The Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale: Ugly or Awesome?

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

The Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale by Zagato is a strange mix of Italian design and American muscle. I cannot decide if I like it or hate it, because while the front looks fantastic, the side and rear views are a bit of a turn off and certain custom wheels can look horrible. It is from a long line of similar hyperbeasts, and made a rare appearance at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, where the video below was captured.

Footage of the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale Zagato showing off at the 2013 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Listen to the threatening rumble and revving. 

While it is a confusing looking machine, that does not mean I would refuse it entry into my garage–merely that certain aesthetic cues could have been more cohesive. It looks a touch like a distorted Ferrari FF with a sportier rear. Zagato bills the Alfa Romeo TZ3 as the first American Alfa in automotive history. So what are the differences setting this machine apart from its predecessors and the newer members of the family?

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale

The Alfa Romeo TZ3 at a glance:

  • No Italian mechanics involved
  • Instead, the TZ3 takes advantage of the Fiat-Chrysler power union, packing an 8.4-liter V10 based on the Dodge Viper ACR
  • Kicks out 611 horses
  • 2-2 layout

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale Some recent members of the Zagato family include:

  • The 1996 Zagato Raptor
  • The 2002 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato
  • The 2003 Aston Martin DB AR1
  • The 2005 Lancia Ypsilon Sport
  • The 2006 Toyota Harrier Zagato
  • The 2007 Maserati GS Zagato
  • The 2008 Spyker C12 Zagato
  • The 2008 Perana Z-One
Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale
  • The 2010 Alfa Romeo TZ3
  • The 2011 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale
  • The 2011 Aston Martin V12 Zagato
  • The 2012 BMW Zagato coupe
  • The 2012 BMW Zagato roadster

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale

Just nine examples of the TZ3 Stradale exist, so it is something special to see one out at a show. What do you think of it? Comment below.

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale

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Audi Drivers Get Upper Hand in Parking

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

Living in the city has its perks and its pains–like parking. Audi drivers now have an advantage to help them locate available parking thanks to a new Audi parking feature. The feature links its built-in navigation system to the information made available from participating parking garages to inform drivers of open spots. Genius!

Audi parking feature

The amount of information being made available from public parking structures continues to rise, making it ideal to link the technology directly to vehicles. This technology will reduce the overall stress of wasting time, money and fuel searching for parking in crowded areas, and will likely be incorporated in other brands to meet public expectations.

Audi parking feature

How it works:

Audi’s Director of connected vehicles, Pom Malhorta, explained that the new parking service will integrate seamlessly into the navigation system of existing Audi Connect. It is available through a simple download. When the driver enters a destination, they can then select the parking feature from the online services menu. A list of available parking garages and lots will then appear, showing the hourly rates and garage hours. In some instances, it will also show how many spaces remain available in the garage—depending on how advanced the garage.

The address of the parking garage will then be auto-entered into the navigation system, and directions will be provided. Gone are the days of frustratingly searching for a garage entrance, as Audi’s parking feature will guide them directly to it, not just the actual physical address of the garage! Google street view provides a peek of how the entrance will look, making it impossible to miss.

Audi parking feature

As our cars continue to merge with their routes and destinations seamlessly, drivers will continue to demand the best features. We can’t wait to see what is next!

The new parking feature is part of a budding partnership between Audi and Inrix, a company specializing in real-time data traffic. Inrix has logged data for over 18,000 parking garages in the United States and 42,000 in Europe so far.

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Which Brand Won the Most International Engine of the Year Awards?

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

The devilish roar that emerges from a Ferrari is something truly special–and they are not the only ones to feel that way. The brand has won two International Engine of the Year awards again this year, thanks to the all-new 6.3-liter V12 created for the F12 Berlinetta. The engine unleashes 740 Prancing Horses and the results must sting for Lamborghini, who no-doubt felt deserving with their splintering 700-horsepower Aventador. LaFerrari kicks out 950 happy horses, though it is a hybrid and was not part of the competition it appears.

Engine of the Year Awards

Ferrari has taken the same categories in the International Engine of the Year competition since 2011.

