Luxury Cars: An extremely rare example of Ferrari’s legendary 250 GTO from 1963 is being offered for private treaty sale by RM Auctions. The car chassis no. 4675 GT, is one of only 36 250 GTOs originally produced and one of a limited few with Series II GTO bodywork. In addition to being considered one of the most beautiful cars ever built by Ferrari, the GTO was tremendously successful in competition, securing multiple World Championships for the famed Italian marque. RM, which is offering the vehicle on behalf of a Japanese collector, has not named a price, but the final sale could easily top $25 million or more.
In 2008 British real estate baron Bill Ainscough reportedly sold his 250 GTO for about $28 million to an anonymous tycoon, making it the world’s most expensive car. Other GTO owners include Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, Ralph Lauren and Anthony Bamford. “The Ferrari GTO is unquestionably one of the most iconic and coveted cars in the world,” notes Max Girardo, Managing Director of RM Europe. “This is truly a rare occasion for collectors to acquire such an important piece of automotive history.”
Luxury Cars: Here is a product that makes car owners flip their lids. When the lids in question are soft-top roofs on convertible cars, it turns out there are lots of drivers looking for an easier way. The SmartTop is an aftermarket add-on that makes removing and replacing a car’s roof as simple as changing channels on a TV set with a remote control.
Mods4cars, the maker of SmartTop announced that its product now works on all current BMW convertible and roadster models, as the BMW Z4 Roadster and Mini Cooper models are now included. The first unit was developed for the Porsche Boxster in 2002.
Luxury Car News: Attention all Ferrari fanatics! The fabled Italian supercar maker has recently invited all to visit online and get better acquainted with its Formula 1 racing model, the single-seat Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. The exclusive online event from Maranello’s Garage was held on January 28. The show enthralled enthusiasts with exclusive images, videos, and technical details galore.
The 2010 Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro will run in the upcoming Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, which is the first race of the 19-race Formula 1 2010 season. The first racing weekend of the new season is March 12-14. The events/races are three-day affairs held on weekends. Season ends in Dubai at Yas Marina Circuit at Ethiard Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the weekend of November 12-14.
Meanwhile, back at the Ferrari stable, the Marnello’s broadcast also will present interviews of pro drivers, providing their behind-the-wheel perspective on Ferrari’s latest one-seat F1 entry.
Luxury Car News: Have you seen the new Porsche 911 GT3 R with its four-liter 6-cylinder boxer engine? It delivers an impressive 480 horsepower with a 6-speed sequential gearbox that transmits power to the rear axle. It debuted last week at the Racing Car Show Autosport International in Birmingham, as in Great Britain, y’all.
“Since we first announced our intention to launch the 911 GT3 R, demand has been huge,” says Uwe Brettel, head of Motorsports sales. “The number of GT3 R vehicles we had planned for 2010 is almost sold out.”
Racing teams worldwide will receive their new racecars beginning this spring. According to Porsche, the base price is 279,000 euros and then some. The new 911 GT3 R replaces the 911 GT3 Cup S in the Porsche Motorsports’ model range.
Luxury Cars: The days of walking into a showroom and buying a $350,000 car you can afford to buy are apparently over. If you want to own a new Lexus LFA, it is not enough to simply have the cash. Lexus must be certain that a potential buyer is “appropriate” to be an owner of its first supercar. All potential buyers will be handpicked by the automaker.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, an application must be submitted to Lexus in order for the firm to know its prospective buyers better. The company wants to know how often they drive, where they drive, other cars owned, and where they live. With only 20 being made per month starting in 2011, the company wants to ensure none of those LFAs ends up just setting on some rich guy’s front lawn.
Want one? If so and you think Lexus would like your commercial appeal, drop by a dealership and fill out an application. If that doesn’t work out, there are a few places in Italy and Germany that probably would be willing to sell one of their fanciful six-figure supercars to you. I’m just saying.
Dust: Hard to find fault with zero-to-60 mph in less than four seconds.. 552 horsepower, V-10 engine; and luxurious throughout.
Classic Cars: 26 Rolls-Royce motor cars from the world-famous collection of Hans-Günther Zach, including the incredible “Star of India”, will be sold during RM Auctions’Sporting Classics of Monaco sale on May 1. Expected to fetch several million dollars, the Star of India is a 1934 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Phantom II Continental “All-Weather Convertible” custom built for the the Maharaja of Rajkot for use in state ceremonies. Bodied by Thrupp and Maberley and finished in saffron ochre with polished aluminum wings, the car boasts a range of unique features including an extra set of headlights designed to follow the path of steering.
The Star of India is the showpiece in Zach’s private museum in Germany dedicated to the famed Biritsh marque, which he has decided to liquidate. Also on offer is a 1926 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Phantom I Open Tourer, built for the Maharaja of Nanpara and known as the “Aluminum Sculpture” because of its highly polished, natural aluminum body and chassis; a Phantom II Cabriolet “Hunting Car” built for the the Maharajah of Rewa specially made for tiger hunting with a built-in gun rack; and a 1920 40/50 Silver Ghost Coupé de Ville made for cognac king Jean Hennessy and later owned by winemaker and noted car collector Baron de Rothschild.
