Luxury Cars

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Update2 New Photos – 2015 Peugeot 508 Facelifted With New LED DRLs, Box-Design Beams and Tweaked Cabin Tech

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My passion for great LED lighting is spiraling out of control. It seems, lately, that a new headlight design with some flashy LEDs is enough to win my favor. But am I alone? LED lighting and headlights are by far the easiest piece of a car for the manufacturers to update — no new sheetmetal is required at all in many cases. But the impact on the 30-percent of the time spent driving in the dark or dusk? A totally transformed car. This new 508 is more than an LED refresh – and includes various new shapes for the grille …

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Road Test Review – 2014 Lexus IS350C F Sport – Convertible Coupe Perfection?

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The market for cabrios hit the skids hard during the financial crisis, when any wind in your hair seemed suddenly too-lavish, and too-decadent. Even luxury shoppers pulled back during that unprecedented stock market decline. This makes sense: those in the market were the most exposed to big on-paper losses. As such, it was a pretty inopportune time for Lexus to launch its best-ever convertible: the ISC. This amazing machine entered a soft market with competition from the all-star BMW 3 (and now 4 series) droptop, as well as the better-sounding Infiniti G37 (now Q60) Convertible. So what has Lexus done? …

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510HP, 3.9s 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Joins New C63 – Without the Benz Name!

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The new C63 is here! In UK  trim at first, but with key details now clear ahead of the US announcement. In an unusual move, Mercedes-Benz is now Mercedes-AMG for the hottest models in its range. This slight name change drops the Benz and moves the AMG portion ahead of the model nomenclature. Aside from the detail OEM change, the rest of the car is far more exciting. Huge power from the 476-horsepower engine is also available in an XXL power guise: the S Model simply becomes the C63 S. One distinct piece for the C63 versus the E63 and …

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Concept Flashback – 1978 JAGUAR XJ Spider by Pininfarina

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How advanced is this Pininfarina concept for Jaguar? It is hard to believe there is an XK under these swoopy panels, which predated anything else curvy by more than eight years. Very, very impressive for 1978 — especially considering that this basic template was a huge hit for the Aston Martin DB7 and even the Jaguar XK from 1996. 1978 JAGUAR XJ Spider by Pininfarina

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2012 ItalDesign Giugiaro BRIVIDO Concept is GT With Ultra-Modern Cabin and Apex Windows

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  No batter hits a home run on every swing, and the same is true for high-concept design houses. ItalDesign Giugiaro has been at the center of the advanced design universe for decades, and its greatest-hits list only contains the dozens of cars it can publicly take credit for. Many more of ItalDesign’s brilliant ideas are white-labelled and the manufacturer simply takes the credit. So the provenance from which the Brivido emerges is without question. Powered by a 360-horsepower turbo 3.0-liter V6, the Brivido’s most striking elements are its somewhat retro surfacing to the hood and bodysides, with a dark …

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INFINITI Q80 Inspiration Previews Gorgeous and Fascinating S-Class Competitor

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One popular design cliche is to describe the panel shapes of a model as ‘like flowing silk.’ The idea is to be lighter than air, and always in motion with ripples and elegant movement at all times. Far beyond cliche, the new Q80 Inspiration makes the idea real.A rare achievement, to be sure, and very exciting. Freeze that wind-swept silk in time, and it carries the beauty of motion even as a static piece. That is how we would describe the latest panel shaping theme shown in the new Q80 Inspiration, which is officially set to become a production model …

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Introducing Novitec SPOFEC for the Rolls-Royce Ghost: More Style and Power + Lower Ride and Dual-Mode Exhaust!

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SPOFEC!? That is short for SPirit OF ECstacy. Get it? It is like a super-acronym. Using a similar strategy of unique branding by marque, the Novitec Group is rolling out hits left and right these days. Just a few weeks since the debut of the Novitec Torado (Lamborghini) and Novitec Tridente (Maserati) specials, here we have a SPOFEC Ghost that has everything hip buyers might want. This includes 22-inch wheels, a new controller module for the air-ride suspension to lower the car at speed or on demand, a dual-model exhaust to hear the V12 sing, an aero upgrade kit and …

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Concept Flashback – 1985 Nissan Cue-X Inspired Original Infiniti Q45 Flagship and Future Q80

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  As we prepare for the upcoming Infiniti Q80 Inspiration concept’s debut in Paris, how about a look back at the springboard ideas that led to the first flagship, the Q45 of 1990. The 1985 Cue-X concept from Nissan shares clear details with what became the Q45 from all angles, but especially in profile. This low and lean shape was far less formal than the competition from Lexus in the LS400, as well as the established players like Mercedes-Benz and BMW. It is fascinating to see the inspiration for the original Q, and the low and flowing style shown by …

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Digital Renderings Fix the 2009 Aston Martin LAGONDA SUV Concept

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 This is a light update to the previous LAGONDA article, but one that is best as a distinct piece to avoid confusion. As identified below, the nose and tail of the Lagonda SUV concept were its biggest problems. The make it hard to love. FIXED NOSE RENDERINGS The grille is far too large and far too bright. During a few hours in Photoshop, we have identified the eggcrate grille design as the true fault up front. It makes this Lagonda look like a Chrysler Sebring — which is not a flattering comparison for a superlux SUV. We have made the …

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Concept Debrief – 2009 Aston Martin LAGONDA SUV Concept

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  The Aston Martin  Lagonda SUV was easily the most-hated SUV concept of 2009 when it debuted. People absolutely hated it. They hated the design mostly, but fell back on SUV hate for extra emphasis. The only other concept whose design has been so roundly hated was the Bentley EXP-9F — which required a full redesign, led to the re-assignment of the CEO who approved it, and ultimately pushed the production Bentley SUV debut back at least three years. What do these two hated SUVs have in common? — Long-history sports-car brands’ first attempts to move into the crossover market …

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AMG GT Starring in New PS4 Racing Game DRIVECLUB from October 8th

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  The relationship between PlayStation and Mercedes-Benz has been very strong since the AMG SLS was the cover car for GranTurismo 5. That relationship is a three-way affair: among AMG, Polyphony Digital as the GT game developers, and Sony itself in extending the reach of PS4. The new DRIVECLUB game seeks to be a new type of social racing experience — where friends battle one another for track glory both in real-time and as part of championship leagues. Sony hopes to leverage the PS4’s social features in ways that many GT6 drivers do not prioritize. So the AMG GT being …

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Rolls-Royce Lands Largest-Ever Order for 30 Phantoms from Louis XIII Hotel in Macau

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30 cars in a single transaction is never something to sneeze at — least of all if the car in question costs more than a million dollars each. This bright red fleet of Rolls-Royce Phantom II Extended Wheelbases will chauffer Macau casino guests to the forthcoming Louis XIII hotel in true opulence and style. The Hong Kong Peninsula Hotel is also a large client of Rolls-Royce — but the demure green of those Phantoms will be quite shaded by new the Louis XIII fleet. Part customer relationship management, part experiential marketing, and part external marketing — this single order has …

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Bentley Mulsanne Speed is New for 2015 With 811-Pound-Feet of Turbo Torque!

