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Filed under: Wheels

Had your eye on a new Maserati Quattroporte, but couldn’t stomach the $120,000 price of entry? We’ve got some good news for you. As part of the comprehensive five-year plan announced by Maserati’s parent Fiat Group, the exotic Italian automaker is set to debut not one, but two new four-door models.

One will be a straight-up successor to the current Quattroporte, slotting in about the same price and size range. The second, however, will be positioned below the existing sport-sedan range, targeting the likes of the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG with an approximately $75,000 starting price. Few further details are available at this point, but expect to hear more about this model as its introduction approaches.

Maserati Preparing Pair of New Quattroportes originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wheels

If you’re looking for the lap of luxury without the extroverted opulence associated with a Rolls-Royce or Bentley, have a look at the new Audi A8 L. Set to be officially unveiled shortly at the Beijing Motor Show in China where long-wheelbase luxury limousines are in high demand, the A8 L sits at the very top of Audi’s range as its new flagship saloon.

With an extra half-foot of length on its standard-wheelbase progenitor, the A8 L features a rear seating area fit for a king. A full-length center console separates the fully adjustable recliner seats - each has 25 adjustable motors - with lap trays, refrigerator, controls and more. There’s a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, twin 10.2-inch LCD displays, and a front passenger seat that can fold up out of the way with a deployable footrest for the lucky passenger in the back.

Don’t think that the Audi A8 L is only about the creature comforts, though. Power comes from a 6.3-liter W12 engine driving 500 horsepower to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission, rocketing this mobile palace to sixty in 4.9 seconds and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155 miles per hour.

Audi Debuts Long-Wheelbase A8 Limousine in Beijing originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wheels

Ferrari always has its hands full. In addition to campaigning a world-championship Formula One team and competing in other classes of motorsport, the Italian exotic automaker is continuously unveiling new models and variants on the ones it already produces. Now, with its parent company Fiat announcing its plans for the future, Ferrari has revealed not one, not two, but six new models in the pipeline for the next couple of years.

Next year, Maranello is slated to release the 458 Spider, the convertible version of the recently unveiled 458 Italia. After that will come the replacement for the 612 Scaglietti - the company’s four-seat flagship grand tourer - complete with KERS hybrid powertrain.

In 2012, Ferrari is expected to debut a successor to the all-conquering Enzo supercar, plus the replacement for the current 599 GTB Fiorano. And in 2013, the California convertible is due for a complete facelift, while the 458 Italia will get a new hardcore performance version to follow in the footsteps of the 360 Challenge Stradale and 430 Scuderia. Those are some ambitious plans for such a small company, and we’ll enjoy bringing you the news on each as they emerge.

Ferrari Planning Six New Models originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wheels

We’ve got good news and we’ve got bad news. The good news first, you say? Bentley has presented not one, but two new special editions of its popular Continental range. The bad news? You’ll have to go to China to get them.

The long-winded Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed China takes “the world’s fastest four-door saloon” and tones it down, apparently for local tastes, with a softer suspension and a quieter exhaust.

The Bentley Continental GT Design Series China, meanwhile, is based on the coupe and upgrades with a unique interior with three-tone leather, vibrant trim and exterior tint in such colors as Orange Flame and Magenta Metallic.

Both are earmarked and designed specifically for the Chinese market - which has grown tenfold since entering the market in 2002 to become Bentley’s third largest - and are being unveiled this week at the Beijing Motor Show.

Bentley Unveils Two Special Edition Continentals in Beijing originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking for a top-of-the-line luxury sedan? There’s no shortage of options on the market these days. And a good portion of them come from the ever-expanding Volkswagen Group: the Audi A8 and Bentley Continental Flying Spur are solid choices, and there’s more if you look even further up-market to the Bentley Mulsanne, the Porsche Panamera and the upcoming Bugatti Galibier. But if badge prestige isn’t what you’re looking for, the Volkswagen Phaeton could be your best choice.

Volkswagen has just unveiled the third rendition of its flagship sedan in Beijing - where sister-brand Audi released the new A8 L - and it comes packed with tech and choices for the discerning customer. It comes in long wheelbase or short, with four (adjustable) seats or five and with four engine options, ranging from a diesel V6 to a gasoline V12. Plus it packs all the latest technology you could expect from a major automaker, including Google Maps-enabled sat-nav, variable headlights, road sign recognition and a four-zone climate control system, all interconnected by two miles of wiring.

