Luxury News

While most of us are aware that a million dollar bill fails to exist in U.S. currency, a woman in the United Arab Emirates is now painfully aware of the fact.  Sure, there are novelty million dollar bills.   Sadly, I am not joking.

A man from the Ivory Coast is now in police custody after attempting a completely ridiculous monetary scam at UAE’s central bank.  According to reports, the man successfully persuaded a woman to exchange two phony $1 million dollar bills, a task he offered her a 30% cut to complete. 

Light bulb lady, when someone offers you money to do things they could logically do themselves, it is a fat scam.  Perhaps the lady was momentarily seduced by visions of Lamborghinis, Ferraris and that overdue pedicure to realize that she would never see a penny of that imaginary money.  Well, she can still indulge in a Ferrari rental, for far less. 

Not sure what is more ridiculous, that he attempted it, or that someone fell victim to it!  It is unclear whether the bills were to be traded for U.S. bills or UAE dirham.  Both phony million-dollar bills boast the portrait of George Washington from the $1 dollar bill (at least they got the 1 part correct) and are predominantly black and white on the front.  Can you imagine the audacity of the creator of these bills, not only are they unrealistic, but crudely manufactured!  Inevitably, the teller tipped off the proper authorities and the situation was dissolved, along with the perp’s dreams of wealth.

The National newspaper quotes Col. Rashid Mohammed Bursheed, head of organized crime, as stating that the suspect claimed he thought the bills were authentic.   Right.  And that was certainly not Paris Hilton’s purse. 

Well, that draws a close to that fiscal fiasco, but check out our fleet of luxury rental cars and other cool stuff on your way out!

Post by Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals

The prestigious Le Mans race was rather creative and forward thinking this year, hosting an event called “Le Mans into the future” prior to the 78th annual event. 
 

The event highlighted unfolding eco-friendly concepts, hybrids and luxury technology.  Eco vehicles made demonstration laps during the event, including the following models and brands:

1.    Andros electric racecar
2.    Audi R8 e-Tron concept
3.    BMW Hydrogen 7
4.    Mazda RX-8 Hydrogen RE
5.    Peugeot RCZ Hybrid4
6.    Porsche 911 GT3 Hybrid
7.    Secma F16 Electrique
8.    Tesla Roadster
9.    Volkswagen Scirrocco Natural Gas

A mystery yacht has washed up on Florida’s west coast on Wednesday, with the motor running and no one onboard.  Authorities have been unsuccessful in locating its owner, and the 48-foot Sea Ray Sundancer luxury yacht is valued at around $1 million dollars, according to the company website. 

At this point of the mystery, authorities have located its previous owner, who sold it about two years ago.  Who knows how many times the vessel has changed hands after that sale, if any.  The luxury yacht is blue and white, with the name ‘Makin’ Waves’ and the most recent registration is out of Delaware.  Abandoned yacht is similar to one pictured at right.

There are two flags, a Mexican flag secured to the bow and an American flag at the stern.  Because the motor was running, and the strange circumstances of the abandoned yacht, foul play has not been ruled out, although no immediate clues were available onboard and no missing persons have been reported at sea.

Luxury News of the Week: Bentley Mulsanne

How does a company such as Bentley, makers of some of the finest automobiles in the World, outdo itself?  Most who have seen or been lucky enough to drive the new Mulsanne would point directly to their latest creation and just smile.  Design Director Dirk van Braeckel successfully integrated hints of classic Bentleys into a completely contemporary shape.  Viewing from the front, one might assume they are looking at a Rolls Royce Phantom until you notice the trademark B on the hood.  The design from the roof into the wide back end might remind some of the Continental R’s of the 90’s but the larger doors and pillars bring in elements of the more modern Flying Spur.  This Bentley truly is one like you have never seen before even though it has some recognizable characteristics from Bentley’s of yesterday.  This may be the perfect sedan to add to a Chicago exotic rental cars fleet.

I bet these celebs wish they could get behind the wheel of one of our cars, and now they can.  For free.  Well, almost free.  We would, of course, want a video testimonial expressing how badass it was to peel through South Beach in one of our sumptuous luxury cars. 
 

So, will the real celebs please stand up, and take us up on our offer?  Sit down Kayne, we will let you finish later.

1.   LeBron James
2.   Ashton Kutcher
3.   Brad Pitt
4.   Tiger Woods
5.   Megan Fox
6.   Justin Timberlake
7.    Ellen Degeneres
8.    Cameron Diaz
9.    Perez Hilton
10.  Guy Kawasaki

If you are a luxury car enthusiast, you may also love luxury car memorabilia.  For the Porsche lovers, German luxury publisher tenuous is about to unleash a limited edition book on the famous brand accompanied by a signed and numbered photographic print.  All of this can be yours, for the bargain price of $3,000. 