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Holy flagship, Batman! The Bentley Mulsanne Speed tops the Bentley line for 2015, with sexy exterior trim tweaks and a huge jump in power from the gutsy 6.75-liter V8 engine up front. Max speed is up to 190-mph, while the 60-mph sprint is now down to just 4.8-seconds — which is a huge bit of speed for such a large barge of a car. Dark tints are added to the nose and tail detailing, with the headlamps now standard-fit in this more subtle design. 2015 Bentley Mulsanne Speed   BENTLEY ANNOUNCES NEW MULSANNE SPEED – THE WORLD’S FASTEST ULTRA-LUXURY DRIVING …

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2015 Lexus RX350 CRAFTED LINE – Pebble Beach Debut In Detail

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The RX350 Crafted Line is the most subtle of the tweaks that are also offered on the IS, ES, GS and LS. Where the others have a deep and rich obsidian finish to many surfaces, the RX350 Crafted Line has graphite wheels and a less-thorough grille overhaul. Even so, this RX350 is clean and extremely handsome in real life. The latest Ultra White paint shade from all the Crafted Line cars is outstanding — with a rich white finish that is extremely bright even in low lights. The undertones are tan versus lavender for many whites — but the extreme …

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2015 Lexus ES350 CRAFTED LINE – Arriving in November from $42,500

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After such a smooth and relaxing experience with the 2015 ES300h this month, we are excited to introduce the latest and greatest ES: the Crafted Line. New for 2015 with a variety of sexy gloss black accents over Ultra White bodywork, the ES Crafted Line is quite a glamorous upgrade for this imminently practical luxury car. Check of the Pebble Beach launch photos below, plus the official details from Lexus below. 2015 Lexus ES350 CRAFTED LINE The Crafted Line by Lexus Debuts at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with Exclusive TUMI Luggage Set LS 460, GS 350, IS 250, …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Lexus ES300h Delivers Industry-Best Value, Efficiency and Cabin Comfort

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The ES is by far the most-successful Lexus nameplate since the brand launched in 1989. These days, the ES is outsold only by the crossover king RX350 and RH Hybrid, so the ES flame is still burning bright in Lexus showrooms worldwide. The ES300h Hybrid is just about the opposite of the car most performance-sedan fans might pick for themselves, but the fact of the matter is: we absolutely adored the ES300h after spending a week together.   Intro: ES Bias? From an outsider perspective, one might write off the ES350 and ES300h as legacy models — cars sold to …

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5.0s, 84MPG 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 Plug-in Hybrid Joins USA S-Class Lineup

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  It has taken more than two Hybrid S-Classes to really achieve relevance and technological superiority to the other eco-limo’s on the market — but that time has now arrived. The S550 Plug-in Hybrid joins the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid as the most socially responsible way to pilot a Mercedes flagship, even during times of greenwashing and uncertainty about the world’s energy future. For the first time in an S-Class, this new Hybrid model is not a cynical niche model. It is a well-rounded and fully-engineered addition to the S-Class, with all of the high-tech electrics integrated into the S-Class …

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VOLKER SCHMIDT 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Is Low and Lean With New Springs and Wheels

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It has been more than a few years since a C-Class Mercedes was a real pin-up beauty. And for a C220 to look as good as the original C36 AMG!? That is some achievement without changing one body panel or aero piece. These Volker Shmidt Revolution wheels come with a ride height drop courtesey of coil-over springs all around. This might not be our choice — the newly-available AirMatic ride in the forthcoming US-market C400 and C300 is hard to beat! But it would look a hell of a lot better with these hot wheels. VOLKER SCHMIDT 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class …

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3.7s 2016 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT S Brings 503HP, Alloy Chassis Arriving to USA in Spring 2015

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Huge news today from AMG! The eagerly-anticipated AMG GT supercar has arrived in full: 100-plus photos and full launch details below. Two trims will come on the AMG GT: the standard with 463-horsepower and a 3.9-second sprint to 60-mph, or the top-line AMG GT S — which is packing the headline 3.7-seconds from its 503-horsepower slugger. The twin-turbocharged V8 lives in an alloy chassis with a very clever diff setup in back. The transaxle layout mounts the seven-speed auto on the back axle — but does not include 4Matic AWD at this time. Style-wise, the AMG GT is a huge …

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2016 Audi A6 LED and Trim Refresh Previewed by UK Updates

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The Audi A6 is looking fresh in the UK this month, with a new LED design for the head and taillights. The latest look shows a solid horizontal bar diverging at the outer ends. No word on then these or the new A7 lights will be coming to the US market, but as a 2015.5 or 2016 seems highly likely. 2016 Audi A6  

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2015 Lexus RC350 Sends 306HP to 8-Speed Auto, AWD, 4WS and Adaptive Suspension!

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Updated 9.9.14 Now we have the comparison between the silver RC350 shown in these latest Lexus photos and the F Sport version from Pebble Beach! The final 2015 Lexus RC350 F Sport looks **thisclose** to as sexy and fast as the top-flight RC-F — which is a great thing for buyers and Lexus sales alike. Available AWD is new to the RC350, as is the paddle-shifted automatic with eight gears, the latest adaptive suspension with adjustable settings, and an all-new four-wheel-steering setup. Very promising indeed! The only change visible on this pre-production car is a lack of the LED low …

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Update2 – 2015 Lincoln Navigator $63k Price + 380HP Confirmed

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Update2 – 2015 Lincoln Navigator $63k Price + 380HP Power Confirmed     Pricing for the 2015 Lincoln Navigator is here! We’ve put together a handy chart for ease of use versus picking the numbers out of the below… 2015 Lincoln PRICING 4×2 4×4 Navigator $       62,475 $       65,400 Navigator Reserve $       69,975 $       72,900 Navigator L $       64,640 $       68,215 Navigator L Reserve $       72,140 $       75,715 The Navigator’s available ‘Reserve’ trim level will be the best bet for the Navigator’s loyal buyers – it brings a brand-new set of super-plush leathers and the 22-inch wheels that help update …

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4.9s 2016 Jaguar XE Makes London Debut with 340HP and Rear-Drive Dynamics

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  Before you get too excited… The XE will not come to the USA until calendar 2016…     Official details below!  2016 Jaguar XE   WORLD PREMIER OF JAGUAR XE AT LONDON’S EARLS COURT First showing of the performance-orientated Jaguar XE S The Jaguar XE S features a 340hp supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine with a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph1 Front engine, longitudinal rear wheel drive layout, with capability of accepting all-wheel drive Highly aerodynamic with a drag coefficient of 0.26 Cd Two new and intuitive Jaguar InControl® infotainment …

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467HP 2015 Lexus RC F Visits Monticello in Three New Colors + Tech Features

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The Lexus RC-F is here in action for the first time! A production car so hot that drew its own crowd at Pebble Beach — even when locked and off — now alive and ripping around US racetracks… A few features are optional on this all-star chassis and power upgrade: including the new TVD rear diff and the triple headlamp LED low and high-beams. But otherwise, what we see here is what is coming to US Lexus dealers in November! A few key details still missing on the rear-drive, 467-horsepower RC-F Coupe: including the price and 0-60-mph time. But we’re …

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2015 Aston Martin Lagonda in 27 New Hot Weather Testing Photos

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Lagonda lives! Breaking news with a confirmation from Aston-Martin on the 2015 Bespoke Super Saloon project – which is officially the new Lagonda saloon car. 2015 Aston Martin Lagonda   Aston   Inspiration for the design is said to tie directly to the 1976 Lagonda saloon below in original and VirtualModels.org’s dragster prototype. Most likely reference points in the bespoke 2015 Lagonda are the D-pillar shape and glasshouse, which is more faithful a revamp than the current Rapide S. A chopped and simplified vertical grille and nose bring the light elements low and part of the front face, versus on …

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2015 Bentley Flying Spur V8 Debuts in Moscow – 53 High-Res Photos

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Thew New Flying Spur is all about formality and luxury of the Mulsanne style, but in an easier and AWD package. Exclusively the W12 before, the new Flying Spur V8 will easily dominate the sales charts from now. The V8 has huge power and a bit of lightness in the nose that the twelve-cylinders’ lack. Surprisingly, the real design action is out back – where a much blockier form language takes over with large lamps far apart in each corner. 2015 Bentley Flying Spur V8       NEW FLYING SPUR V8 MAKES DEBUT FOR BENTLEY IN MOSCOW Russian premiere …