Volkswagen Releases New 2011 Phaeton originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking for a new German-engineered luxury limousine? Better hop a plane to Beijing, because that’s where they’ve all gathered this year. Audi used the occasion of the Beijing Motor Show to release its new long-wheelbase A8 L flagship, Bentley brought out a special-edition Flying Spur for the Chinese market, Volkswagen released the refreshed Phaeton, and now Maybach has released updates for its range at the show as well.

Upgraded cosmetically, luxuriously and mechanically for 2011, the new Maybach 57, 57S, 62 and 62S are likely the last renditions of the super-luxe Benzes before they’re discontinued in a few years. But before they are, the range benefits from a revised V12 (in 542 or 630-horsepower versions) with reduced emissions and fuel consumption. The grille, hood, tail-lights and side mirrors have been reshaped to reduce wind noise. And the first-class interior benefits from reclining seats, a rear partition, 19″ LCD monitor (from which occupants can view video feeds from all around the vehicle), an electro-chromatic roof panel, a perfume atomizer and even available Swarovski crystals embedded in the seat piping.

Maybach Announces Revised Range for 2011 originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz made a big splash back in 2005 with the introduction of the CLS sedan, which was based on the midsize E-Class but sported much more attractive bodywork. The automaker is set to continue pushing those boundaries with the new CLS Shooting Break Concept, which is just now debuting at the Beijing Motor Show.

First things first: While the moniker is more often spelled ’shooting brake,’ Mercedes tells us that the correct spelling is actually ‘break,’ as in breaking a horse that draws a carriage. Whatever. It’s clear that the CLS Shooting Break will be compared to the BMW 5 Series GT, and we think the Benz has a much more distinctive and attractive appearance.

The base engine for the next CLS will likely be a turbocharged and direct injected 3.5-liter V6 engine that will offer a little over 300 horsepower. Optional will be a turbocharged 4.6-liter V8 that puts out around 435 horsepower and over 400 pound-feet of torque. Power will be sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Naturally, we can also expect an AMG version of the next CLS that should get the automaker’s turbocharged and direct injected 5.5-liter V8 with up to 563 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. A sedan is sure to join the Shooting Break when the car finally makes it into production. Check out the high-res image gallery below and see the full press release after the break.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Break Concept to Debut in Beijing

Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Break Concept to Debut in Beijing originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking to get yourself into a new Porsche Panamera but don’t want or need the performance of a 400-horsepower V8 engine? Good news, then. Porsche has just announced its new V6-powered Panamera with a starting price for the RWD model at $74,400 and the AWD Panamera 4 at $78,900 (plus destination).

Porsche’s new 3.6-liter V6 puts out 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, which is a decrease of an even hundred horses and 74 lb-ft from the 4.8-liter V8. For what it’s worth, the V8 Panamera S costs an additional $15,400 over the base V6.

Included in the base price of the V6 Porsche Panamera is the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) dual-clutch transmission. Also standard are an electric moonroof, power liftgate and the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system with navigation.

Porsche is also including its Auto Stop/Start technology, which should have the desirable effect of improving fuel efficiency somewhat. At this time, no official EPA numbers are are available, but Porsche says the car will not be subject to a gas guzzler tax. Check out the gallery of high-res images below and hit the jump for the official press release.

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche Panamera to Start At $74,400 With 300-hp V6

Porsche Panamera to Start At $74,400 With 300-hp V6 originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’ve been pining for the Audi RS5, we’ve got good news for you, whichever side of the Atlantic you’re living in. European deliveries of Audi’s 444-horsepower V8 super-coupe are set to begin in June. And according to the latest reports, the RS5 will, in the end, make it to North America, though it could take a little while.

European prices peg the sticker for a new RS5 at €65,300, translating to about $88,000 in American exchange and representing a 32.4% increase over the S5 on which it is based. Apply the same formula to the S5 in the United States, however, and the relative price comes out closer to $70k. However sources indicate that Audi doesn’t expect to sell many RS5s in the US, and will therefor only bring them over fully equipped. So expect to see a price closer to $75,000 when it reaches an Audi dealer near you.

Audi RS5 Reportedly Coming to North America originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wheels, Auctions

Two years ago the Walter P. Chrysler Museum Foundation, with just 70 cars and six full-time employees at the time, switched to non-profit status and asked Chrysler dealers for $5,000 donations to assist with expenses. We aren’t sure what’s transpired in the interim, but whatever it was doesn’t appear to have done the trick. It is now being reported that the museum will auction 20 of its vehicles in order to help its own bottom line, and they’ll go on the block during the Classic Car Auction of Michigan, overseen by RM Auctions.

