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BMW recently gave Placido Domingo something to sing about -- his very own Hydrogen 7. As part of BMW's Hydrogen 7 Pioneer program, Domingo will use the 7 for his everyday use, serving to educate and inform the masses about hydrogen as an alternative source of energy. Domingo joins many others, including public, entertainment and governmental figures, in the Hydrogen 7 Pioneer program.
The Hydrogen 7 is the world's first production model hydrogen-powered luxury sedan, emitting nothing but water vapor when running in hydrogen mode.
Now that's a paint job. If a Lamborghini itself isn't enough a work of art for you, there's always tattooing it beyond almost all recognition. The Gallardo you see before you is an intricate work of art, with drawings of everything from the planets and stars to attack birds and angular patterns.
Of course, at a 0-60 time of 3.8 seconds thanks to the massive V10 under the hood, the only time one can truly admire it is while parked.
In the category of "oh no he dih-ehhhnt," we offer for your enjoyment a stretch Ferrari limo, complete with round tail lights, ceramic brakes and nine-foot gullwing doors. We're not sure if the doors quite warrant the brooming of the mini-bar, but to each his own.
The beauty in question was commissioned by by Style Limousines of Manchester and involved almost $400,000 in mods, not the least of which was welding in the massive middle that makes the pony stretch so. The extra girth isn't enough to slow this Ferrari down much, however -- 0-60 in under six seconds and a top speed of 170 ain't too shabby.
Why fantasize about being James Bond when you can get a few steps closer to being 007? Aston Martin is offering a limited-edition Jaeger LeCoultre with the purchase of Bond's newest ride, the Aston Martin DBS.
At $332,000, one would think they would throw in the watch for free, but not so much. The watch is available only to purchasers of the DBS for a pretty $35,000, and is truly Bond-worthy at that -- not only does the watch look good, it also unlocks and starts the car. That will at least get you a second date, eh?
At the moment, buyers can choose between grade 5 titanium and rose-gold, but Jaeger's Jerome Lambert hints that a higher-end watch may be on its way.
Auto Trader UK, admittedly not always the most reliable source of information, is batting about the news that BMW plans to revive its Z8 roadster.
At a mere 3,300 lbs., the vehicle would be about 550 lbs. lighter than the competing Mercedes SL, and have BMW handling and high-performance engines to boot. Motor options include BMW's 300 hp 3.0L V6, 400 hp 4.4L V8, 500 hp 5.0L V10 and 600 hp 6.3L V12, the latter two of which could end up in an M version of the roadster.
The last Z8, designed by prolific auto designer Henrik Fisker, was Pierce Brosnan's steed in the 007 movie The World is Not Enough and was ultimately killed off in 2003.
At the Frankfurt Motor Show these past few days, the folks at the Audi stand have quite the uniform. The dress is tasteful black suits covering pressed white shirts or blouses -- but these are anything but your run-of-the-mill duds.
Audi has signed Michael Michalsky on to design its own Corporate Fashion Line for employees working auto shows, the Audi Forum and in dealerships. In the forefront of the fashion design world, Michalsky will also serve as an Audi brand ambassador.
The effort marks Audi's foray into the world of fashion, a role played by sibling brand Volkswagen several months ago when it launched high-end garments such as cashmere scarves to accompany the launch of its Jetta-based Eos convertible.
Check out Audi's full press release after the jump.
What do a fighting bull that gored a famous bullfighter in 1943 and a $1.68 million V12 Lamborghini have in common? Why, a name, of course.
The Reventon, powered by a 650-horsepower 6.5L V-12 and wrapped in CFC carbon fiber composite, has harsh, angular lines down to the spiky arrow nose. With just 20 slated for production and each one of them spoken for, the Reventon is reserved for only the richest, most exclusive customers, but the rest of the world gets to look at it, at least, as it sits on the show floor at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week.
Fergie's 2005 HUMMER H2, pimped out by the guys at DUB Magazine and driven by Ms. Fergalicious herself, is up for bid on none other than eBay. The charity listing advertises her ride as having everything modified, including the suspension, two-tone suede seat inserts, audio (including a green suede-wrapped molding covering the woofer) and 24-inch wheels.
At press time, bids were just up past $64,000, and given the fact that the car is undoubtedly worth twice that, one would hope more money will be raised for charity by the auction's September 15 end date.
Tasca Automotive Group in Cranston, Rhode Island is the first Ford Dealership to host automotive modification facilities sanctioned by Carroll Shelby himself. The shop promises to hawk the aftermarket wares of Shelby Automotive Group, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, turning ordinary Ford Mustangs into raging, performance-packed beasts.
Spokespeople for Shelby say the Tasca shop will offer Shelby handling, styling and power upgrades for V6 and V8 Ford Mustangs and Shelbys, as well as "Super Snake" packages for the 2007 and 2008 Ford Shelby GT500, the Shelby CS6, CS8, and Shelby GT500 40th anniversary packages. The shop will also feature clothing, accessories and other Shelby-branded goods.