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2016 Audi RS7 Makes Moscow Debut With Updated LEDs, Extra Power and New Tech

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No news from Audi USA on when this refreshed model will take over for the current 2015 RS7 we just landed in the USA. But it is likely to be one of the first updates in calendar 2015 cars, with a Spring arrival most likely on the street.   2016 Audi RS7         SEARING PERFORMANCE AND EVEN SHARPER STYLE: THE NEW GENERATION AUDI RS 7 SPORTBACK   Mighty twin-turbo V8 engine retains its rightful place at the heart of the new-look RS 7 Sportback but is now even more efficient  New headlights and design details for a …

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2015 Lexus IS250 F Sport CRAFTED LINE in 32 All-New, High-Res Photos

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This might be the first-ever IS250 F Sport Crafted line in the world! Shown in the Lexus booth at Pebble Beach, the Crafted Line is fantastic on the IS. It brings the sporty F Sport grille in a rich gloss black versus the standard matte grey finishes available. The Crafted Line special-release IS250 F Sport will arrive in October-November to Lexus dealers nationwide, with two pieces of matching Tumi luggage already right in the trunk. 2015 Lexus IS250 F Sport CRAFTED LINE        

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NOVITEC TRIDENTE Maserati Quattroporte Is Quicker and Far Sexier Than Ever!

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While writing the big 2014 Quattroporte buyers guide the other day, we regretted how few cool wheel and performance options are available on the Maserati flagship lately.   Novitec Tridente, the trident branch of Novitec Rosso and Torado, has come to the rescue with sets of gorgeous wheels in four finishes, ECU upgrades to the twin-turbocharged engines, and a delicious exterior upgrades menu. The matte-effect paint protection wrap and black-tinted elements for all the factory brightwork are amazing, but even the subtle trunk spoiler and lower aero kit work wonders. A fantastic machine made even more exciting with these brand-new …

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Quail Porsche Experience – 2015 911 Turbo and Turbo S Cabrio + Generations Showcase

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  Who doesn’t love the 911 Turbo! Here are two lovely Porsche 911 Turbo models recently featured at the Porsche Experience Center of the Quail Lodge Motorsports Gathering 2014. In addition, we have a look back at all the 911 Turbo cars through the generations To top it off, official Porsche 911 Turbo specs/features and a guide to the best options — like Special GT silver metallic with Porsche Anniversary wheels.       2015 911 Turbo S Cabrio   Porsche 911 Turbo – Generations       2015 Porsche 911 Turbo S – Configurator Options     Description   No.   Info  …

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MANSORY Rolls-Royce Ghost Upgrades In White and Electric Blue Gold

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Before Pebble Beach automotive week, we decided on these pages that a Mansory luxury car might be the ideal ride to a show like this. It took until day three to spot a Mansory in Carmel Bay, but when we did, it was the grand-daddy of them all: the Gold Veyron! For those looking to make a splash with more than one passenger, the MANSORY Ghost might have been just the ticket to spin heads. These two vary from the pure and uncluttered aesthetic of the Mansory White Ghost, all the way to the eye-popping blue and gold Ghost. Somewhere …

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Update2 With 20 New Photos – 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 Coupe Priced from $116k

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Update2 8.31.14 The new S550 Coupe is super posh and low in person, with a fantastic cabin. It can be hard to tell it from the S63 AMG,  and S65 AMG – so here is a comparison. 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 Coupe   2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC and S63 AMG 4MATIC Coupe Quick Reference Guide Customer Availability & Pricing S550 4MATIC Coupe – Fall 2014; Pricing TBA (MY14: CL550 4MATIC starts at $116,600) S63 AMG 4MATIC Coupe – Fall 2014; Pricing TBA (MY14: CL63 AMG starts at $154,600) S65 AMG Coupe – Embargo lifts July 2014 (MY14: CL65 starts at $215,500) …

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2015 Maserati Quattroporte Buyers Guide to Colors, Wheels, Options, Specs and Prices

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Is the Maserati Quattroporte still the sexiest limo on the market in this latest sixth-gen model? For many eyes, nothing beats Italian glamour in a leathery four-door sedan. The rarity of the idea is itself pretty tittilating versus the dry and cold German alternatives, or the lush and colorful English brands that might be a bit too cuddly for some. The Quattroporte draws from an enviable set of clients. Mercedes-Benz might have its sponsorship all over New York and Berlin Fashion Week — but the Quattroporte has always been designed to appeal to Vogue Italia readers. These are stiletto-sharp people …

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1966 Ferrari 330GT Navarro Speciale Is Trippy 1960s One-Off V12 Musclecar

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What the!? That was the initial impression on finding this car in the Gooding 2014 tent this year at Pebble Beach. Here are the details of its absolutely hideous unique design: — Bought in 1966 — Upgraded to unique bodywork by Drogo Sports Cars in Italy in 1969 for Norbert Navarro, a Bologna commodities baron Sold in 1971 to Chinetti Motors in the US, where it was imported as one of the NART (North Am Racing Team) cars that were quasi-exempt from certain rules. So, about that design…: Hideous might be a strong description. The major issues from a modern …

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McLaren Special Operations 650S Spider Answers Painted Surfaces Call, With Mixed Results

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  Updated 8.28.14 We have lamented the rise of unpainted carbon-fiber surfaces on the latest generation of hypercars — and even created various renderings of the P1 with a painted nose. http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2014/03/21/unpainted-black-carbon-fiber-scourge-supercar-beauty-mclaren-p1-digitally-painted-front-clip-doors/ But, as meeting the MSO 650S Spider shows, we have to be careful what we wish for. Something about the painted nose section of the MSO 650s is less than perfect. The lower air-dams and side skirts are fantastic, and seeing chromed exhaust tips out back is unique. But still… something is not-as-dreamed with this nose…. McLaren Special Operations 650S Spider       PREVIOUS As if the …

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2015 Cadillac CTS Updated With New Badges, LED Brake Lights, Exhaust Details and Cabin Tech

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Light updates and upgrades for the 2015 CTS, detailed below. Mechanically, the cars stay exactly the same as the 2014 models. But there are tweaks front and rear to the style, 4G LTE and active safety upgrades inside, and a new satin-effect for the window brightwork that replaces the previous chrome. Out back, the exhaust finishers are altered slightly, as is the central high-mounted LED brake light. Based on thee images and the lack of the 2015 CTS in Pebble Beach last week, we specualate that the 2015 CTS is still about a month away from dealerships. Ballpark a late …

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2015 Infiniti Q40 is G37 Continuation with $33,000 Base Price

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The well-regarded Infiniti G37 sedan and G37 AWD are back to life as the 2015 Q40! This will be welcome news for those seeking a rear-drive luxury car at pricing that overlaps with top-end Ford Fusions and Hyundai Sonata’s. Say what one might about the Q40’s tenure on the market at this point — the car is clearly in a different dynamic and performance league than any front-drive mid-size car. Two handsome dealer-installed options update the G37’s style nicely: the black grille/rear spoiler package for $700 and the LED DRL’s for about $700 as well. 2015 Infiniti Q40     …

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First 2014 BMW i8 Owners Take Delivery in Posh Pebble Beach Experience

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Some big names in the below five-pack of the first deliveries of the BMW i8 at Pebble Beach! They include racing moguls Roger Penske and Rick Hendrick, among other luminaries. We would vote heavily in favor of the black finish — which is simply amazing, as we can see here. Well ordered, Thomas Keller! It is interesting that Chef Thomas Keller also appears to be providing dinner for the guests at this event, which is nicely symbiotic from BMW. i8 Passion Runs High As the $825,000 total from the charity i8 Pebble Beach Edition shows — the i8 is much …