Classic and Luxury Cars: The 2011 Mustang GT is the pace car for the 2010 Daytona 500. It is the first time a Ford has been a pace car to the event in 40 years. The “Race Red” Mustang will be auctioned to its new owner prior to the festivities by Barrett-Jackson, a renowned classic car auctioneer. All proceeds over the manufacturer’s suggested retail price will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), a leader in research leading to a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
The Mustang GT features an all-new 5.0-liter V-8 that delivers 412 horsepower with highway gas-mileage consumption approximating 25 mpg. It is available to consumers this spring. Extras on the pace car include a “Daytona 500” paint job, a special racing suspension, a strut tower brace and mufflers, painted wheels, and a special interior treatment.
The pace car will be auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Collector Car Auction on Jan. 23 at WestWorld of Scottsdale, in Scottsdale, Ariz. The 39th running of the event will be shown live on the SPEED channel.
Rev up: Muscle and classic cars galore at all B-J auctions … company is industry leader with yearly sales over $100 million with three major auctions. Vintage by the tons; car lovers love these shows.
Autos & Vehicles: The 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI is a mid-engine marvel of a luxury sports car that goes from zero to 60 mph in less than four seconds. A Lamborghini V-10 engine powers the all-wheel-drive car with verve. A recent L.A. Times piece put the new Audi “easily among the dozen fastest street-legals” on Earth. The car has swagger that is backed by both pedigree and stats.
It takes me two minutes on a good day to run a quarter-mile. This car does it in less than 12 seconds without breaking a sweat. It has a 10-cylinder, 525-horsepower engine provided by a “corporate cousin.” (Big wheels keep on churning and corporations keep on earning.) The 2009 model has a V-8 engine with 420 horsepower.
Combine the R8’s ultimate luxury package with the automated-manual transmission and the price has been reported to be more than $172,000.
Pit stop: The thrill of shifting gears manually is a priceless experience to many impassioned drivers, especially sports-car enthusiasts. The base price of the 2010 Audi R8 4.2 is $114,200; the R8 5.2 starts at $146,000, per Audi’s Web site.
Autos & Vehicles: While this eclectic Smart car is an undeniable pioneer in the development of an everyday automobile that is both practical and affordable, more stylish luxury packages of the Smartfortwo, such as this one found at LuxuryCulture.com, could put a new spin on this green monster of a car.
The car, which is built by Mercedes-Benz, gets 41 mpg on freeways and has a surprisingly roomy interior. It is built well with various tubular reinforcements and contains four airbags. There also is an electric version available. Fitting in anywhere with room to spare, its size makes it ideal for city commuters.
Seeing that the innovative Smartfortwo car caught the eye of the highly regarded luxury-lifestyle connoisseur Yaffa Assouline, we wanted to share the wealth of his vision as well.
At the red light: Plenty of amusement value; the lower vantage point is substantial.
Autos & Vehicles: Have you ever watched the eclectic classic car auction on the SPEED network that features muscle cars, hotrods, and “resto-mods” mixed in with some of the more traditional classics? Those TV shows are auctions by the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. The family-run company based in Scottsdale, Ariz., is among the top auctioneers of classic automobiles worldwide. The outfit’s events over the past year held in Scottsdale, Palm Beach, and Las Vegas, respectively, drew more than 300,000 attendees with total sales in excess of $100 million. The company has been around since the early 1970s.
The next auction by Barrett-Jackson runs January 18 -24 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Sales for the 2009 event were $63 million. Previous auctions in Arizona have had sales in excess of $100 million. The debut auction held at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas had an attendance of more than 50,000 and sales of $30 million with more than 500 vehicles. If you are so inclined, bid online. Interested parties are required to register in advance in order to participate in the proceedings.
Luxury Car News: The Motor City is revved up into overdrive over the U.S. debut of Bentley Motor’s Mulsanne and the new Series 51 Continental GTC convertible. The Bentley Mulsanne sedan brings out the green in the ultra-luxury automaker. Its lighter V8 engine reduces both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions while improving upon overall performance. The Mulsanne goes on sale this fall in the U.S. priced at $285,000.
The new Series 51 package will be available on the Continental range’s GT, GT Speed, GTC and GTC Speed models. The price of the GT coupe model will be $192,750. The color combination on the show car’s interior is the called Imperial Blue Series. The name, Series 51, is in honor of the company’s styling department, which was established in 1951.
Luxury Cars: The NadaGuides.com selected the 2010 Porsche Panamera as its Car of the Month for January. Porsche’s first luxury sports sedan is revving up for an excellent inaugural year. NADA is a leading provider of car guides for consumers. The venerable company’s extensive guidebooks are highly valued by both consumers and pundits.
"The Panamera is simply awe-inspiring. Porsche has done an incredible job in designing a car that is so unique, while retaining the look and performance of a pedigreed sports car," said Michael Caudill, auto expert at NADA.
The four-door sports sedan is getting noticed. It previously received Bloomberg News Car of the Year for 2009. Edmunds Inside Line Editors’ gave it a Most Wanted trophy at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. Stay tuned, as it’s only the beginning.
JustLuxe is a luxury Web publication providing objective analysis and information to affluent consumers to assist with their decision making, decisions such as charting a yacht, purchasing a jet membership card, booking a luxury hotel, traveling to a specific destination, or buying real estate. Our writers conduct interviews with industry executives and leaders in their fields, analyze product offerings and review the Web sites of leading companies to ensure our readers have up-to-date data to make informed decisions. Consumers can find purveyors of fine luxury goods, services and travel solutions throughout the pages of JustLuxe via content or with our advertising partners. See our Best of Luxury High end Brands and partners.
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