Another BMW Concept Car Gets Pininfarina Touches

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

BMW and Pininfarina have teamed up again to produce a predecessor for the Zagato coupe, dubbed the BMW Gran Lusso. The teaser photos give little away, though it appears to be an aggressive and rather elongated luxury coupe. The official unveil of the latest collaboration between the famous design house and BMW will be at the 2013 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

BMW Gran Lusso

Pininfarina and BMW collaborate on another concept car

The teaser photos show badging that spills a V12 powerplant, which is fairly intense for a BMW. While it looks sporty, there are also elegant touches by Pininfarina that depict its high-performance profile through a stretched hood and long wheelbase. Inside, the BMW Gran Lusso coupe is likely going to be quite lavish.

BMW describes the secret Gran Lusso as follows: “Generous surface design and taut contours highlight an elegant vehicle body, while hallmark BMW proportions – a long wheelbase, stretched bonnet, short overhangs and a set-back greenhouse with smoothly sloping roofline – imbue the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé with authoritative dynamics even before a wheel has been turned.”

BMW Gran Lusso

The Gran Lusso coupe is likely a one-off and there are currently no hints at production. It will be among dozens of classic vintage cars, exotic cars and sports cars. The Concorso d’Eleganza began in 1929 and ran through 1949. The luxury car show was given new life in 1995 and continues to attract some of the best examples of auto design and performance on the planet today.

BMW Gran Lusso

This year the show is on May 24th, where the BMW Gran Lusso coupe will make its first appearance. The event will last until May 26th, and RM Auctions is hosting a luxury auction at nearby Villa Erba on the 25th as part of the celebrations.

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Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept Lacks Creature Comforts

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

The Aston Martin CC100 Speedster concept is a racy tribute to the brand’s 100 years in the luxury auto industry. The CC100 is missing a few key comforts, including a roof and the lower portion of its doors. What it lacks in creature comforts, the concept makes up for with power and prowess.

Aston Martin CC100 Speedster

The Aston Martin CC100 racer stirred up excitement recently at the Nürburgring racetrack. The sporty blue and yellow exterior is fitting of a track car and draw attention to the elongated body.

The CC100 Speedster boasts a blend of components borrowed from its predecessors. Under the prominent hood lurks a mean 6.0-liter V12 borrowed from the rest of the range. The transmission is a 6-speed semi-automatic with paddles positioned directly on the steering wheel. It has the aluminum architecture of the road going cars, but is built strictly for the track.

Aston Martin CC100 Speedster

Aston Martin CC100 Speedster at a glance:

  • This racer nails the 0-60 jump in a scant 4 seconds
  • The top speed is around 180 miles per hour
  • It took only six months to create. Most concept cars consume about 3-5 years to get from paper to the road.
  • The bodywork is the bare minimum to reduce weight
  • It is a nod to the brand’s famous 1959 DBR1 racer, a successful Le Mans endurance race champion
  • No production plans or pricing have been announced
  • Hardware from the Vantage, DB9, Rapide and Vanquish were utilized in the CC100. This is how it was created so rapidly

Aston Martin CC100 Speedster

The green light has not been given for production, and the only existing version turned in a stunning performance at the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany as part of Aston Martin’s centennial celebrations.

Aston Martin CC100

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Extremely Rare Bugatti EB110 Car for Sale

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

Just 31 examples of a Bugatti EB110 with scissor doors were created. Of those 31 cars, just two were then enhanced by German tuner Brabus. One of those glorious cars is now for sale by Oakfields, a specialty dealer. The rare exotic machine can be yours for around $730,000.

Bugatti EB110

One of two Bugatti EB110 supercars to receive the Brabus treatment is now available

This version boasts a bespoke blue and black leather interior and identifiable Brabus side sills with an enhanced quad-exhaust system. Aside from the aesthetic and aerodynamic changes, Brabus did not alter the EB110’s multi-turbocharged 3.5-liter V12 engine–which is a bit unusual for an aftermarket tuner. Brabus specializes in enhancing supercars to pull out a few more horses by chip-tuning the production engine. Apparently, the Bugatti production version packed sufficient prowess as-is. That can be expected with so many turbochargers and dual overhead camshafts.

