Luxury Cars
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Humpback proportions aside, Porsche clearly did a lot of things right with the Panamera. No fewer than 22,518 buyers agreed during its first year on the global market. Think Porsche's not proud of that figure? Check out all the uses of "Gran Turismo" to describe the car in the press release on page two. While it's a fairly accurate descriptor of their coupe/hatch/sedan-like vehicle, we also take it as a bit of a jab at BMW's 5-Series Gran Turismo, an equally awkward interpretation of essentially the same concept. Sales of the Panamera started in the U.S. last October, and 6,188 of the 22,518...
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Photo Update: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Inspired Cigarette BoatCigarette Racing's custom AMG 46' Rider would be pretty awesome in its own right even if it weren't inspired by the SLS AMG. Twin-turbo 552 cubic-inch Mercury racing engines cranking out 1,350 horsepower each have a tendency to imbue awesome on things. The knife-edge boat is capable of over 130 mph...
Nelson Ireson -
Video: 2011 Bentley Continental GTBentley just threw the doors open on the new second-generation 2011 Continental GT, and now we have a video to go along with the photos and fact sheets. While it's light on information, the passion and attention to detail that goes into every Bentley is on full display. And yes, you do get to see...
Nelson Ireson -
Bonus Gallery: 2011 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMGYou've already seen the 2011 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG, and you've already combed through the full spec sheets, but now you've got another opportunity to ogle the super sedan thanks to a fresh dump of photos straight from Mercedes--this time focusing on the powertrain, with cutaway diagrams of the...
Nelson Ireson -
Brough & Howarth: The $37,000 Car WaxYou've just put a new set of $38,000 tires on your Bugatti Veyron after getting the $21,000 service and replacing the $12,000 set of wheels. You've had her hand washed by a pro, but you want that little something special to finish the job and make the paint look as much like a black hole as your...
Nelson Ireson -
2011 Bentley Continental GT PreviewAs the rest of the world slowly amps up for the 2010 Paris auto show, the hyperluxurious designers in Crewe have been hard at work preparing the launch of the 2011 Bentley Continental GT, unveiled today. The Web reveal offers us the full details on the car's specs as well as high-res photos, but...
Nelson Ireson -
The 2010 Paris auto show is nearly here, and the wind-up from automakers is in full effect today with the first of six teasers from Lamborghini as it implores us all to "discover the way to the future of supersports cars." A new Lambo supercar replacing the Murcielago is in the pipeline, and this photo is the first detail for that new car, said to be dubbed the Jota. We've reported on the Jota as it's made its way through development and as Lamborghini began dropping hints about the new car earlier this year. The basics could include a new V-12 engine with up to 700 horsepower and almost 500...
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Sarah Michelle Gellar Is All Grown Up And Would Like Her Oscar NOWRemember Sarah Michelle Gellar? Of course you do. She was fighting vampires before it was cool. You know, after it was cool the first time? Anyway, we haven't heard much out of her, lo these past several years (except on Robot Chicken where her voiceovers are soothing, alto ear-balm), but now she...
Richard Read -
2010 Paris Auto Show Preview: 2011 Lotus Evora SWe're just over a month away from the 2010 Paris Motor Show and already the cars that will be on display are starting to trickle into the light. Today's unveiling: the 2011 Lotus Evora S. Designed to be a more focused, better communicating take on the Evora GT-light experience, the Evora S offers a...
Nelson Ireson -
Jenson Button Gets His Mercedes C63 AMG DR 520 Uber WagonBeing the reigning Formula 1 World Champion has its perks. Like getting your hands on a one-of-twenty limited edition 520-wheel-horsepower Mercedes uber wagon, for example. Jenson Button today took delivery of his special edition Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG DR 520 Estate. The special-edition car...
Nelson Ireson -
Report: Audi A3 Sedan Still Headed To U.S.Confirming (or at least duplicating) reports from back in January, a new report out of Germany says the Audi A3 Sedan is still on track for the U.S. The plan is to leverage America's love for sedans and the potential for affordability with the A3 into more substantial sales figures. It's a pretty...