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USA Debut and $825,000 Auction Grand Slam – 2014 BMW i8 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Edition

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In what is certainly a feel-great moment for the BMW as well as the Pebble Beach Foundation charity — the one-off BMW i8 Pebble Beach Concours edition racked up a stunning $825,000 sale price at the Gooding & Co. 2014 auction. The price multiple of 6.11X over the BMW i8’s $135,000 retail total is surely not just from the custom-fitted Louis Vuitton luggage or dark-matte grey paint. It also accounts for instant access to what is easily one of the hottest new cars at any price. In the flesh, the i8 PB Concours Edition is quite magnificent. Its low, lean …

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EXCLUSIVE! 2014 Bugatti Veyron Legend ETTORE BUGATTI in 45 Stunning Photos

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Updated 8.27.14 We owe a deep nod of gratitude to Bugatti executive leadership for letting our camera lens into this exclusive Bugatti luncheon at Pebble Beach on Concours day. Like everything in the world of Bugatti – and especially Los Legendes de Bugatti – it is a land of velvet-rope access. Limited availability. Manufactured scarcity. That is part of the Bugatti myth as well as the entire client experience. Mobs of people is not on the agenda. But flashbulbs and press guys? Lucky for us — that is part of the cult of Bugatti. Great to play any part available …

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Updated USA Debut – 2014 BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept – Design Analysis

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Updated 8.27.14 The fact that the BMW Vision Future Luxury concept headed to Beijing this Spring instead of to the concurrent New York show says quite a bit about its market-makers. This machine needs to be successful in China. Period. As the biggest growth opportunity, China represents perhaps the only non-American and non-German (domestic) volume market for ultra-luxury sedans in the coming decade. But while the Chinese limo shopper has whole-heartedly adopted the Audi brand, BMW and Mercedes-Benz find themselves playing second fiddle. At the same time, the VFL concept needs to revive the unpopular current 7 series in the …

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Update1 New Photos – 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SC Black Series Rendered by VirtualModels.org

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  Updated 8.27.14   1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SC at Pebble Beach 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SC Black Series This first one is a group effort … with the side profile by Sebastian Motsch and the front three-quarter angle by Car-Revs-Daily.com VirtualModels.org Mercedes-Benz 300S and SLS Bonneville Speed Special 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300S (W188) – Style Update Germany’s Sebastian Motsch is a very talented individual – a guy who loves cars so much that he spends some of his free time imagining the impossible cars we all dream about. The quality of his renders puts most magazines or websites to shame. These cars of his …

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2015 INFINITI QX70S Brings New Sport Package With Black Exterior and Cooled Front Seats

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Are we spotting some trends here? — Many hot new cars debuted at Pebble Beach this year — White over black is the sexiest style of 2014 and 2015, by far — Infiniti is keeping it fresh with new S packages for the Q60 coupe and QX70 crossovers Trned-spotting this latest convergence of car brand marketing also offers a bit of insight into how quickly car brands can take an idea to market. Lexus with the Crafted Line of five models in white/black definitely shows a rapid-fire way to get sexy machines into showrooms ASAP, while even staid old Lincoln …

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2015 Lexus LS460 F Sport Crafted Line – Pebble Beach Debut in 30 New Photos

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Updated 8.27.14 The LS is perhaps the most enhanced by Lexus’s 2015 Crafted Line enhancements, but this is an entirely subjective assessment. In fact, every Lexus bar the CT200h and the new NX crossover are greatly benefitting from these new style upgrades. The LS benefits both in practice with the new grille and black wheels looking stellar on this luxury limo flagship, but also in theory. The Lexus LS has simply lost much of its top-three luxury car awareness in recent years to the resurgent S-Class and ever-popular Audi A8. The solution is not exactly easy to see for Lexus …

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2015 Infiniti Q60S Reveals its Sexy Gloss-Black Accents at Pebble Beach

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Updated 8.26.14 The Q60S revealed its gloss-black self at Pebble Beach — and it is definitely a sexy special edition package for this sweet-sounding coupe. 2015 Infiniti Q60S   The hotshot executive sport coupe market is always fun: the Lexus RC F and BMW M4 are already stars of the Detroit show – months and months ahead of their arrival to buyers. The Lexus RC F in production form this week in Detroit ups the ante quite a bit. So what’s missing?   Well, the Cadillac ATS Coupe – which is coming tomorrow – has room under than hood for …

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2015 Porsche Macan S – 108 All-New Photos In Almost-Base $50k Trim

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The new Macan S might not be a total USA scoop like the extensive Amelia Island galleries were here on Car-Revs-Daily.com, but sighting one in the flesh at the Quail last week did result in three insights: — completely overlooking the also-brand-new Cayman GTS and Targa 4S models sitting on either side of this mid-size SUV — The Macan is definitely not an easy truck to photograph; its beauty is elusive and tricky to capture — deep longing to own a Macan S… but *definitely* with painted “Side Blades” option checked What is with these hideous door panel protectors pieces? …

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Gooding Pebble Beach 2014 – 1967 Toyota 2000GT in White with Original, US-Delivered Left-Hand-Drive

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If the GT-R is Japan’s ‘Godzilla’ supercar, the 2000GT is the ‘Godfather.’ Just as lovely and perhaps a bit more special than the Ferrari 275 GTB delivered to Haiti the same year, this 2000GT is definitely one of the rising stars in the classic car world. From values that rarely topped $500,000 until very recently, the $1.15-million earned by this original US car has much room to move upward. Stay tuned in the coming decades: this car will be neck and neck with the Ferrari values that are currently sitting about 4X above any Japanese car — even this godfather …

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Gooding Pebble Beach 2014 – 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy Earns $4.6M

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Can a classic Ferrari be enough to restore one’s faith in the world? In the case of this majestic 275 GTB Long-Nose — the answer is a firm Yes. Or, considering its original license plates and title wearing Haiti plates — “We!” Owned by the globally-chic Albert Silvera of Paris, Port-Au-Prince and Miami — this 275 GTB deserved every penny of its sale price. 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy     GOODING & Co. 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy Coachwork by Scaglietti Estimate: $3,750,000 – $4,250,000 SOLD: $4,620,000 Chassis: 07993   http://www.goodingco.com/vehicle/1966-ferrari-275-gtb-long-nose-alloy-2 CAR HIGHLIGHTS Quite Possibly …

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2014 McLaren 650S Spider Sends Us Praying in Mantis Green at Pebble Beach

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  If there is one color I could get on-board with for a new dream McLaren — beyond my preference for white paint/dark wheels — it would either be McLaren Orange or Talocca Orange, which is a new and slightly lighter shade than the current MO color. But when presented with Mantis Green, who could say no? It is an outlandish color, and one that truly comes alive in the sun. The rest of the options for the McLaren 650S are actually pretty easy – especially versus the Ferrari configurator for the F12, which is a long process of interior …

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TECHART Porsche Panamera Grand GT Program Shows Huge Range of Exterior, Performance and Cabin Upgrades

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The TechArt upgrades suite comes in three primary flavors for the outstanding Porsche Panamera: — First-gen Aero kit — Second-gen Aero kit — Grand GT comprehensive upgrades inside and out. As these ten demo machines show below, the depth of the packages are deep in making any Panamera into a widebody, ultra-performance beast! TECHART Porsche Panamera Grand GT Second-Gen (2014 – current)       Welcome to the TECHART Aerokit I for the Porsche Panamera models. Breathtakingly elegant and excitingly sporty. Uncompromising in both, its outer appearance and its inner values. Developed in the wind tunnel, made of quality materials …