The accolades were received in the Best Performance Engine and Above 4-liter Engine categories of the annual competition. The same categories were won with the Ferrari 458’s 4.5-liter V8 in both 2011 and 2012. The annual awards provide a peek at the auto industry’s latest engineering endeavors and high-performance feats.

Engine of the Year Awards

The F12 Berlinetta’s engine is not only more aggressive, but also greener as it releases fewer emissions than its V8 predecessors. 

Ferrari released the following statement about the awards: “Winning both these categories for the third year running is a fantastic result for everyone at Ferrari. It is testimony to the efforts of a relatively small group of engineers who constantly strive to achieve ambitious technical objectives. Three figures suffice to demonstrate the results of development: 120 HP more and 30 percent lower emissions than the previous V12 that equipped the 599 GTB Fiorano, along with a 30 percent increase in longitudinal acceleration.”

Engine of the Year Awards

Ferrari’s team of engineers work tirelessly to stay ahead of competition and develop premier supercars. It will certainly be exciting to see what the brand has in store for next year’s competition in order to hold onto their titles.

 

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Porsche Owner Orders Custom Garage to be House Centerpiece

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

A Japanese Porsche owner has commissioned a very special garage to house the sports car. The custom garage is the centerpiece of the home, with views of the car available from every angle while inside of the home! I suppose the trendy owner can rest assured that no one is going to sneak into the garage and bust out with the car–unless they have seen ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ too many times.

custom garage

This Osaka townhome was completely designed to encase a glorious garage housing a silver Porsche 911. The car and home merge into one very eccentric and appealing work of art.

The model that sparked the innovation is a 1959 Porsche 911 designed by “Butzi” Porsche himself. The entire home and garage serves as a work of art. It was designed by Kenji Yanagawa Architects to showcase the classic slice of automotive history.

custom garage

It is typical for architects to work very hard to disguise a garage on a luxury home. In this instance, the team of sought-after pros likely put in more effort extracting ideas to integrate it in this manner. They used white for nearly everything, drawing all attention to the silver Porsche centerpiece. The best views of the car are available from the workspace area, as it opens out to the garage. The sharp modern white stairways and angles provide a luxurious feel as guests enjoy views of the car.

custom garage

Dinner party conversation would certainly never fall into a lull at this home. When guests had finished discussing the eclectic remodel of the townhome, there will always be the specs of the Porsche to pour over!

custom garage

It appears quite normal from the exterior

Japanese custom garage

The steel frame home was designed to withstand the elements, including earthquakes and strong winds. The Porsche will be well preserved here! 

 

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Nissan Juke R is No Joke! Watch it Drag Race a Bugatti Veyron

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

The following drag clip depicts a stock Bugatti Veyron pitted against the Nissan Juke R. The Juke R was fitted with high-performance aftermarket enhancements to generate an output of 700 horses over the standard 545. Watch the clip before you continue reading!

Bugatti Veyron Vs. Nissan? What is going on with this odd drag race and who has more information?

The Nissan Juke R appears to dominate the drag strip in the beginning, and the Bugatti ends up winning the race. Has the video been altered in some way? While the Juke R should never beat a Veyron, it appears that the Juke R crosses the finish line first. What is going on with this clip? Could a Nissan Juke R ever beat a Veyron off the jump? The world is now a very confusing place.

Nissan Juke RThe Bugatti Veyron Super Sport remains the fastest production car on the planet. That does not downplay the power of a stock Veyron, however, which is still mind-numbingly fast!

The Nissan Juke R is the sort-of follow-up to the GT-R. It is not exactly in production, however, as it is being built on a per-order basis at $600,000 a pop. It is only a handful of buyers that are willing to drop that kind of dough on an exotic sports car with the Nissan badge. Let’s face it—for that kind of investment, one could acquire a collector car from a more distinguished name badge like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and more. There are still some sports car fans that prefer the thrill of the new, and so the Juke R may enjoy a small but exhilarating run in history.

Nissan Juke R

The Nissan Juke R is quite bubbly in the body. It cannot seem to decide if it wants to be an SUV or a hot hatch, and the ride height is pretty up there for a supercar. Anything with ample horses and aggression is ok by me, however.

