Luxury Cars
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Thanks to the wonders of time zones and the big global clock in Greenwich, England, we've finally figured out that the embargo on driving impressions for the 2011 Aston Martin Vantage S is nearly up. In about five hours--at 00:00:01 GMT, to be exact--we'll be back with our first drive of the Vantage track special, straight from Spain's Ascari privateer course, where slate-floored showers and catered paddocks give the joint a distinctly different air from the usual dirt troughs and RV parking lots of the less well-funded circuits. It's hard for us to get tired of driving Astons, and truth...
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Gallery: 2012 Porsche Cayman RIt's been a while since the 2012 Porsche Cayman R officially hit the scene last November, but today we have a bountiful bevy of beautiful new photos for you to peruse. With 10 more horsepower from its 3.4-liter flat six, making for 330 horsepower total, and a lightness-enhancing treatment that...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 Acura TL On Sale March 18, Starts From $35,605If you're jonesing for some slightly de-beaked Acura TL, you don't have long to wait: the new 2012 version goes on sale on March 18. Unfortunately, apart from a very mild restyle and a new Sequential SportShift six-speed automatic transmission, there's not much new to the TL. Or perhaps that's...
Nelson Ireson -
The Ferrari FF 4RM system in actionThe 2012 Ferrari FF is not just the company's new flagship. Nor is it just the most unusually styled Ferrari in, well, maybe ever. It's also the first all-wheel drive Ferrari thanks to the company's new 4RM system. Furthermore, it's Ferrari's own design, one that it says saves weight and complexity...
Keith Buglewicz -
Build Your Own 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe: Configurator LiveGot $46,135 or more burning a hole in your pocket? Want to imagine what you could get if you did? Hit up the official BMW 1-Series M Coupe configurator at BMW USA. You can play with all the options, including the three available exterior colors (Black Sapphire Metallic, Valencia Orange, and Alpine...
Nelson Ireson -
Report: Aston Martin Boss Confirms Lagonda Plans, More Than One Model ComingWhen Aston Martin previewed the rebirth of the Lagonda brand with an ungainly SUV concept at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, no one was optimistic about its success. Aston took the criticism to heart, but plans to go ahead with the brand's comeback, according to the latest from Dr. Ulrich Bez...
Nelson Ireson -
Buoyed by the success of its diesel A3 hatch and Q7 SUV, Audi has confirmed the introduction of several more fuel efficient diesel models for the U.S., finally satisfying the desire of Europhiles and environmentally conscious luxury buyers all across the country. Over the next 24 to 30 months Audi will introduce new diesel versions of its A8 and A6 luxury sedans, as well as the Q5 crossover. Incidentally, all three of these models will eventually offer a hybrid option as well, with the Q5 Hybrid due for launch later this year. As for the A4, Audi is waiting until the next-generation of the...
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New Maybach Guard Armored Car RevealedThere’s a strong chance that if you can afford to buy a Maybach then you may need the protection of an armored car, whether it be for your own personal safety or your family’s. Thankfully, Daimler’s armored car division, simply named Guard and based in Sindelfingen, Germany, has...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Gallery: Ferrari FF Goes Dune Hopping, Shows Off Luggage SpaceThe new four-seat, shooting brake, all-wheel drive Ferrari FF has proved a divisive element among supercar fans, even those whose wool is dyed Rosso Corsa. There's no denying it's also the most useful Ferrari to date, either. These photos show the FF doing things no other Ferrari has even...
Nelson Ireson -
2010 Proves Most Successful Year In Audi’s HistoryIt’s safe to say that 2010 was a bumper year for Audi. With a total of 1,092,411 sales under its belt, Audi managed to draw in a record $49.2 billion in revenue which resulted in a profit after tax of $3.6 billion. The same year also saw Audi break its annual vehicle sales record in the U.S...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Buick Verano To Receive 250 Horsepower Turbo Four?The new 2012 Buick Verano was first revealed with GM’s familiar Ecotec 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, matched to a six-speed automatic transmission and delivering a reasonable--albeit a little underwhelming--177 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. Since that initial reveal of the car...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Report: Vizualtech To Build Growler E E-Type ConceptIf you're one of the many longing for a redesign of Jaguar's aging XK platform, wait no longer: the Growler E, Vizualtech's latest re-interpretation of the E-Type, will be built, in very small numbers, according to a new report. Just a handful will ever be built, as each car is expected to take six...
