Only 918 examples will be offered, each fetching $845,000.

Tags: 911 turbo, 911 turbo s, 918 spyder, luxury car, porsche, porsche 911 turbo s, porsche 911 turbo s edition 918 spyder, porsche 918 spyder, Spyder

Continue reading “Porsche 918 Spyder Heading to Production for $845,000”

Avert Your Eyes: The World's Ugliest Ferrari

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

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.

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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

Vintage 1905 Rolls-Royce Picnic Case for $14,800

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Last summer my colleague Noah Joseph wrote about the bespoke Rolls-Royce picnic set designed for the new Phantom, which harks back to the golden age of motoring. Now an original version – designed for a Rolls-Royce owner back in 1905 – is being offered for sale. The perfectly preserved case was made to double as a footrest in the passenger compartment. It contains a picnic service for four, ingeniously designed to accommodate sandwiches, tea, coffee and cocktails. Tucked into the lid are two leather-wrapped stainless steel thermoses, four dishes with recesses for teacups, a matchbox, and utensils including forks, mustard and butter spoons and bone-handled knives from Joseph Fenton & Sons of Sheffield. The case's bottom holds two glass bottles wrapped in wicker for water or wine, two flasks with fitted metal cups, an enameled container, a kettle and burner, four teacups, four smaller glass bottles, ceramic mustard and butter pots, salt and pepper jars and a small tin. M.S. Rau antiques of New Orleans is offering the piece of classic automotive history for sale at $14,800.

[via LuxuryLaunches]

Gallery: Vintage Rolls-Royce Picnic Case

Tags: luggage, luxury car, New Orleans, picnic, picnic basket, Rolls-Royce

REPORT: BMW Threatening To Oust Lexus As #1 Luxury Automaker In U.S.

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

2009 BMW Z4 sDrive35i - Click above for high-res image gallery

Life is hard at the top, whether that precipice happens to be at the top of the overall sales chart or of a specific market niche, such as Lexus' position as the best-selling luxury automaker in the United States. Toyota's Japanese brand has held the top spot since the year 2000, with BMW perpetually trailing in second place. Could 2009 finally be the year that BMW breaks through to number one?

So far this year, BMW's 76,819 total sales in the States puts the German brand slightly ahead of Lexus, which has moved a total of 73,186 units so far in '09. Both brands are down somewhat from 2008, though BMW's 30.5-percent decline is not quite as severe as Lexus' 37.2-percent fall. Neither automaker is interested in boasting of its successes in this market, though BMW will gladly accept the extra market share. Speaking to Automotive News, Jan Ehlen, a spokesman for BMW of North America, said:

This year's emphasis is on maintaining our market share and even growing our share a bit. If this results in remaining in the top spot of the premium market, that would be a nice bonus.

Gallery: Quick Drive: 2009 BMW Z4 sDrive35i

[Source: Automotive News]

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Tags: best selling, best selling luxury automaker, best selling luxury brand, BestSelling, BestSellingLuxuryAutomaker, BestSellingLuxuryBrand, bmw, bmw sales, BmwSales, lexus, lexus sales, LexusSales, luxury car, luxury car sales, luxury cars, LuxuryCar, LuxuryCars, LuxuryCarSales

Top Ten Luxury Cars From Barrett-Jackson 2009

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Events

Click above to see our top ten luxury cars from Barrett-Jackson 2009

The Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction may be best known for the many muscle cars that fill the tents in Scottsdale, AZ, but those in attendance are also welcome to bid on any number of other fine automobiles that pass through the auction block. We found ourselves among the bidders all day on Friday and Saturday, taking pictures and keeping track of each sale so we could compile interesting lists of the various vehicles that were scheduled to change hands, including quite a few beautiful luxury cars. From one-off Buicks to hand-built Rolls Royces, here are a few of our favorites. Note: This list is numbered chronologically in the order they were auctioned.

Gallery: Barrett Jackson 2009: Top Ten Luxury Cars

1942 Lincoln Continental Convertible - $44,000

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Dual Cowl Touring - $95,700

1931 Cadillac 370 A Town Sedan - $79,200.00

Tags: barrett jackson, barrett jackson 2009, barrett jackson auction, barrett-jackson, barrett-jackson 2009, barrett-jackson2009, BarrettJackson, BarrettJackson2009, BarrettJacksonAuction, luxury car, luxury car auction, luxury cars, LuxuryCar, LuxuryCarAuction, LuxuryCars

Generation Y's Hunger For Luxury Cars

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Generation Y is commonly touted as the generation of entitlement and immediate gratification, and although some might argue it seems luxury car sales and statistics are backing up the "I want it now" trend of young people. BMW's M3, for example, is a car that starts at $54,000, and although that price tag would normally mean an older and wealthier demographic its most popular buyer is in their mid-20s. It seems the young people of today not only want high-end luxury cars but they're stretching themselves and scrimping in other places to have them. Brands across the board are noticing the trend, which in today's economy is a little surprising (and scary!).

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Tags: Generation Y, GenerationY, luxury auto, luxury automobile, luxury car, luxury cars, LuxuryAuto, LuxuryAutomobile, LuxuryCar, LuxuryCars, Y

Autoblog Road Trips With a Bentley Brooklands

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

While I was learning about the world of luxury at the Luxury Summit, John Neff from Autoblog was driving it. Last week he had the experience of driving a 2009 Bentley Brooklands 550 miles to from New Jersey to Cleveland, Ohio where it would be picked up and driven back to Bentley's North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. He had the honor of taking the car for its maiden voyage on U.S. soil. Talk about a road trip.

The car is one of only 550 that will ever be built, there are just two in the United States right now. Our man was cool and collected behind the wheel of a car that costs close to $400,000 with options. His post on Autoblog breaks down all the important details but it's the road trip stories I like such as the fact that a man in a Dodge Caravan followed him for 15 miles into a rest stop and that every tollbooth operator on his journey remarked on the car. If you are paying that much for your wheels, you likely want just that sort of attention. Oh, and be warned, the gas consumption is pricey too, filling the 25-gallon fuel tank with 20 gallons of 93-octane premium gas cost $75, and this is not a car known for its high mileage.

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Tags: autoblog, bentley, bentley brooklands, luxury car, LuxuryCar

Mercedes-Benz Ocean Drive Concept

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

I'm not usually over the moon about the design of a new Mercedes-Benz but the Ocean Drive Concept has me intrigued. It's got a bit of Bentley style with its oversized grille and elegant rear. The car is based on the V12-powered, long-wheelbase S 600 sedan and has a soft top but keeps you warm with the Mercedes Airscarf neck-heating system. The car has LED headlamps and taillights, two-tone paintwork and long side-window opening that is not interrupted by a B-pillar or window frames for a seamless look even when the top is up. The interior is done in leather with bird's eye maple trim panels. Some of Autoblog's commenters pointed out that it looks a bit like a Sebring. Perish the thought.

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Tags: luxury car, mercedes-benz, ocean drive concept

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