Ahh, GPS systems are so passé all by themselves. Why bother with all that programming when you can simply send the directions to your car from Google or Yahoo! Maps?
Mercedes-Benz appears to be the first automaker to implement the idea, which simply involves sending the directions to your car, pressing the i-button and either loading up the directions or saving them for later via the Mercedes-Benz Tele Aid System.
According to Mercedes-Benz, the Search & Send is available starting on the 2007 S-Class, CL-Class, and 2008 C-Class with the Multimedia Package and Navigation System.
iJag? Jaguar is turning over a new leaf thanks to Apple, who helped the automaker shake the big slab of wood out of the cockpit and back onto the tree. The Ford-owned premium brand, known for the stodgy wood accents in the interior, tapped the iPod maker's design team for help in redesigning the XF's interior for a more current look.
Ian Callum, Jaguar's design chief, told Car Magazine that Apple is contributing to the XF's control interfaces in what will hopefully be an improvement on infotainment interfaces everywhere -- BMW's control interface has been under fire for years, just as an example.
Callum says that cool blue lighting and big control dial will do the trick. Besides reportedly being more intuitive, the new control system takes up less space and introduces a range of infotainment options.
Posted Aug 30th 2007 8:02AM by Erin Mays Filed under: Wheels
Jaguar's new mid-range XF is on the slate for the Frankfurt Motor Show to take place this September, and boy, is this one important ride for Jaguar to get right. The brand, which Ford might sell off any day now, has come out with hit after hit, including the XK coupe and convertible, and the XF is next in the lineup of new launches.
Likely to be launched as a 2009 model, we're not sure how we feel about it... looks a bit like an XK coupe fathered a child with the Buick LaCrosse. The break from Jaguar styling tradition is interesting given how heavily it's based on its predecessor, the S-Type, including the double-wishbone/coil spring front suspension, multilink rear suspension and wheelbase.
More details on performance and infotainment should be available at the Frankfurt show, so we'll keep you posted. Pricing will also be confirmed, but we're probably looking at $56,000 and up.
Boutique Dallas hotel ZaZa has probably the best spa package experience ever created for those unique souls who love both a good rev-up and a good rub-down. The Full Throttle Packages, which come in 2,000 and 2,500 horsepower variations, include a half-hour ride in each of five high-powered vehicles through the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the surrounding countryside with a stop for lunch. The 2,500 horsepower version puts drivers in a Ferrari F430A, Ford GT, 2007 Porsche Turbo, Bentley Continental GT and Lamborghini Gallardo Spider, while the 2,000 horsepower variation lets drivers slide in behind the wheel of a Ferrari F360 F1, BMW M6 convertible, Aston Martin Vantage, 2006 Corvette Z06 and Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe.
After either adventure, drivers then return to the hotel for a "Rock Star" massage with heated basalt river stones, champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries in one of the hotel's luxury suites, and breakfast in bed or the hotel's gourmet Dragonfly restaurant.
The 2,500 horsepower packages rings up to $4,250 plus tax, while the 2,000 hp package goes for $3,850.
Posted Aug 27th 2007 8:02AM by Erin Mays Filed under: Wheels
You saw it first piloted by Daniel Craig in the new Bond flick, Casino Royale. The 2008 Aston Martin DBS falls smack dab in the middle of the lineup between the DB9 and the racer DBR9, also upscale from the Vanquish coupe and roadster models. The car, which starts at a hefty $250,000 U.S. (estimated), boasts a 6.0L V-12 engine spitting out a whopping 510 hp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, launching it to 62 mph in 4.3 seconds and to a top speed of 191 mph.
Pricing will be confirmed in September around the time of the Frankfurt Motor show, with the first deliveries of the cars occuring in early 2008. Check for official specs from Aston Martin after the jump.
A prominent Texas lawyer and car collector bought up a chunk of Rolls Royce automobiles as they sat on the auction block at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance auction in California. The seller, 82 year-old Columbus developer Richard J. Solove, put 13 Rolls Royce cars up for bid to raise money for the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, as well as Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The full slate of cars went for $14.3, just under the $15 million Solove expected to fetch for them. Eight of the vehicles, including all of the Silver Ghosts on the block except for one, were bought by billionaire Houston trailawyer John O'Quinn, who came by his success in high-profile cases such as Texas' $17.3 billion settlement with the tobacco industry, lawsuits against breast-implant manufacturers, and most famously (or infamously) lately, Virgie Arthur, the mother of Anna Nicole Smith's, as she fought for custody of Smith's daughter.
Along with his 1903 Ford Model A, Batmobile, and cars used by President Franklin Roosevelt and Pope John Paul II, O'Quinn plans to open a car museum in Houston in 2009.
At the Frankfurt Motor Show these past few days, the folks at the Audi stand have quite the uniform. The dress is tasteful black suits covering pressed white shirts or blouses -- but these are anything but your run-of-the-mill duds.