Nelson Ireson -
Priced at a whopping 260,000 euros (or about $360,000 US) the Ferrari FF might not strike you as a quick seller, but you'd be wrong. All 800 of the first-year production run have sold in pre-orders. Likewise, the $370,000 Lamborghini Aventador has already pre-sold its first year run as well. The news isn't all that surprising given the uniqueness, small production batches, and cachet sure to come from owning one of the first of these all-new models. On the other hand, that represents no less than $288 million in sales for the FF and an unknown, but likely larger, figure for the Aventador (we...
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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 First DriveThe 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK still may be the least honed, least intense of the trio of pricey German roadsters, but it's ripened over its 15 years and three generations. New for 2012, the latest SLK has pretty much steamrolled over any trace of its dainty past and hot-paved it with real...
Martin Padgett -
Report: Bentley Planning A Third Model Line, SUV PossibleRolls-Royce recently introduced its newest model, the Ghost, to wide acclaim, despite it being the smallest and least expensive model currently offered by the hyperlux manufacturer. Bentley could easily have followed suit--but it doesn't look like it's going to. Instead, Bentley is eyeing a vehicle...
Nelson Ireson -
Lamborghini Flying Doctor To Come To The Rescue Of Damaged AventadorsLamborghini has gone to great lengths to improve the weight and structural rigidity of its new Aventador LP700-4. The latest supercar is not only a powerful brute but it’s also technology-driven, and one standout feature is its extensive use of carbon fiber. In fact, the central structure of...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Mega-GalleryIt’s on display this week at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show but our man Marty Padgett is in the Canary Islands taking part in an exclusive first frive event of the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK. While his report will be live in just a few days, we have this flood of images of the svelte new...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Video: Saab IQon Turns Your Car Into An Android SmartphoneAs we reported earlier, Saab is working on a new telematics and infotainment system for its future cars called Saab IQon. The new system, previewed this week in Saab’s striking PhoeniX concept, is essentially a new car communications platform based on Google’s Android operating system...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
This week's 2011 Geneva motor show turned the Swiss town's Palexpo hall into a virtual exotic-car warehouse, stuffed with Aventadors and Ferrari FFs and the usual microbrew blend of Rinspeeds, Gumperts and Paganis. At the Mercedes-Benz stand, rubbing elbows with its frenemies next door at BMW, things were only slightly more prosaic, with SLKs and SLS AMG E-cells, along with the latest iteration of the C-Class. Practical, yes, but absolutely more vital in the grander scheme, since the C-Class is one of Mercedes' global sales pillars. This year's C-Class will eventually count C-Class Coupes and...
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2011 Hyundai Equus iPad Owner's App Gets Rage Digital TreatmentWe've known for many months that the Hyundai Equus would get an iPad (perhaps even an iPad 2 now that the release of that model is looming) in the glove box, pre-loaded with the owner's manual and an app to handle service and other customer interaction. Today, Hyundai released a little detail about...
Nelson Ireson -
Ferrari FF Already With 18-Months Waiting ListThe new 2012 Ferrari FF may not be to everyone’s liking but like most of its models, Ferrari has another sales winner on its hands. That is because the controversially styled supercar is already sold out and if you want one now you’re going to have to wait at least 18 months--that is...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible ISR Live Photos: 2011 Geneva Motor ShowBentley has rolled out a limited edition model based on its already low production Continental Supersports Convertible and has used this week’s 2011 Geneva Motor Show to present it. The new model, which will be built in a limited run of just 100 cars, is called the Bentley Continental...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid Live Photos: 2011 Geneva Motor ShowA couple of weeks ago, we made the case that the 2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid is the best value in the performance/luxury hybrid game, despite its $95,900 starting price. We stand by that analysis, as the new Panamera S Hybrid even manages to look good--as good as any Panamera, anyway--in the...
Nelson Ireson -
Audi RS 3 Sportback debuts at 2011 Geneva auto showFull details on the 2011 Audi RS3 have been out for months now, including its brawny yet compact 340-horsepower turbocharged 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine, but today in Geneva, we got a good look at the car in person. It looks, well, hot, as a true hot hatch--even super-hatch--should. At a...
Nelson Ireson