Bugatti EB110

Basically, Brabus manipulated the exhaust system, look and feel of the Bugatti EB110. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox powering all four wheels. The Brabus exhaust enhancements are four fluted round pipes that serve as the only exterior clue that the model was tuned.

Bugatti EB110

The Bugatti EB110 was unveiled in GT form in 1991, with production ending in 1995 due to bankruptcy. Automotive powerhouse Volkswagen eventually purchased the name, and today we have the hyper-machines that comprise the Bugatti Veyron line.

 

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Lamborghini Egoista Concept is Selfish

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

The Lamborghini Egoista concept name loosely translates to “selfish” in Italian. The beast also boasts just one seat, so it is obviously for those who prefer the company of…well, themselves. All jokes aside, the Egoista (think ego) concept was officially unveiled to an amped up crowd of about 700 Lamborghini owners recently as part of the brand’s 50-year anniversary celebrations.

Lamborghini Egoista Concept

Renderings of the Egoista are exciting

The entire 2013 calendar year is dedicated to celebrating the special 50th birthday of Lamborghini. The crowd of 700 owners gathered from around the world for a weeklong brand heritage celebration involving clouds of smoke, hypercars and exclusive events.

Lamborghini Egoista Concept

The renderings look more aggressive than the Aventador

During the final gala of the week, Walter De Silva drove the single-seat car on stage with dramatic strobe lights to show off the styling cues. De Silva is the head of design for Volkswagen Group, which owns Lamborghini. His team was charged with overseeing the development and design of the Lamborghini Egoista.

Lamborghini Egoista Concept

De Silva stated: “I wanted to pay homage to and think up a vehicle to underline the fact that Lamborghinis have always been made with passion, and the heart more than the head.”

The Egoista is based on the existing Gallardo and kicks out 600 horses thanks to a 5.2-liter V10. The center-mounted cockpit of the Lamborghini Egoista is made of carbon fiber and aluminum and is removable. Note that there are no doors!

Lamborghini Egoista Concept

The recent reveal of the Lamborghini Veneno sparked fanfare and the voluptuous Egoista certainly has potential

For those interested, the brand has already put the brakes on any talk of production. The Egoista concept is strictly for Lamborghini’s use and will not be produced. Don’t worry, for about $4 million USD you can always stalk one of the 3 owners of the new Lamborghini Veneno and try to get one of those.

 

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Top 10 Fast Bugatti Veyron Facts

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

The Bugatti Veyron is one of the most-loved and most-powerful hypercars on the planet. Below is a top 10 list of some of the most interesting facts about the car.

Bugatti Veyron

10. Since production began in 2006, less than 400 Bugatti Veyrons have been created. The marquee will produce just 300 coupes and 150 convertible Veyrons.

9. The fastest model is the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport coupe. The car held the title of “Fastest Production Car in the World” until recently. The title was stripped due to a breach in official Guinness rules. (Follow link for full details).

8. It only takes 6 weeks to build the Veyron. It takes about a day to produce a standard car. Perfection takes time!

Bugatti Veyron

7. The $120,000 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is designed by Ricardo, an English specialty engineering firm.

6. The Bugatti Veyron has 10 radiators working overtime to keep those 1,200 horses cool. Very few hypercars even come close to packing that much in the stable.

5. A set of wheels for a Veyron is quite costly. The special tires are $40,000 and Bugatti recommends that the $70,000 wheels be replaced after every 2 sets of tires as part of general maintenance.

4. The Veyron is thirsty. It guzzles 8 miles per gallon city and 14 highway. At top speeds, it downs 1.4 U.S. gallons per minute. No, it is not Irish.

3. Near top speed, its special spoiler pivots to effectively become an air brake. This spoiler works about as hard as a standard car’s brakes.

Bugatti Veyron

2. It only takes about 10 seconds for the Bugatti Veyron to come to a complete stop from top speed.

1. The interior leathers are derived from cows raised at an altitude where there are no insects to puncture their precious hides. The leather is premium and blemish free, as you can see in the photo of the one of a kind Bugatti Veyron L’or Blanc below.