The RM catalog doesn’t break down which cars are being offered by the museum, but they will include a 1904 Rambler Model L Tonneau, and a celebrity-owned 1964 AMC Rambler Coupe - for those of you who count former Michigan Governor George Romney, father of ex-GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a celebrity.

The auction takes place next Saturday and Sunday at The Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Michigan with a preview day on Friday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.

Classic Car Auction To Aid Chrysler Museum originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Think of stretched luxury limousines and what comes to mind? Lincolns, Benzes, Maybachs…but Citroens? That’s exactly the kind of territory the French automaker is hoping to cover with the new Metropolis.

Strictly a concept car for the time being, the Citroen Metropolis is due to be unveiled next month at the Shanghai Motor Show, which follows only weeks after the Beijing expo where BMW is set to debut its long-wheelbase 5 Series, Audi the new A8 L and Volkswagen the new Phaeton. But at 5.3 meters, the Metropolis is bigger than any of them.

Power is provided to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox from a hybrid powertrain capable of adapting its output from 272 horsepower all the way up to 460 when needed.

Citroen Metropolis Concept originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wheels, Events

If you own an Alfa Romeo old or new, Milan is the place to be this June. That’s where the stoic Italian automaker, which celebrates its centenary this year, will be holding a massive rally for owners of its vehicles from throughout its 100-year history.

The event, which will be held the weekend of June 26-27, is anticipated to draw some 3000 participants and is being organized in conjunction with the factory by the Registro Italiano Alfa Romeo, the largest Alfa owners club with some 1500 members. Among the festivities planned, each car will be emblazoned with a special logo on the roof and the procession through Milan will be filmed by helicopter. There will also be live music concerts and the presentation of a special statue designed by Alfa’s own styling department. Each participating owner will also be given a special gift package to mark the occasion.

Thousands of Alfa Romeo Owners to Participate in Centenary Rally in Milan originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 23:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ducati has just officially announced its next middleweight Monster, and it’s slated hit the market in June. Sharing the same air-cooled L-twin engine as the Hypermotard 796, the new Monster 796 will also carry a similar $9,995 price tag as its same-sized sibling.

With 87 horsepower and 56 pound-feet of torque, along with a claimed 367-pound weight, the Monster 796 should offer plenty of performance for its intended market. Comfort should be improved over previous Monsters due to the higher handlebar and redesigned seat. Ducati also includes a single sided swingarm, four piston Brembo brakes, an APTC slipper clutch, blackened foot rests and new five spoke wheels to complete the package.

The new Monster 796 will be available in white, black and Ducati red - each with the expected trellis frame and wheel striping in red - Ducati will also launch a new Monster Art program, allowing owners of the 696, 796 or 1100 models the ability to interchange tank covers, mudguards, bikini fairings and seat covers in one of ten new hues and liveries. See the press release after the break for more.

[Source: Ducati]

Continue reading Ducati Announces Monster 796, Monster Art Customization Program

Ducati Announces Monster 796, Monster Art Customization Program originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 05:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We love the Mercedes CL-Class. Those are the big coupes, the ones you might not have noticed at all until one happened to catch your eye, after which you asked yourself “Is Mr. Big in town?” They’ve been out for ABOUT 15 years now but they don’t get an awful lot of attention - like the B2 bomber, they are large objects impressively impervious to radar.

In 2007 the second generation CL was cashed out like a million shares of Allianz and the current, third generation CL was christened. A completely new car, it intends to be equal to that initial investment and pay a fat profit. Wouldn’t you know that fat profits aren’t the only thing you can associate with this car: it has so much fat-cat ambiance to it that after a week behind the wheel of a 2010 CL550 we kept wondering, “What else can we buy? Does anyone now if Ecuador is for sale?”

Continue reading Luxist Drives the Mercedes CL550, Just in Time for Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Luxist Drives the Mercedes CL550, Just in Time for Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wheels

Alfa Romeo and Zagato have a long history of collaboration between them. 90 years in fact, out of Alfa’s 100-year history. So to mark the automaker’s centenary, the famous design house - which has recently undertaken work for Ferrari, Bentley and Spyker, to name just a few - is preparing to unveil a new vehicle at the upcoming Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

Following an earlier report forecasting the creation of the vehicle, Zagato has now released a handful of details and the solitary overhead shot you see above. Called the TZ3 Corsa, it follows in the footsteps of the original TZ and TZ2 racers. Built upon a carbon fiber frame with lightweight aluminum body panels that evidently bear much in common with the flagship Alfa 8C Competizione on which it is based, the TZ3 Corsa has been commissioned by an unspecified gentleman racer in Germany, who apparently intends on campaigning the one-of-a-kind creation in actual motorsport competition. Stay tuned as the prestigious open-air auto show on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como approaches at the end of the month.