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Gooding Pebble Beach 2014 Highlights – 1926 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Playboy Roadster

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Here is a real glam-shuttle for Jay Gatsby himself. If only it were yellow, it might finally woo Zelda from across West Egg…. The Playboy Roadster’s sale price of $264,000 is at the low end of the estimate, with lots of upward mobility in the future.   1926 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Playboy Roadster   CAR HIGHLIGHTS One of 28 Brewster Playboy Roadsters One of 15 Playboys Retrofitted to a Springfield Silver Ghost Chassis Recent Mechanical Work by Rolls-Royce Specialists Taylor’s of West Sussex, UK TECHNICAL SPECS 7,428 CC Side-Valve L-Head, Inline 6-Cylinder Engine Two Jet-Type Carburetor 85 BHP at 2,300 …

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USA Debut of Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Collection

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Updated 8.23.14   Thrilled to meet the Bespoke Rolls-Royce Drophead Waterspeed at the Quail last week. Extra excited to find the latest Rolls-Royce masterclass matches my Bell & Ross watch! Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed   Okay! Before we get too excited about which would be faster today: the Rolls-Royce-powered Bluebird K3 or the new Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed, we must clarify something! The K3 is the Bluebird boat. This is likely very obvious to people in the UK or Speed Record buffs, but the Bluebird’s I know best are the cars.   But this Phantom DHC Waterspeed indeed celebrates …

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Video Ride-Along with Velocity Motorsports AMP Taxi! Lexus IS-F Trio Teaches Track Layout

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Just as the Nurburgring has the BMW M5 ‘Ring Taxi’ — the AMP has the Lexus IS-F three-pack from Velocity Motorsports. Atlanta Motorsports Park is a brand-new track about 30 minutes outside of Atlanta. Combining huge elevation change and sharp, Tilke-designed bends — the AMP track is not easy to learn quickly. A four-seat supercar is therefore critical to show rookies the lay of the land — both where to go fast and where to ease up. And where to hit the brakes hard at the end of the zero-visibility straight-away! The Lexus IS-F is obviously a favorite around here, …

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Update1 – 2015 Range Rover Sport SVR Makes USA Debut at Pebble Beach and The Quail

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UPDATED 8.23.14   The new SVR Range Rover Sport is a really beautiful machine up close – with its huge wheels and gloss black accents making the car seem quick and special. In honesty, the new color really helps drive home the truck’s performance and exclusivity as much as anything else. Without the color, many would be hard-pressed to know this was the flagship RRS… Even so, the F-Type R seats and powerplant will certainly be appreciated by all buyers, as will the new sport exhaust. 2015 Range Rover Sport SVR What would happen if you brought the best and …

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2015 Lexus RC350 F Sport EXCLUSIVE: 8-Speed Auto, AWD, 4WS and Adaptive Suspension!

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Updated 8.22.14 The final 2015 Lexus RC350 F Sport looks **thisclose** to as sexy and fast as the top-flight RC-F — which is a great thing for buyers and Lexus sales alike. Available AWD is new to the RC350, as is the paddle-shifted automatic with eight gears, the latest adaptive suspension with adjustable settings, and an all-new four-wheel-steering setup. Very promising indeed! The only change visible on this pre-production car is a lack of the LED low and high-beams shown on the final concepts, plus missing parking sensors. These two features are likely to be options on customer cars when …

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2015 Bentley Continental GT V8S Is Stunning in Black Crystal Paintwork

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With so much trendy energy in 2014 around white cars for the latest style — what about that other always-fashionable choice? Black Bentley’s will never go out of style. But which of the black tones fits you best? We are fairly confident this car is Black Crystal – but it may be Beluga Black or Onyx Black. The Onyx is least shiny, based on the configurator representations, while the Beluga black is dark is midnight. So color here is so amazingly attractive that one might forget this car lacks the Mulliner and Sport specification packages — and the stunning 21-inch, …

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1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Streamliner is One-Off Coupe With Wrap-Around Glass and Aero-Smooth Design

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Mercedes-Benz was coupe-focused at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours – with a number of sexy back catalog models reinforcing the gravitas of the just-launched S-Class Coupe and S63 AMG Coupe’s on display. These can be called “Coupes” but they are fancier and more fun as “Coup-pays” — pronouncing the accent over the “e” like the Europeans do. None drew more stares than this one-off 1938 540K Streamliner, which feels many years younger than its 1938 build date would suggest. The most striking elements of the hyper-flowing panels are: — the sheer scale of the machine from tip to tail, and …

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INFINITI Q50 Eau Rouge in 40 New Photos From Pebble Beach + Vettel Track Video At Spa

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With a 180-mph speedometer clearly visible on the production-ready cabin of the Q50 Eau Rouge shown at the Quail last week, the hottest-ever Infiniti is almost as fast at the top end as Sebastian Vettel’s F1 car! But Seb has AWD and 560-horsepower from a turbocharged V6 with this concept as he blasts around the Eau Rouge’s namesake corner at Spa Francorchamps…! INFINITI Q50 Eau Rouge  

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2015 Lexus GS350 Crafted Line Aces Style Mood in Bright White Over Gloss Black – 37 New Photos

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The GS350 F Spot Crafted Line is really dynamic and attractive in real life — with the custom two TUMI luggage pieces that are included a nice addition. Gorgeous news from Lexus for five lucky 2015 models! The Crafted Line by Lexus introduces a dark ultra-white/gloss-black glamor to the LS 460, GS 350, IS 250, ES 350 and RX 350. The Ultra White shade shared by all five cars is the latest and extremely amazing shade that was launched for 2014. The Crafted Line cars all vamp up with glossy dark wheels, trims, grilles and mirrors to match the stunning …

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2015 Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II Extended Wheelbase in White at The Quail Lodge

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How to make a millionaire weep? Two ways: — remind him of your personal, daily EBITA salary (earnings before interest, taxes and amortization) — take him for a ride in your Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II limousine Sure, we can all measure ourselves by income or banked wealth. But what life really means seems to become vastly different as one crosses the $100-million mark. For cars, it certainly seems to become less about pace — and much more about grace and space. For the ultimate journey and arrival, nothing on four wheels beats the Phantom II. The Limo model with its …

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2014 Lexus IS-F Review – Part Three – 170MPH 4-Door Supercar Is Future Classic: The Ideal Luxury Racecar

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2014 IS-F REVIEW – PART THREE of THREE   Simply put: the Lexus IS-F is one of the very best cars this author has ever driven. It is virtually flawless in its performance appeal — and addictive in its power delivery and handling eagerness. When cars like the E63 AMG and BMW M5 are in the competitive set, the IS-F feels every bit as special, and instantly more intoxicating. For drivers who want supercar power with velvet-glove luxury in a four-door, the IS-F will be your favorite car too. A future classic – one that beats its competition today and …

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Gooding 2014 Pebble Beach Highlights – 1938 Alfa-Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia

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This Alfa-Romeo coupe with coachwork by Touring Superleggera is special because it is a racecar that doubled as a luxury coupe. This was in the era of open-wheeled, open-cockpit racers — so any car that could compete on the long, twisty and bumpy Mille Miglia route while being so luxurious was something innovative indeed.   1938 Alfa-Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia

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540HP, 3.7s 2015 BMW ALPINA B6 xDrive Gran Coupe Available in USA! Quickest BMW Ever Made?

