suv

Conquisto Lamborghini SUV Concept

Aston Martin's Lagonda SUV concept unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show is, in the words of our correspondent, "an awkwardly-styled crossover with a huge gaping mouth and unattractive shape." An unlikely idea from the famed British marque, we'd say it needs more work. Even unlikelier perhaps is the prospect of an SUV from Lamborghini, though Belgian designer David Cardoso has come up with an idea of what such a creature could look like. Dubbed the Conquisto, the two-door vehicle looks a bit like a jacked-up Gallardo, while the four-pipe sports exhaust system and massive air intakes front and rear indicate a beast lurking beneath the bonnet. While you may not be crazy about the idea it at least manages to retain much of the marque's aggressively sporty spirit.

Tags: Aston Martin, AstonMartin, concept car, ConceptCar, Lamborghini, SUV

The Classicist: Back to the Future in the New BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, The Classicist

The GT or Gran Turismo ("grand tourer") designation, first used by Italian marques in the 1920s to denote a vehicle combining sports car performance with luxurious appointments and enhanced luggage capacity for long-distance travel, has been abused to the point of absurdity - hello Ford Escort GT. But BMW has brought it back to life in a wholly modern incarnation with their newest creation, the 5 Series Gran Turismo, managing to invent something brand new in the process. These days "brand new" has also lost its appeal when it comes to automotive styling outside of supercars and ultra-luxury rides; witness the deluge of melted minivans and beastly breadboxes clogging up the freeways. The 5 Series GT triumphs because while undeniably breaking new ground, at heart it's basically a mélange of two of the famed German marque's longstanding successes: the X5 Sports Activity Vehicle and 7 Series luxury sedan.

There's been a lot of debate about whether the 5 Series GT should be considered a car, a mini-SUV, a crossover or some other damn thing altogether. What we can tell you is that when we recently took one on a drive up through the scenic byways of New England that was the furthest thing from our mind. The inside is incredibly spacious, with the same legroom as the 7 Series combined with the headroom of the BMW X5, the elegance, comfort and class of both, and an extremely practical, well-designed and capacious rear cargo area with a two-piece tailgate adaptable to a number of different configurations. A stretched and sleek coupé-like roofline, frameless windows, a commanding, slightly elevated seating position, large windows and a panoramic glass roof, upright BMW kidney grille, large air intakes and dual round LED headlights slanted back at rakish angle all give the car its distinctive good looks.

Under the bonnet, the V8 TwinPower Turbo engine delivering a maximum output of 407 hp borrowed from the stellar 750i is paired with the innovative eight speed automatic transmission that can otherwise only be found in the new twelve-cylinder 760Li. In the 550i GT that means a masterful 0–62 mph time of 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. A fourth generation iDrive system, black panel instruments and giant displays give the cockpit the feeling of a private jet. Add options like high beam assist, night vision, and even an electrically swiveling trailer hook and you begin to see the versatility of a vehicle of this caliber. Expect to see the competition rushing out copies in record time.

Gallery: BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo

Tags: BMW, BMW 5 Series, BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, Bmw5Series, Bmw5SeriesGranTurismo, Germany, SUV

Brabus GLK - World's Fastest Street Legal SUV for $570,000

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Brabus GLK V12 (above), a modified Mercedes-Benz billed as the world's fastest street-legal SUV, just made its world debut at the Dubai Motor Show. The $570,000 beast is powered by a 750 hp 12-cylinder twin turbo engine, the vehicle set a new speed record of 200.3 mph at Italy's Nardo test track in October and can do 0 – 62 mph in 4.2 seconds. Other upgrades include air intakes and a carbon fiber spoiler lip on the front apron, a four-pipe sports exhaust system, fender flares, a rear roof spoiler. The interior is done in full leather interior with Alcantara elements, an ergonomically shaped sport steering wheel and wood or carbon fiber trim for the dashboard, doors and center console. Custom consoles for the backs of the vehicles front seats contain multimedia devices in case the passengers get bored between neck-snapping accelerations.

[via JamesList]

Tags: Brabus, carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, Dubai, Mercedes-Benz, SUV

The Classicist: Rambling in the 2010 Range Rover Sport

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, The Classicist

The Range Rover is the automotive embodiment of a distinctly upper class British sporting aesthetic, as quintessentially English and aristocratic as the country houses dotting the verdant landscape. The luxe SUV was introduced in 1970, expanding upon the utilitarian Land Rover first designed by the Wilks Brothers in 1948. The preferred country conveyance of Prince Charles and his kin, the marque continues to dominate the upper end of the SUV spectrum in the UK and abroad despite having passed out of British hands.