Nelson Ireson -
Audi A1 Won't Make It To U.S. Until Second Gen "At The Earliest"It's coming to the U.S. No wait, it isn't. Wait, maybe it is. Oh, sorry, no, it's not. So far, that's the story of the 2011 Audi A1, though by the time it reaches the U.S., if it ever does, it'll likely be 2015 or later. When it comes to European hatches, we Americans have to look for the silver...
Nelson Ireson -
Fresh from its first North American appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C is getting ready to set out on a continental tour of its new retail network. The twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-8 supercar will hit up its new dealerships to drum up interest in the car amongst potential buyers in advance of its launch next year. Prospective customers are the meat and potatoes of the supercar business, as most are sold to order, and well in advance of production, unlike the conventional car business. Getting out and about in the sheetmetal is the only way to impress...
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2012 Nissan GT-R Images LeakedThese images purport to be the first look at the 2012 Nissan GT-R as it gets ready for its 2011 rollout in Japan. The additions for 2012 appear to be solely cosmetic, though with the GT-R's already impressive performance, there's not much need for more speed. Starting at the front end, the...
Nelson Ireson -
Breaking: Next-Gen Hyundai Equus, Genesis Sedan And Coupe To Get AWDThe next generation of Hyundai's Equus, Genesis Sedan and Genesis Coupe will get all-wheel drive according to CEO John Krafcik, revealed at today's Equus drive event. The move is no doubt intended to put Hyundai on equal footing with its luxury rivals like BMW, Cadillac, and Audi, all of which...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class PreviewIts official world premiere won't come until the 2010 Paris Auto Show, but we have the first official images and details on the upcoming 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class for you fresh from under its midnight embargo. Though the timing is certainly inconvenient, the 2012 CLS-Class is anything but. As...
Nelson Ireson -
Volkswagen Phaeton Confirmed For U.S. ReturnThe Volkswagen Phaeton didn't fare so well the first time around in the U.S. Priced too high for its marque's cachet and without the styling or performance to compete with BMW or Mercedes, the Phaeton was, in short, a flop, dead after just three years on sale in America. But Volkswagen thinks it...
Nelson Ireson -
First Drive: 2010 Aston Martin V12 VantageComing straight out of a two-hour stint in the Ferrari 458 Italia and jumping into just about anything else, you expect to be...underwhelmed. Not so with the Aston Martin V12 Vantage. Though it takes a very different route, the big-engined baby Aston is, in its own way, even better. Take Aston...
Nelson Ireson -
Hints from executives, rumors, and outright denials have circulated the web for over a year now, and still we're no closer to knowing for certain if a sub-Boxster model is on its way. With the recent appointment of Matthias Muller to the CEO position at Porsche, however, the new entry-level Porsche is looking more likely than ever. The vehicle, if it's built, will be based on the shared architecture of the Volkswagen Bluesport roadster, shown to media and popular praise at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, nearly two years ago. Though the VW concept was shown with a green-oriented 2.0-liter...
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Bentley Launches Microsite For 2011 Continental GTWe've already seen the 2011 Bentley Continental GT all but unmasked in our spy shots, but the details of what's under the (relatively) sleek new skin still remain unknown. All the wondering will be over by mid-September, though, as Bentley today launched a new microsite teasing the car's unveiling...
Nelson Ireson -
Jay Leno, Arnold Schwarzenegger, And A Porsche Steering WheelMan With Steering Wheel: ...And this, of course, is the steering wheel. Jay Leno: Ordinarily, that's connected to the car, right? MWSW: Ach! You Americans. Such kopfschmerzen you give me. How do you put up with it, Arnold? Arnold Schwarzenegger: ...Huh? MWSW: I asked how you put up with all the...
Richard Read -
Armored Jaguar XJ Sentinel: Executive Style In Any War ZoneThe new Jaguar XJ Sentinel armored car is on display at the 2010 Moscow International Motor Show.
Nelson Ireson -
Bugatti Veyron Super Sport Specs Released, Limited To 10 MPH Below Record SpeedThe limit protects the car's tires, though the rest of the vehicle's specs will be identical to the record-setting car.
Nelson Ireson -
2010 Aston Martin V12 Vantage First Drive PreviewWe're saving the write-up for tomorrow, but we thought we'd share some photos from the drive with you today.
Nelson Ireson