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Meet the first (and only) Alpina B6 in the United States at the moment. This blue stunner is, in fact, the quickest BMW ever made. The addition of AWD and a huge jump in twin-turbo V8 power means the Alpina B6 is more rapid to 60-mph than any other BMW. Ever. This includes the M6, 1980 M1, 2015 M5 Jahre 30, i8, M4, M3…. Everything else is slower. THE PRIVATE DEBUT As well as the USA reveal of the Vision Future Luxury concept and M5 30th Anniversary, BMW’s Pebble Beach villa was packed with all the hottest metal in the …

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World Debut in 55 Photos – 2015 Lamborghini Huracan LP 620-2 Super Trofeo

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Shortly after the wraps came off this all-new Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo for the first time at The Quail on Friday, we shook hands with the always-handsome CEO Stephan Winkelmann. Mr. Winkelmann was fresh from taking perhaps 20 photos with admiring fans in front of the latest hypercar masterpiece from Sant’Agata when the lightbulb of an idea hit me. I instantly shared the thought with Mr. Winkelmann and earned a rare smile and laugh from the global automotive superstar: “You should release a pop song! A dance mix for the club, with engines revving and all the names of various …

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LARTE Design INFINITI QX70 Is Mad-Fast, Mad-Sexy SUV Upgrade Program

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As shown by the extremely yummy LARTE Design Infiniti QX60 and QX80 overhauls, Larte Design has a vision for the ideal muscle truck of the future. And that vision can be applied to any of today’s three largest Infiniti SUVs to create a Porsche Cayenne, Brabus Benz and BMW X5 M chasers from Japan. Perhaps the most striking upgrades of all come to the already-sporty QX70 crossover, which now wears the stance and footwear package of a true autobahn muscle truck. Like the QX80 upgrades, the LARTE Design program for the QX70 comes in three levels of madness: LR1, LR2 …

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Concept Flashback – 2003 RINSPEED Bedouin Explores Feasibility of a Modern, Rear-Engined Porsche Off-Roader

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The Rinspeed Bedoiun is interesting for a few reasons nearly 11 years since the concept’s first showing in 2003. At the time, the BMW X5 had just landed in many wealthy driveways and was instantly the biggest hit of any BMW car launch – ever. Porsche was mid-way through development of the first-gen Cayenne and RINSPEED had a few ideas of its own. “Why ditch all the greatness of the 911 in favor of a shared SUV chassis with VW?” one can imagine Rinspeed saying. Why not simply leverage the excellence of a rear-engine hero like the 911 in a …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Acura TLX 2.4L Is Seriously Good Fun: Quick, Lux and Nimble

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Just like delivering a compliment is easy and second-nature, writing a good car’s review is remarkably easy and refreshing. It feels great to give praise, and the words come flowing out. Alternatively – delivering bad news tactfully in a car review requires much more graceful delivery. You must plan your points carefully so they are constructive and helpful. The 2015 Acura TLX firmly falls into the easy compliment category. Say what you will — and what I have written — about the Acura nose in the last few years: this 2015 TLX absolutely blew me away with its amazing combination …

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Pebble Beach Exclusives – 2014 McLaren Special Operations P1 in 63 All-New, Ultra High Res Photos

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Fantastic to meet not one… but four McLaren P1’s today at Pebble Beach Concours week! The most special and most exclusive is this brand-new MSO model – which packs an extra aggressive aero kit and MSO upgrades for many performance components. Without much experience seeing the P1 whatsoever – it is somewhat hard to appreciate the MSO upgrades beyond the ground-effects lower aero kit. But MSO or not — the P1 is absolutely stunning in person. Better and better the closer your eye comes to the exceptional carbon-fiber chassis, wheel-wells, and all chassis and body panels. The P1 is marked …

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204-MPH, 707HP 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Makes Online Debut – Est $60k Base Pricing From January

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When in doubt: do a mile-long burnout! The 2015 Charger SRT Hellcat made its online debut this week. Thrilling pace and performance are guaranteed. No word yet on pricing or arrival time frames – but the 2015 SRT Hellcat Charger pricing is likely to mirror the $61,000 base prices of the Challenger Hellcat, with out estimated arrival time from in Q1 2015.     2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat NEW 2015 DODGE CHARGER SRT HELLCAT IS THE QUICKEST, FASTEST AND MOST POWERFUL SEDAN IN THE WORLD 13/08/14 With 707 horsepower, an NHRA-certified quarter mile elapsed time of 11.0 seconds on …

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Update1 – 2015 VOLVO XC90 – 400HP Twin-Engine PHEV Dubbed T8, 316HP T6 Also Coming to USA

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Updated 8.12.14 with additional platform info from Volvo More info from Volvo today about the all-new XC90’s platform – plus the first official exterior image! Granted, it is just a headlight close-up… but we are excited all the same. [ The full exteriors shown here are unofficial renderings. ]     2015 VOLVO XC90 Powertrain   Well, here is some good news! So far, we have seen the new XC90’s interior luxury and infotainment solutions. The luxury looks good, but the info touchscreen is a bit short of the Tesla 17-inch ideal. Under the hood? This has been another worry …

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Updated With 44 Real-Life Photos – 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe Includes Overboost and 5.6s 0-60 Sprint.. As a 2.0T!

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Updated With 44 Real-Life Photos Talk about a huge letdown. The ATS Coupe packs an unbelievable amount of dullness into a two-door shape. What a snooze this car is. The latest media drive photos only confirm our earlier assertion: http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2014/07/03/op_ed-2015-cadillac-ats-coupe-is-boring/ Cadillac really dropped the ball on every single CTS and ATS trim and style decision. This car looks about as cool as a rented Impala Classic. 2015 Cadillac ATS Coupe One of the most promising elements of the Cadillac ATS Coupe is that it adds platform rigidity and performance focus to this new contender in the hotshot exec coupe segment. …

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MANSORY Cyrus is Fascinating Carbon Widebody for Aston Martin DB9 and DBS

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Pebble Beach seems like the ideal place to arrive in a Mansory hypercar. While the avant garde style of Mansory upgrades might seem like overkill in any normal city, Monterey during Pebble Beach thrives on what is new, what was great in classic car history, and what is next in supercars. The Mansory Cyrus upgrade pack consists of a a full cabon-fiber overshell for the DBS and DB9 from Aston Martin. The whole effect is actually quite dramatic at channeling the One-77 as well as two other things: — from afar, the Mansory Cyrus might recall a camo’d or wrapped …

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REGULA EXCLUSIVE Bodykits for Audi R8, Porsche Panamera and Porsche Cayenne Are Wild!

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The best way to really make a splash at Pebble Beach is to bring a car that no one has ever seen before. This can be a supercar that is not sold in the USA, a priceless classic, or a mad style upgrade to an existing performance car. When it comes to these hyper tuner cars – the louder the visual impact of the upgrades, the better. Germany’s Regula Exclusive is certainly aware of these facts. The actual products on sale here are the nose, sides and tail body kit upgrades. But the icing on the cake are the wild …

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712HP MAYBACH 57S by Knight Luxury is Conspicuously Awesome Carbon LImousine

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Sure, the Maybach brand might be as likeable as Kim and Kayne West. Sure, Kimye even pronounce the name wrong. [It is said “My-bach” not “May-bach”] With all this trashy celeb baggage and S-Class-alike profiles, do Maybach limos have the stop/stare factor of the MANSORY Rolls shown in the previous article? EVEN considering all that: the Knight Luxury 57S custom upgrade shown here is certainly still a breathtaking custom upgrade. Based on the sportiest 57S model, not a panel or corner is left untouched in this super-lux upgrade program from Knight Luxury. IT is certainly effective at giving the Maybach …

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MANSORY Rolls-Royce Phantom Limo and Phantom Drophead Coupe Are 7.5L, V12TT Purebreds

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  In honor of the Monterey and Pebble Beach Concours week – here is the first in a series of showcases of Ultra-High-Net-Worth vehicles from which to choose. The MANSORY customization program knows no limits, of course. But how to make a Phantom even more striking? Ditch the trad — and go for the rad. These three examples of Rolls Royce Phantoms by Mansory are sure to be waived right onto the Concours lawns with no questions asked. They are so intimidating, to be honest, that the driver would likely not even have to roll down the window to say …

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Road Test Review – 2010 Porsche Panamera S is Gorgeous, Potent and Precisely Adjustable German U-boat

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A Banker’s Hot Rod. Have you heard this term before? There are a few ways to define this old Buick advertising tagline from the 1950s: — a car for financial gurus at the top of the global banking markets. A commuter special – able to beat many muscle-cars in stoplight drag races, but also able to wow prospective clients on a lunch outing — the other definition? a car for successfully robbing banks. A getaway car that is so fast and so adept at outrunning normal machines that it will easily haul four newly-affluent people far and fast from the …

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4.5s, 162MPH 2015 Range Rover Sport SVR is Officially Quickest, Fastest and Raciest RRS Ever!