For 2010 the Range Rover and its rakish younger sibling, the Range Rover Sport, were treated to a makeover encompassing several significant engineering and design upgrades. We had a chance to ramble 'round the scenic byways of Vermont recently in the latter. At 375 hp, the normally aspirated Sport model has nearly the same power as the previous year's supercharged version, capable of 0 - 60 mph in 7.2 seconds (just 0.1 seconds off the pace of the outgoing supercharged unit).

The Sport's smooth, refined, responsive performance and good looks mark it as a thoroughbred in all respects. For 2010 the exterior has a somewhat cleaner, more sculpted appearance. LED headlamps combine with a new two-bar grille, front bumpers and fenders to create a more sporting, aerodynamic, low-slung stance. At the rear, new light clusters and a revised bumper design mirror the smoother front-end. The interior has been comprehensively redesigned as well, using higher quality materials and finishes.

Gallery: 2010 Range Rover Sport

Leather is used extensively on major surfaces, in a wider choice of colors. To create a more sporting feel, rich dark shades "sandwich" narrow sections in lighter tones, completed by a generous selection of stylish wood finishes. There are luxurious new seats front and rear, which feature a deeper, more sculpted shape. A new adaptive sport mode provides more aggressive shift points and "learns" an individual driver's style to provide more appropriate responses to throttle inputs. The supercharged model now comes with F1-style paddle shifters on the steering wheel as well.

The fascia-mounted touch-screen system houses a new hard-drive navigation system while a new portable audio interface also allows connectivity to an array of personal audio storage devices, USB sticks and iPods. A new Surround Camera System features five digital cameras which relay a near 360-degree view to the touch-screen display. You can even zoom in. And one of our favorite new features is the automatic High Beam Assist technology, which turns them on and off as needed, detecting preceding and approaching traffic. Perfect for those country roads at night.

Tags: British royalty, BritishRoyalty, Land Rover, LandRover, Prince Charles, PrinceCharles, Range Rover, RangeRover, sporting, SUV, UK

Italy's Fornasari Presents the New RR99

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Used to be if you wanted an exotic Italian automobile, you were looking at a two-door sportscar. Maserati's Quattroporte and Lamborghini's LM002 proved the exceptions, but even the most expensive luxury sport-utility vehicles were boxy, slow-moving machines. Long before Porsche came along with their Cayenne, however, Fornasari was working on a formula for the best of both worlds. For years they produced the three-door RR450 and RR600, but now they've come out with their first five-door sport-ute, and the numbers are unbelievable.

Powered by a 6-liter V8 provided by GM driving 610 horsepower to all four wheels via 60/40 rear split limited-slip differential and six-speed gearbox, Fornasari claims their latest SUV can reach 62 miles per hour in just 3.8 seconds and hit 174 mph flat out. All this in a coachbuilt Italian body. Pricing and availability are not yet available, but with an item like this, if you have to ask....

Gallery: Fornasari RR99

Tags: fornasari, fornasari rr99, FornasariRr99, rr99, sport-utility vehicle, Sport-utilityVehicle, suv

Pamela Anderson Protests Whale Penis Leather SUV

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Last month we wrote about the Russian-made $1.5 million Monaco Red Diamond Edition luxury armored SUV, featuring gold and diamond accents and an interior upholstered in whale penis leather. The unnerving upholstery is apparently in tribute to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who had whale penis leather aboard his yacht the Christina. Now pneumatic actress and animal rights activist Pamela Anderson, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Federation have complained to Dartz, the company responsible, causing them to ditch plans for any whale genitalia to be used in making the insane vehicle. We can't imagine anyone but the Prince of Brothels would ever buy one anyway. Dartz's Leonard F. Yankelovich has now issued an unintentionally hilarious apology of sorts, in Russian-inflected English:

"We have no ideas to kill the whale or something like that," he insists. "All we want - to make just luxury car. Real luxury car which will be world number one car. We just looking for most expensive products for this car - and that's why we choosed whale penis leather when we checked it is most of most. After wave of protest we realised our mistake and make a decision not to use natural leather at all. We will focus on world most advanced nanotechnologies to achieve interior highest quality using artificial materials which also was never used for cars. We want to tell our hello to all whales: 'Our Sea Brothers! We all know that earth are stand on three whales - we will keep You live! We don't want Earth fall down to Ocean!'"

Source

Tags: animal rights, AnimalRights, Aristotle Onassis, AristotleOnassis, celebrity, Dartz, leather, Pamela Anderson, PamelaAnderson, Russia, SUV, whales

$1.5 Million Monaco Red Diamond Armored SUV

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Back in May we wrote about he Russian-made Dartz Kombat grenade-proof luxury SUV debuted at Top Marques Monaco. Now the company has unveiled plans for a $1.5 million special edition featuring gold and diamond accents and an interior upholstered in.... whale penis leather. Apparently this is not a joke. The Monaco Red Diamond Edition will be shown under the name Prombron at the 2010 Top Marques show. The Red Diamond is being billed as the world's most expensive, luxurious and strongest armored car. It features a matte ruby red paintjob, gold-plated bulletproof windows, 22′ Kremlin Red Star bulletproof wheels, tungsten and white gold gauges decorated with diamonds and rubies, an additional outside kevlar coating, and a custom Vertu mobile phone with a panic button in addition to the disgusting-sounding interior. It also comes with three bottles of the world's most expensive vodka, RussoBaltique, another Dartz sideline adorned with yet more gold and diamonds.