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UK Driver Crashes Classic Bugatti and Finds Comfort in Beer

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

Racing driver and Bugatti enthusiast Edmund Burgess knows how to nurse a wound: with a pint of beer or two. Burgess lost control of his classic Bugatti while competing in the Prescott Speed Hill Climb in Gloucestershire, crashing it as he rounded a corner. Like any unhappy chap, he simply strolled from the scene of the crash to the nearest pub! I daresay I like his style–he seems to play the part of a debonair 007 who prefers Bugatti to Aston Martin.

Classic Bugatti

UK man crashes Bugatti T13 and heads directly to the pub for a cold beer. Can you blame the fellow? Crashing a quarter million dollar classic car calls for a round…or 12. 

The 1924 Bugatti Type 13 at a glance:

  • This model was manufactured in 1914 and again from 1919-1926
  • All editions built were dubbed Brescia
  • It packs an in-line 4-cylinder engine with overhead camshafts
  • 30 horsepower at 4500 rpms. This figure seems laughable today, though it was not shabby in the early 1900s!
  • It is shaft-driven with front-wheel suspension. Live axle, semi-elliptical springs
  • Back wheel suspension is also live axle
  • Cable drum brakes
  • Overall weight is 450 kilos

Classic Bugatti

The remains of the 1924 Bugatti T13 will take approximately 8 weeks to restore, which is plenty of time for Burgess to lament. The classic car is valued at around a quarter of a million and it turned completely over, as you can see in the dramatic photos. Burgess is extremely lucky to have escaped injury, though the hangover must have been a bit painful.

Classic Bugatti crash

Burgess narrowly missed the Armco barrier as his classic Bugatti flipped. The 56-year-old washed down the shock with a cold beer. 

Bugatti crash

Burgess was very lucky to escape injury after flipping over in the convertible Bugatti. The photos give the amusing illusion of a slow-motion tumble, similar to a baby tipping over.

Classic Bugatti

The classic machine pre-damage

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Video: Bugatti Offers Inside Peek on the Exquisite Veyron L’or Blanc

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

Bugatti has released a special insider peek into the elaborate Veyron L’or Blanc, an artisan masterpiece with porcelain accents. This one-off Bugatti Veyron kicks out 1,001 horses housed in a mix of aluminum and carbon fiber, finished off with the same swirl techniques employed by artists at German porcelain designer Konigleche Porzellan-Manfuatur Berlin (KPM).

The Bugatti Veyron L’or Blanc: An artistic interpretation. This video provides the background story into the development of the unique L’or Blanc

The exterior swirling on the L’or Blanc depicts the diligent attention to detail employed by those skilled in working with porcelain. Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti greatly relished using and experimenting with new materials, so this model certainly stays true to brand heritage.

Veyron L’or Blanc

The video says that the Veyron L’or Blanc illustrates the birthplace of beauty and perfection, offering porcelain in a completely new context. The attention to detail and grace demonstrate the complexity of porcelain and the skill required to master its use. They share that porcelain is a very particular medium that can shrink considerably. Whether the luxury material is cast, molded or thrown—it will behave differently each time. For these reasons, it took months to create the pieces used in the Bugatti L’or Blanc, and they fit perfectly into the vehicle. They have been made to stand the test of time and gentle use, and will look fantastic for a long time before needing replaced. Veyron L’or Blanc

Jewelry and functionality: Porcelain graces this very special one-off Veyron

Fine details of the porcelain Bugatti Veyron include the wheel center caps, fuel cap and several interior trims. Each piece was hand crafted by experts at KPM. The only existing L’or Blanc is spoken for, though another Bugatti with KPM porcelain accents did attend the 2012 Beijing Auto Show. That model has likely been sold, though it does show a potentially budding relationship between the maker of hypercars and the artisan porcelain company.

Veyron L’or Blanc

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Koenigsegg One: There Can Be Just 5

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

More renderings and speculation has been trickling out regarding the Koenigsegg One, a potentially potent rival to the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. The Swedish-made dream machine is drenched with carbon fiber and if you believe the rumors, packing some seriously amplified power beneath its shapely hood.

Koenigsegg One

The Koenigsegg One could be unveiled as soon as November at the 2013 Guangzhou Auto Show. If all 5 examples are not sold already, they certainly will be during the show.