Bugatti Veyron

The cockpit of the Bugatti Veyron L’or Blanc is flawless

Bugatti Veyron L'or Blanc

The one-off Bugatti L’or Blanc is porcelain 

 

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Marussia F1 May Get Ferrari Engines for 2014

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

Marussia F1 is a Formula One racing team based in Banbury for the United Kingdom. The team is likely to get some shiny new Ferrari engines for the 2014 year as new regulations come into effect. Previous supplier Cosworth is pulling out of engines, saying that it cannot find any commercial justification for building an engine for the 2014 year. That leaves just 3 engine suppliers: Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes-Benz.

Marussia F1

Marussia F1 is in their fourth season in Formula 1, having finished 12th, 12th and 11th overall in the championship standings and are due to score a point.

Marussia F1 will need to choose between Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz, as Renault is already jam packed for the season. Rumors are circulating that the team may opt for the Ferrari turbo engines for next season, which is likely pleasing to the Prancing Horse.

Marussia F1

The current engines used by Marussia are 2.4-liter V8s. Due to new regulations and changes, the next engine will be a 1.6-liter V6. Ferrari and Marussia have an existing relationship, as they run F1 rookie Jules Bianchi academy driver alongside Max Chilton.

Marussia F1

Marussia F1 technical director Pat Symonds stated that the team is likely to use Ferrari turbo engines. He relayed that: “There will be only 3 suppliers next year—Renault, Mercedes and Ferrari—and while we have spoken to all of them, I think we are rapidly heading in the direction of Ferrari. We need to head in a direction rapidly because we really need to sign a supply agreement with someone quite soon—and Ferrari, at the moment are top of that list.”

Marussia F1

Marussia has added Kers recently and with the help of a Ferrari turbo engine, could fare far better in the racing circuit next season

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10 Fun Exotic Car Rental Facts

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

Ten reasons why exotic car rentals are the route to go:

Exotic car rental facts

10. The maintenance costs and time consuming issues are not your problem.

9. You do not have to commit! Why drop a quarter million and upwards to own a supercar, when you can rent a variety of exotics anytime. Change is good.

8. Fuel consumption is not a concern. Hey, you are not driving that Ferrari rental to the office everyday, no need to worry about optimum EPA ratings!

Exotic car rental facts

7. Be warned: You will not want your regular vehicle back. Ever. It is true, so plan ahead and rent an exotic sports car for all of the important annual events to avoid depression.

6. Power. This seems obvious, but a supercar offers more than mere horsepower—it provides playing power. Take one to an upcoming business event and note the distinct differences.

5. Rev things up. You are free to rent that dry old Camry for your annual vacation…or you can drive a Maserati. With our competitive pricing, the question is not whether you can afford it, but why you didn’t think of it sooner.

Exotic car rental facts

4. They drive different. Driving a supercar requires learning a new skillset, it is exciting to harness and control so much power.

3. Say ‘I Do!’ An exotic car rental like a Bentley or Rolls Royce offers an air of elegance to a wedding or anniversary. Sweep her off her feet in style.

2. Say goodbye to boredom. A serious sports car is fun even in thick traffic. Hey–you are getting envious looks while playing with one of the world’s best toys. The answer to the question is YES…they do want to be you.

1. No one will know it is not yours. Think about it.

Exotic car rental facts

Not long ago, a procession of Lamborghini Aventadors hit up Miami. You can bet some of them were enjoying a day with a Lamborghini rental!

Experience the thrill anytime, start by viewing our extensive fleet of luxury rental cars from all the best brands. A fast free quote is just a click away!

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Bugatti to Join Dubai Police Supercar Fleet

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

The cops in Dubai are rolling and patrolling in style. The fleet of luxury police cruisers includes a Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari FF, Bentley Continental GT, Aston Martin One-77, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and now a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport. It seems the Dubai police supercar fleet is now the fastest on the planet.

Dubai police supercar

A Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport police cruiser: Stay classy, Dubai!

The sports car police fleet serves as a marketing endeavor as well as a faster way to catch up to naughty speeders. With the plethora of supercars clogging the streets of Dubai, it takes more than a standard cop cruiser to catch up and command control.