[via JamesList]

Tags: armored car, ArmoredCar, bulletproof, Dartz, Dartz Kombat, DartzKombat, diamonds, gold, Russia, SUV, Top Marques Monaco, TopMarquesMonaco

The Classicist: Making Tracks in the 2010 Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, The Classicist

Since its debut back in 1979, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class has been an automotive design icon known as much for rugged good looks as versatility; what other vehicle after all can lay claim both to having won the famous Paris-Dakar Rally and being deemed a worthy means of transport for the Pope? It not only constitutes the gene pool for a Mercedes-Benz SUV family that now numbers four model series in all, but with its 30th anniversary it's also the longest-serving passenger car model series there has been since Mercedes-Benz came into existence in 1886. Meticulously handcrafted at a special manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria, it can climb grades up to 36 degrees (80% slopes), and remain stable on lateral inclines up to 24 degrees (54% slopes) - and it rivals anything on the road for luxury finishes.

Only a few thousand G-Class models are sold here per year - perhaps not surprising given the $100,000-plus pricetag but certainly appealing to those who can afford it - making it the most exclusive SUV on the road, bar none. There are two versions: the G550 (the 2009 model of which my colleague Jonathon Ramsey wrote about earlier this year) and the supercharged G55 AMG, which delivers supercar-type performance. It's the one Abu Dhabi's royal family recently used to create an unrivaled bespoke offroad vehicle, and of course it's the one The Classicist chose to go cruising in. With its AMG-built 5.5-liter supercharged V8 engine kicking out 500 hp and 515 lb-ft of torque, it can do 0 - 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. Externally the G55 AMG is set apart from the G550 by exclusive chrome trim and "V8 Kompressor" badging as well as new 19-inch five-spoke wheels.

So yes it's a mean machine, but far from flashy; the utilitarian design conceals the sexy beast lurking within. Some find it too boxy, but we happen to love the retro military-inspired, no-nonsense styling; so damn many SUVs look like half-melted minivans. The only other thing that comes close to being as pedigreed, good-looking and tough-as-nails is the Land Rover Defender, and those haven't been sold in this country since the mid-90's. Moving on to the enticing interior, the G55 AMG features an exclusive Designo charcoal Nappa leather interior, natural maple wood trim and special AMG gauges to remind you what's going to happen when your foot hits the floor. A heated wood and leather steering wheel, power windows, and 10-way heated and ventilated multi-contour front seats round out the list of creature comforts. Added to solid axles front and rear and three electronically locking differentials to handle anything the terrain can throw at you, it gives new meaning to the phrase "best of both worlds."

Gallery: 2010 Mercedes-Benz G55

A new COMAND infotainment system features a large color display screen with a standard in-dash, six-disc DVD / CD changer and a Bluetooth interface that allows a cell phone still in a pocket or purse to be operated through the car's audio system. It's also equipped with an iPod/MP3 interface, SIRIUS satellite radio, HD radio, and enhanced voice control system, as well as a 610-watt digital Harmon/Kardon Logic7 audio system that can play tracks stored on a data CD, DVD or SD memory card. It also displays maps and directions for the hard-drive navigation system, which are set up for SIRIUS real-time traffic info and Zagat restaurant ratings as well. If there's a five-star eatery on top of that mountain, you'll get there. To truly appreciate the G55 you need to head into the countryside and let it lead you off on some adventures: we visited Kaaterskill Falls, the Orvis Cup and the Vanderbilt Mansion to name a few. Sadly the G55 had to go back home, but we still have the memories - and some pictures, which we might show you if you're lucky.

Tags: AMG, Austria, Dakar Rally, DakarRally, G-Class, HarmonKardon, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Mercedes-benzG-class, off-road, SUV

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

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

World's Most Expensive SUV for Sale at $300,000

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

One of the very first models of the Spyker D8 Peking-to-Paris, the world's most expensive SUV, is being offered for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for about $300,000. Made by the Dutch supercar company, the Peking-to-Paris was originally styled the D12 and and featured a V12 engine in concept form, but will be fitted with a V8 for production. The vehicle is being offered for delivery shortly after the Frankfurt Motor Show in September where the production version will make its long-awaited debut. The custom-built four-wheel drive four-door is styled a "Super Sport Utility Vehicle" or SSUV, with supercar performance. The Peking-to-Paris model commemorates Spyker's participation in the 1907 cross-country race of that name. The incredibly luxurious interior is completely fitted out in glove-soft leather.