Just five examples of the Koenigsegg One will be created, and they are likely all spoken for. They will only be available in China and will likely set their owners back a cool $2 million dollars. The special edition car is being developed in cooperation with FFF Automobile, China’s go-to luxury auto dealer.

Koenigsegg One

The Koenigsegg One is based on its aggressive predecessor, the Agera. The One will be much lighter thanks to all that carbon fiber. Less weight equals more power, even without the engine tweaks that are surely present in the next-generation of Koenigsegg.

Koenigsegg One

Actual engine specs have not been released to the public, and guestimates on the actual engine output vary. Quite a few seem to think it will unload up to 1,400 horses, which is 300 more than the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. Early claims placed the output around 1,200 to 1,350, with a 0-60 sprint of 2.5 seconds.

Let us hope the new rumors of a 1,400 horsepower hyperbeast are true, and that it can far exceed 250 miles per hour. The Koenigsegg Agera packs a 947 horsepower turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 and nails the 0-60 jump in 3 seconds. It seems the brand is eager to increase the power and their playing field in China–the current hot spot for all that is luxury.

 

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$450,000 Aston Martin Flying Delta in Cargo

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

Recently, a 1963 Aston Martin traveled from Frankfurt, Germany to New York via Delta Air Lines. The $450,000 luxury car needed to make the trip overnight, so it was secured into the hold of the aircraft on a standard freight pallet with its polished bumpers protruding over the edges! The classic car attracted much attention during the loading and off-loading processes, naturally. This reminded me of the Lamborghini Aventadors being offloaded.

Aston Martin

An Aston Martin travels in the hold of a Delta aircraft from Frankfurt, Germany to New York. Would you ever dream of shipping a vehicle worth a half million dollars in a standard hold? 

Delta is not a stranger to luxury transport, and it moves around 100 cars annually. This particular trip made the airline a cool $10,000 USD. The greater the value of the vehicle being shipped–the greater the profit for the airline. It is simple math. Delta boasts a comfortable billion-dollar per year cargo business. Of that cargo shipping business, the company profits around 50%, which is quite a cozy sum.

Lamborghini Aventador

A pair of Lamborghini Aventadors were being offloaded in the photo above

Many wealthy and well-traveled car owners and collectors prefer to ship their vehicles with European airlines. Great lengths are typically taken to ensure that the cars arrive without a single scratch.

But is Delta qualified to handle supercars and sometimes irreplaceable exotic sports cars? The low volume of exotic cars shipped by the badge hints that it is not the preferred method of travel by owners. The company has moved hypercars like a Lamborghini and Porsche without incident. While it manages to attract a few impressive auto shipments annually, Delta still lags behind competitors. European airlines get the majority of the overseas luxury transport business. The occasional financial bump when they do get a car like this is likely very appreciated, however.

 

 

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Lexus LFA Tribute Video Hints at Successor

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

The Lexus LFA was the very first supercar created by the company. It was an international sensation, an impressive first attempt packing 560 horses and a lofty $375,000 price tag. Since it has been a few years, Lexus has released an LFA tribute video to remind us of its awesomeness. The video also hints that there will be more Lexus supercars to come.


It has been a few years since the launch of the Lexus LFA supercar. Now the company has released a tribute video to remind the world of its talents and hint at a future luxury supercar. The short clip above highlights the LFA’s stats and successes. 

The production run for the Lexus LFA was limited to just 500 units, the last of which rolled off the production line in December of 2012. The LFA project was the brainchild of Lexus engineer Haruhiko Tanahashi. Tanahashi handpicked a special group of engineers and designers to create the dream machine, which was produced in 2010. Imagine Lifestyles had the rare opportunity to drive the LFA in Miami in 2009. It really was as special as they claim and powerful enough to glue you to the seats around the embankment turns. That is because it is powered by a special 4.8-liter V10 engine that hits the 60 mile per hour marker in just 3.7 seconds with a top speed of 202 plus.

Lexus LFA

All 500 Lexus LFA cars sold quickly. It is easy to see why.

It has long been rumored that the LFA will not be the only attempt the brand will make at a hypercar. They are now hinting that the materials, engineering and techniques will be used again for successors of the LFA, which is certainly exciting news!

Lexus LFA

The Lexus LFA looks fantastic in white

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