Only 50 copies of The Porsche Book collector’s edition will be released and it boasts some of the most stunning Porsche images captured in the world.  Some of the images were taken by designer Frank M. Orel, and others were selected by him, but all have passed his critical expert eye and made it into the book.   Orel collaborated with the Porsche Museum team in Stuttgart, Germany on the luxury masterpiece of memorabilia, both adding their passion and perspective to the project.

Attention Steve McQueen and Porsche fans, a rare 1970’s Porsche racecar just destroyed the auction block, fetching a stunning $3,965,000 million at Bonhams & Butterfield’s in Monterey.  This also shatters the world-record for the most expensive Porsche ever sold at auction.  Let’s find out why.

The Porsche is actually a historic and rare ex-Jurgen, similar to the one sported by Steve McQueen in Le Mans.  It is a 1970 Gulf-JWA Le Mans 917K Porsche Interserie Spyder, so try saying that three times fast.  Racecars generally boast lengthy names, in efforts to give credit to various people or innovation. 

Hiromu Naruse was an esteemed test driver for the Toyota team for 47 years, from 1963-2010.  For the past several years, he was the chief test driver of the amazing Lexus LFA supercar, and tragically, it was in an LFA that Naruse sadly lost is life on June 23rd, 2010. 

The fatal crash occurred on a test track near Germany’s famous racing venue known as the Nurburgring, where Naruse is reported to have left his lane and hit a BMW production car frontally.  Naruse was 66 years old, and a valued and integral part of team Toyota.  Naruse died doing what he loved, in the company’s first-ever attempt at a supercar, and not many can make that claim.

Can you guess?  According to a study of 16 different hybrid automobiles, only one can claim to actually cost less to purchase and operate on its gasoline counterpart.  For those of you thinking Prius, think again amigos.

What?  It isn’t the Prius?  The hybrid car most associated with the word hybrid?  Shocker.  It has historically been a complaint that there is essentially no payback for purchasing a hybrid car, that they are more expensive to buy and cost just as much in fuel.  I mean, shouldn’t a hybrid return the initial cost of investment in fuel savings? 

So which one can claim the opposite?  Drumroll please.  The 2010 Mercedes-Benz S 400 Hybrid gets that title.  A Benz beat the quintessential Prius in this department?  The Prius hybrid that sold over a million units?  Heads will roll.

Luxury carmaker Lamborghini is apparently into trying new positions, market positions that is, as it is altering some of its design tactics. 

The company has vocalized in interviews that there is a shift in focus from top speed to design, because many drivers will never take their Lambo past 200 miles per hour anyways.  What?  Who wouldn’t burn to take their shiny new Lamborghini up to top speed, if not just to see if you got your money’s worth?  That is like buying a Smartphone and only using to make calls. 

For those of you who find New York to be expensive, take notice of London!  A luxury penthouse just sold for a staggering $220 million, located at One Hyde Park, a development in Knightsbridge.  This could be the most expensive apartment sale.

The prestigious One Hyde Park development features 86 luxury properties starting at the bargain rate of around $31 million. Interestingly, the sale of the $220 million dollar unit at One Hyde Park dwarfs the previous record holder in Britain, the James’ Square apartment in Westminster’s 8 St. that sold for $180 million in 2008.

I love technology, and I love luxury cars.  So what is better than new technology in luxury cars?  There are some serious brains out there, dreaming, designing and daring to improve on perfection.  Auto perfection.  Welcome to the future, in all its science fiction like glory!
 

Here are some of the best upcoming tech trends for luxury autos:

1.    Emergency Steering Assist
2.    Simplify Your Drive
3.    AutoLine
4.    Active Force Feedback Pedal
5.    Intelligent Tire System/Fill Assist

The 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost may well be the baddest addition to luxury sedans worldwide, and by bad I mean good.
Yes, the latest luxury sedan put forth by Rolls Royce is solidly positioned as a sort of entry-level piece, with a price tag of around a quarter million dollars. 

Entry-level, you ask?  Well yes, with the knowledge that sibling Phantom is $380,000.  Today’s Ghost also seems to be a bargain when compared to predecessors the Silver Ghosts, which ran from 1906-1926 and are valued well into the millions.

 Porsche Announces Production Plans for Hybrid 918 Spyder

Want to own Porsche’s most expensive car ever built and feel like you are helping the environment at the same time?  If so, better have some connections within Porsche to get your name on the waiting list as soon as possible.  Originally just a concept car, executives at Porsche agreed to put the car into production if at least 1,000 people signed declarations of interest to purchase.  Luckily for all car lovers, over 2,000 people signed up and now all we can do is wait. 

The Terrafugia Transition is the closest thing to a flying car that has been created to date.  There is no end to the awesomeness of this idea, a vehicle that is equal parts plane and you know, car.  Seriously.

Terrafugia is a startup firm, and they have been developing and tweaking the Transition (fitting name) since 2006.  This startup was founded by a group of MIT engineers who seem to have an affinity for the aerial.  Basically, Transition is a light, single-engine plane capable of folding its wings, with a substantial four-wheeled undercarriage allowing it to be a car.  One word:  Beast.