Zagato Previews new Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa ahead of Villa d’Este originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back in October we first wrote about the $1.5 million Monaco Red Diamond Edition SUV concept from Russia’s Dartz, billed as the world’s most expensive, luxurious and strongest armored car. A controversy ensued over the kooky company’s plan to use genuine whale penis leather for the interior, echoing the upholstery on Aristotle Onassis‘ famed yacht the Christina O. After Pamela Anderson protested the move, Dartz declared it would spare the whale’s private parts. Now the company has finally unveiled the finished product at the Top Marques Monaco show. It features a matte black and 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. The interior is leather and vinyl made to look like whale skin. 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]

Dartz Unveils $1.5 Million Monaco Red Diamond Armored SUV originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Few icons are as quintessentially British as the Union Jack and the Caterham Seven. Originally engineered by Lotus, the 7 is still built by British sportscar-maker Caterham, and has now been outfitted for a special edition by British fashion house Lambretta.

The special Seven features a Union Jack motif, complemented inside by a red, white and blue color scheme. Power comes from a modest 1.6-liter Ford inline-four with 125 horsepower driving through a five-speed manual transmission. Which may not sound like much, but given the Caterham’s low curb weight, it’s still enough to drive it to 60 in six seconds flat.

The Caterham Seven Lambretta Special Edition sells in the UK for £26,995, equivalent to about $42k.

Caterham Seven Lambretta Special Edition originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Timepieces, Wheels

Dutch sportscar-maker Spyker, having recently completed the takeover of Swedish automaker Saab from General Motors, is gearing up to launch their own watch line. The collection will be officially launched at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this coming June, but a few details have already been released.

Geneva-based timesmiths Expressions d’Artistes International will be crafting the collection, which will feature examples encased in steel (starting at €8,000) and rose or white gold (at around €20,000). Chronographs, power reserve meters and date indicators will be included amongst the complications featured, while the design will borrow trademark Spyker styling elements from the machine-turned metal finish from the cars’ dashboards to the Hulshof leather featured on the bucket seats and wrist straps. An additional range of special editions will be offered to existing Spyker owners, featuring their cars’ Vehicle Identification Numbers.

Spyker Watch Collection by Expressions d’Artistes International originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s something about Lamborghini that inspires design students to try and improve what is already one of the world’s most exotic supercars. Witness the Badall, Insecta and Conquisto concepts we’ve written about in the past. Now Italian designer Andrei Avarvarii has come up with a vision for what a Lamborghini could look like in the year 2020. Avarvarii, a master’s candidate at Milan’s Scuola Politecnica di Design, drew up plans for an eye-popping electric supercar with help from Lamborghini’s head of design Filippo Perini. His 2020 Minotauro concept employs four separate electric motors splitting the power 70% to the rear wheels and 30% to the front via a KERS system and Li-Tec flat-cell battery in back of the vehicle. That leaves room for a central seating position for a third passenger in the rear. Triangular exhausts meanwhile not only cool the batteries but also “act like the tubes of a subwoofer, channeling the sound of the electric motors placed behind them.”

2020 Lamborghini Minotauro Concept originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Wheels

Wealthy romantics rejoice: the Brough Superior is back. If that name doesn’t mean anything to you, how about this one: T. E. Lawrence, more exotically referred to as Lawrence of Arabia. The Brough Superior motorcycle, manufactured between 1919 and 1940, were so cherished by him that he owned eight, and died on that last one. At the time they cost around £150 when new, which was supposedly more than a house. They lasted about as long as well: 3,000 were made, 1,000 of them are still running.

Those thousand are about to have company, since the company has been bought and restarted production on the original Brough Superior. The new, handmade-in-England Superiors and exact replicas of those first Superiors, down to the 60-cubic-inch V-twin engine, lack of electronics, 55 miles per gallon, and 100-mile-per-hour top speed. The dearer-than-a-house price has come down, too: you’ll spend at least £120,000 ($183,607 U.S.) to get one built for your pleasure. If your love of nostalgia doesn’t go that far, there’s always a Brough Superior t-shirt for £14.50 ($21.80 U.S.). It’s what T. E. would have worn…

The Brough Superior, the Steed that Helped Liberate Arabia, Rides Again originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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