Tags: Frankfurt Motor Show, FrankfurtMotorShow, JamesList, Spyker, supercar, SUV

The Classicist: Touring in the New Touareg TDI

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Green, The Classicist

Volkswagen is not a marque one usually associates with luxury, and so we admit to being somewhat skeptical about the new 2010 Touareg V6 TDI and not all that enthusiastic at first when the chance came to test it out. MotorTrend changed our mind with its recent comparison of diesel and hybrid luxury SUVs - amazingly, their pros all concurred that it outclassed more expensive models like the Mercedes ML320 BlueTEC, BMW X5 and Lexus RX 450h. Plus it's one of the most fuel efficient and cleanest SUVs in the world.

We had a chance to experience it firsthand on a recent jaunt to Washington, DC and Annapolis, Maryland. The Touareg handled all situations with poise and equanimity, from navigating the city streets to an amazing dinner at Wolfgang Puck's The Source, to finding the right marina in Eastport through the bay's backroads for some sailing (the touchscreen GPS was a big help there). We could easily have kept on going, as the comfy interior with its wood and leather resembles in MotorTrend's words "a den in a ritzy Alaska fishing lodge" - or for our purposes make that the upstairs bar at the Annapolis Yacht Club.

Don't think that "diesel" means noisy and slow like those old Mercedes wagons of your youth. The Touareg TDI is powered by a hushed 3.0L, turbocharged six cylinder engine that produces 225 horsepower and an impressive 407 lbs-ft. of torque. Tourque, we learned en route, is more important than horsepower in diesel engines. The TDI's torque gives it performance equal to the gas-powered Touareg V8 that's rated at 350 hp and 324 lb-ft of torque, to give you an idea. And whereas the latter has an EPA mileage rating of 13/18 mpg city/hwy, the TDI gets 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Gallery: Touring in the Touareg TDI

Tags: Annapolis, BMW, diesel, Lexus, Mercedes, SUV, Touareg, Volkswagen, VW, Washington DC, WashingtonDc, Wolfgang Puck, WolfgangPuck

Continue reading “The Classicist: Touring in the New Touareg TDI”

Russian Dartz Kombat Grenade-Proof Luxury SUV

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The other day we told you about the awesome $1.5 million armored Rolls-Royce Phantom. If you're looking for something a little more utilitarian (and less expensive) though equally anti-ballistic, feast your eyes on the new Russian-made Dartz Kombat T98 SUV. The Hummer lookalike, a sort of tank-meets-luxury SUV, features heavy steel plated doors and 3-inch windows, and is impervious to everything from AK-47s to rocket-propelled grenades. Powered by an 8.1 liter Vortec V8, capable of 110 mph, it's priced at about $200,000. Prince Albert of Monaco was spotted checking the vehicle out at the recent Top Marques Monaco auto show.

Tags: armored car, ArmoredCar, bulletproof, Monaco, Prince Albert of Monaco, PrinceAlbertOfMonaco, security, SUV, Top Marques Monaco, TopMarquesMonaco

Raser 100 MPG Hybrid Hummer

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

At the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress (SAE) in Detroit Utah-based Raser Technologies just unveiled its hybrid version of the Hummer H3 which they claim gets 100 miles to the gallon. The range-extended eco vehicle has an all-electric range of 40 miles with a hybrid 200 kW electric motor / 100 kW gasoline-powered engine. With a 90 mph top speed, off-road capability and a lithium ion-battery that's rechargeable in as little as three hours, the SUV maintains its acceleration, towing and off-road capacities. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a longtime Hummer enthusiast, praised the vehicle during a visit to the exhibition.

Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, ArnoldSchwarzenegger, Detroit, electric car, ElectricCar, Hummer, hybrid, SUV

Audi Treats 2010 Q7 SUV to Some Subtle Updates

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Subtlety isn't a term you'd ordinarily associate with sport-utility vehicle. Certainly not one as large as the Audi Q7. But that may be the only word to describe the update which the German automaker has given to its largest SUV. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the 2009 model and the new 2010 version, so we'll tell you what they've done. Although the headlights are the same shape, they now incorporate a strip of LEDs; the front bumper has been subtly restyled, as has the rear end; the interior now has more wood veneer; there's a new satellite navigation system; and the 4.2-liter V8 turbo-diesel available overseas (but not in North America) gets a bump in power while consuming less oil. Again, subtle, as you can see from the images in the gallery below.

Source

Tags: audi, audi q7, audi q7 facelift, AudiQ7, AudiQ7Facelift, q7, sport utility, sport-utility vehicle, Sport-utilityVehicle, SportUtility, suv

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