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What would happen if you brought the best and wildest performance tech from the F-Type R into the new Range Rover Sport? Three Letters: S V R Most of these debut images are fake city USA (official renderings) — but stay tuned for in-person debut photos later this week! Nurburgring Proving Test – Highlight Video RRS SVR Nring   2015 Range Rover Sport SVR 2015 RANGE ROVER SPORT SVR The 2015 Range Rover Sport SVR will be the first Land Rover vehicle to wear the new high-performance SVR badge The Range Rover Sport SVR is the most dynamically focused Land …

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2014 Lexus IS-F Review – Part Two – 416HP 5.0L V8 Is Ferocious, Fast and Fun… Even on Rainy Day!

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2014 IS-F REVIEW – PART TWO of THREE     Falling hard and fast for a press loan car is an occupational hazard for car journalists – but that would never happen to me! Ha! Can you imagine? Being so thoroughly obsessed with a machine that I would turn over my personal 2005 Subaru Legacy GT wagon in a hearbeat!? Never going to happen to This Guy! But…  then it did. Like falling in love with a stripper – the end is never easy on a humble John when his time is up. IS-F PRECONCEPTIONS — Never loved the IS-F’s …

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4 New Q by Aston Martin Specials Revealed for Pebble 2014 to Inspire Your Very Own Q Car

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Four brand-new Q models by Aston Martin just arrived ahead of their global debut in Monterey next week. They are all stunning 2014 Pebble Beach Q specials. The real news about Q by Aston Martin is the range of wild options outside — as well as inside. Colors and materials like no other supercar. The Q cabins are nothing short of exquisite.   4 New Q by Aston Martin Specials Revealed 2014 Q by Aston Martin Vanquish Coupe       2014 Q by Aston Martin Vanquish Volante   2014 Q by Aston Martin DB9 Volante   2014 Q by …

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Aston Martin RAPIDE VOLANTE Possible from Newport Convertible Engineering

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Newport Convertible Engineering almost wrote the entire book on factory hard –> soft-top conversions. Often completed on a one-off basis — the NCE process has been making almost anything into sunny cabrios for decades. This includes SUVs and various other unlikely candidates, like the $30,000 Tesla Model S Cabriolet conversion shown below. But what many of these fantasy builds do not have is the existing Vanquish Volante drop-top sharing similar bones to the Rapide. This would seem to make the Rapide an amazing candidate for a high-fashion, four-door cabriolet. Something like the Mercedes-Benz Ocean Drive concept. Or, for that matter, …

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2015 Lexus Crafted Line Debuts at Pebble Beach with Five TUMI-Styled Production Models

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  Gorgeous news from Lexus for five lucky 2015 models! The Crafted Line by Lexus introduces a dark ultra-white/gloss-black glamor to the LS 460, GS 350, IS 250, ES 350 and RX 350. The Ultra White shade shared by all five cars is the latest and extremely amazing shade that was launched for 2014. The Crafted Line cars all vamp up with glossy dark wheels, trims, grilles and mirrors to match the stunning new accent color. Bang-on the style that the most fashionable shoppers crave for 2014 and 2015 – the Crafted Line also includes an interior glam session and …

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4.2s, 203-MPH 2015 Aston Martin RAPIDE S Also Nabs New Dampers, Torque-Tube and 8-Speed ZF Transaxle

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Even more thrilling news from Aston! The technical upgrades to the Vanquish and Vanquish Volante also join the Rapide S saloon-car for 2015. This brings an enormous leap in agility and pace at all times thanks to the latest and greatest ZF Touchtronic III automatic transmission. Mounted in back on the rear axle, this transaxle setup creates an exceptionally balanced sportscar with weight distribution balanced exquisitely. A transaxle layout is the best method for a supercar sedan – as shown by the previous Maserati Qauttroporte and other heroes with four doors over the years. The Rapide S also brings new …

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3.6s 2015 Aston Martin VANQUISH Adds Amazing ZF 8-Speed Auto for 201-MPH Vmax

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Thrilling news from Aston Martin today! The 2015 Vanquish brings a hefty set of upgrades and updates – including the best-ever automatic transmission from ZF. Dubbed Touchtronic III in its Aston duty, this amazing box is a wonderful complement to the new 2015 adaptive/adjustable dampers and a new torque tube as well. The eight-speed auto optimizes the 568-hp V12’s power to great effect in all scnearios. This includes the 60-mph sprint, where the 2015 Vanquish nails a 3.6-second pace. This is down more than 0.6-seconds versus the current car. Great stuff! The full details are out – below is nearly …

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McLaren Special Operations Confirms Pebble Beach Debut of MSO 650S Spider and MSO P1

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As if the all-new P1 GTR were not enough excitement at the McLaren Centre of Pebble Beach — the McLaren Special Operations team will be on hand for the best concours of the year as well! McLaren Special Operations is the newly minted custom-car division of McLaren Automotive. Based with the engineers and designers at the Woking HQ, MSO has shown some amazing creations over the years. A return to Pebble Beach for MSO is exciting because it will put them up close and personal with a core client group. The US has been a run-away success for all McLaren …

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2015 Acura TLX Media Launch Brings 100 New Photos, Pricing, Colors and Specs – $31k Base Price

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The 2015 TLX is off to a roaring start! Eventually replacing both the current TL and the TSX sedan, the new TLX has three powertrains to entice shoppers away from the Lexus IS, BMW 320i, Mercedes-Benz CLA250 and Audi A3/A4. The base pricing looks extremely reasonably for such a swoopy and aggressive sedan design. From just $31,000 for the front-drive four-cylinder, to $about $35,000 for the front-drive V6, and up to a base of $41,450 for the loaded SH-AWD TLX V6 with its standar Tech package. Style-wise, the four-cylinder and V6 TLX’s both look low and sharp and all-new – …

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2014 Audi RS5 Cabriolet Buyers Guide – Black Optics vs Matte Aluminum Optics

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We discovered yesterday how to make your $55,000 Audi A5 Cabrio look much like the hottest RS5 Cabrio — with the simple click of the $4,000 sport pack to upgrade to dark carbon-blade wheels and a darker, sporter front clip. Is the RS5 also completely transformed and updated with its various add-on packages? Yes and no. There are three exterior themes available for the RS5 — but only the $3,000 Black Optics package is a must-buy. (Well, the Black Ops and the black Sport exhaust, actually.)   But the 2014 RS5 Black Optics package brings some of the most sinfully …

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2014 Audi A5 and S5 Cabriolet Buyers Guide – Colors and Sport Package Details

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Just spent the last hour with the Audi S5 and A5 Cabriolet configurators – and have big news! The Sport Package is a must-click option for the A5 in particular: it brings RS5 styling cues all around for just a few thousand extra. Lovely and bold new colors available on the 2014 A5 and S5 as well.   2014 Audi A5 and S5 Cabriolet   2014 Audi A5 Cabriolet Engineering | Performance Engine type Four-cylinder Displacement (cc)/Bore and stroke (mm) 1,984/82.5 x 92.8 Horsepower (@ rpm) 220 @ 4,450-6,000 Torque (lb-ft @ rpm) 258 @ 1,500-4,300 Engine block Cast-iron Cylinder …

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NOVITEC TORADO Lamborghini Aventador Is Hyper Sexy and Hyper Fast!