Dubai police supercar

Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin – now Bugatti assists Dubai cops

The Aston Martin One-77 is a rare member of the marquee, with just 77 units in existence. The one in their fleet is even more rare as it is one of just 7 making up the Q-Series. The Q-Series boasts a selection of new interior and exterior features, which naturally increases the price and exclusivity. The engine is the same 7.3-liter V12 as the standard One-77, churning out 750 horses. The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport packs about 1,000, so it is clearly the star of the show.

Dubai police supercar

The Dubai police fleet is packed with hypercars, but none are as fast and famous as its new Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport

The Dubai squad’s supercar collection is already the envy of many gearheads and is worth approximately Dhs 15 million, or about 4 million USD. Plans to add the hyperbeast to the fleet were announced at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai where the other vehicles were prominently on display. The city is desperate to secure a winning bid to host the World Expo 2020, and an insane fleet of police supercars certainly cannot hurt!

Aston Martin One-77 police

The ultra-rare Aston Martin One-77

Lamborghini police car

Lamborghini Aventador police cruiser

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Video: 9-Year-Old Drives a Ferrari F430 with 5-Year-Old Sibling

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

Police in New Delhi have arrested a man after a YouTube video went viral of his 9-year-old son driving a Ferrari F430. The proud mother filmed the boy driving with his 7-year-old sibling in the passenger seat, boasting that he had been driving since age 5. The mother also shared that the children had also driven the family’s Bentley, Lamborghini and other exotic vehicles. Facepalm.


WATCH: 9 year old drives a Ferrari F430. Note the crowds of children running amok in the street as the kids drive the supercar in a dangerous neighborhood joyride. 

When the footage went viral, police were forced to address the issue. The father was arrested on charges of endangering the life of a child and allowing a minor to drive. He was also released on $92 bail. The family fortune was amassed through tobacco and real estate endeavors, and $92 dollars is similar to a fraction of a penny to them.

Ferrari F430

The father was released on a bail of 5,000 rupees, or $92 USD. Note to parents: Police frown on videos posted of children driving supercars

The video was created to commemorate the boy’s 9th birthday, and his request was to drive the Ferrari F430. India’s economic boom has led to the formation of a new class of super wealthy people. The excesses of the nuevo rich often make headlines—but this is a bit on the Lindsay Lohan side. The family now realizes that police do have internet access and that children should not be permitted to operate a motor vehicle…certainly not an intensely powerful Italian supercar like the Ferrari F430.

Ferrari F430

The child had been driving the family fleet since age 5. The father owns 18 luxury vehicles estimated to be worth about $4 million dollars. 

 

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The Most Expensive: $318,000 Hublot Ferrari Watch

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Imagine Lifestyles

Hublot has created a limited edition Ferrari watch that costs more than most of the  actual cars. For the bargain price of $318,000, brand fans can wrap the MP-05 LaFerrari watch around their wrists. Compared to the million-dollar-plus LaFerrari supercar, the Hublot Ferrari watch seems like a bargain.

Hublot Ferrari watch

The watch that costs more than a Ferrari car

Hublot designed the MP-05 LaFerrari watch to show appreciation for its association with the Ferrari brand. The watch is quite complex, much like a Ferrari. It features 637 individual components, a tourbillon, and can function for 50 days with no power. The watch sort of resembles a supercar engine, which is pretty cool.

Hublot Ferrari watch

The Hublot MP-05 LaFerrari is no Casio

Proud owners of this high-end watch could use it to time the 0-60 mile per hour jumps of their private supercar collections. It does not take long to time the LaFerrari, which hits the 60 mph mark in less than 3 seconds with a top speed exceeding 220!

Hublot Ferrari watch

Which would you prefer: dropping $300,000 on a supercar like the Ferrari 458 Italia, or this watch?

The LaFerrari is the first-ever hybrid from the brand. There is no need to put the word ‘Ferrari’ in front of it, it is a stand-alone one-word name: LaFerrari. The hypercar puts out a combined 963 Prancing Horses and there are plans to make an even more powerful version that may be designed specifically to target the title of ‘Fastest Production Car’.

Hublot Ferrari watch

Just 499 units of the LaFerrari will be created for the first production round, and the watch is also limited edition. If your boss comes to work sporting this watch, consider working up the confidence to request a pay raise.

Hublot Ferrari watch

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