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Despite the brazen execution of many hypercar customs, creating a package for such intense machines must be an intimidating task for many tuners. Not only must all the pieces surpass the amazing quality of the OEM car, but every upgrade must also be perfect, durable and flawless: — up close and in detail: inspection of a hypercar from up close is a huge part of the fun. so all the upgrades need to make you proud – even from two inches away. — at ultra-high-speeds, around racetracks delivering performance gains — on the way back from the track – with …

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Updated With 188 New Images – Road Test Review – 2013 BMW 535i M Sport – Animated Visual Buyers Guide

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Updated 7.29.14 with 188 new images Update info: BMW GLOBAL The BMW 5 series is incredibly trim-sensitive. It can obviously look amazing in full M5 track apparel, but looks very lonesome and humdrum in the low-range 528i and even 535i without the M Sport package. As a strong indication that this four-year-old model range is on the way out next year — there are hardly any new BMW press photos of the car since 2011. So we turned to the BMW.com global site configurators to try and make an amazing-looking 535i or, even better, a 550i. Even *more* recent update! …

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2014 Lexus ISF Looking Sublime for Sunset Photo Shoot on the Bayou

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Very eager to share my newest supercar crush! If the 1997 Lexus GS400’s ad tagline was ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes,’ then the IS-F’s should be: “Once bitten, forever smitten…” I have been taking photos and video almost all day since the IS-F arrived in the driveway! An instant bond with the Lexus IS-F has lured me out to the driveway thrice to run ‘errands’ over and over. Such is the instant bond with this intense flood of brute Lexus power that we even ventured out to do a risque sunset photo shoot. Nighttime photos are a serious challenge for …

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2015 Audi S8 with 520HP and 3.9s to 60MPH Is The Quickest and Definitely The Coolest A8

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For many years, one of the core elements of the Audi A8’s appeal was its refined and ultra-classy ‘outsider’ appeal. Versus the once-staid S-Class and now-staid BMW 7 series, the A8 was a breath of fresh air. For the ultra-luxury limo set of shoppers, the A8 represented a ‘Mac’ type of aesthetic and usability, versus its very PC-type logic and functions of the other big German luxury sedans. The Audi’s shared German engineering, driving feel and performance instantly put the car ahead of the Lexus LS in many enthusiasts’ minds. A refined and measured exterior and interior design seemed as …

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2014 Buick Regal Turbo and GS AWD – Inside and Out in 50 High-Res Photos

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We still have yet to drive the Buick Regal, but the car is very handsome for 2014 in both the base eAssist or Turbo trims — and definitely int he sexy GS package. The GS is the OPC/VXR version from across the pond – with everything the European cars have to increase the sportiness of the handling, performance and cabin feel. Our GS trades the twin-turbo V6 of the Euro cars for a turbo four – which is the biggest change overall besides the new Buick badges everywhere. The lighter engine up front actually dramatically enhances road feel and how …

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ASTON MARTIN Lagonda Officially Reborn For Bespoke 2015 Super Saloon

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Lagonda lives! Breaking news with a confirmation from Aston-Martin on the 2015 Bespoke Super Saloon project – which is officially the new Lagonda saloon car. Inspiration for the design is said to tie directly to the 1976 Lagonda saloon below in original and VirtualModels.org’s dragster prototype. Most likely reference points in the bespoke 2015 Lagonda are the D-pillar shape and glasshouse, which is more faithful a revamp than the current Rapide S. A chopped and simplified vertical grille and nose bring the light elements low and part of the front face, versus on the uppermost corner edges. The 2015 Lagonda …

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Buick OnStar 4GLTE As Standard Is A Game-Changer for In-Car Mobile Broadband

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Spent some time today with the latest Regal and Lacrosse sedans from Buick – a surprising leader in the tech segment of the car business. Standard 4G LTE in all 2015 Buicks (except the Enclave, which makes it for 2016) will make the first three months of owning car car true heaven. That is the length of the trial period of in-car 4GLTE services with Onstar. I say this with a bit of a smirk because the sign-up rate will be amazingly high. The pricing, already-installed access and friendliness of the sign-in for up to seven devices is a miracle …

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JAGUAR Special Ops F-Type Coupe and XFR-S SportBrake for Team Sky Tour de France Cyclists

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Say what you might about all other sports physicality, strength and stamina requirements – but know that none is really as grueling a challenge as the Tour de France. A bike race that whittles its winners down to rail-skinny, crying fools. Emotional, physical and spiritual battering come with every stage of the race. Evidence? There are few other athletes who would keep charging forward when their scrotum has been rubbed raw and blood-red by constant seat pressure/chafing. It makes this first-ever bike under the English Channel seem like a cakewalk. But the Tour de France is not just won by …

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Hypercar Heroes – Aston Martin One-77 Mega Gallery + Digital Colorizer and Black Trim Pack

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The Aston Martin One-77 is so incredibly sexy and dramatic – as rare as it is special. The typical Aston GT visuals are all stretched, lowered and made more bad-ass in every way. Far down below in this article are 42 high-res photos of the 77-copy hypercar out and about at a few fancy shows in England – looking dapper even in a mature maroon. Directly below is a visual color test, including a virtual ‘black pack’ of tinted glass, dark headlamps and a few shades of darker grille. Still very impressive designs on the One-77 — with the large …

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2015 JAGUAR F-Type Coupe – American Launch at Willow Springs in 85 Sideways Action Shots

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The F-Type coupe is officially here! Jaguar’s recent launch events at Willow Springs Raceway and Motorland Aragon demonstrated the F-Type S and F-Type R in some gorgeous corners and straightaways – with gorgeous summer sunlight in both places to accentuate the F-Type Coupe’s gorgeous form.        2015 JAGUAR F-Type Coupe – American Launch at Willow Springs The new F-Type Coupe is hot as the summer sun these days – but which is best? And among the standard, S and R — which fits your budget and performance criteria? Here is a quick walk through the JaguarUSA.com online configurator, …

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2016 JAGUAR XQ-Type Preview – C-X17 SUV in 150 Photos, 4 Colors from Frankfurt, LA, Dubai and Guangzhou

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Everything we have seen so far from the C-X17 concept is included here!  The first-ever Jaguar crossover is expected to be a huge volume hit for the resurgent brand, with commercial prospects that seem far more lucrative than the just-confirmed XE compact exec sedan. The XE-type will debut September 8th in Paris, while the XQ-type — as it is expected to be called — should see its production debut around that time as well. The other name trademarked by Jaguar is the Q-type – which could be an alternative name for this five-seat SUV or the name of a possible …

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BRABUS ML-Class Mercedes-Benz Increases Speed, Exclusivity and Cabin Luxury

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UPDATED for the ML-Class — and this all certainly applies to the five-seat Benz SUV as much as it does the seven-seater!   Who are we to judge a megalux custom SUV? Nobody – that is who. At least, nobody with anywhere near the wealth or status to feel let down by the factory ML-Class AMG from Mercedes-Benz. But in certain worlds, the factory model is just too plain, and too similar, to even find in a Brentwood organic produce parking lot — let alone feel passionate about. BRABUS takes things up a notch in every regard. More premium, much …

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