TrueCar.com has posted a list of cars most often bought by those aged 65 and older. Although a number of vehicles on the list aren’t likely to surprise many, there are one or two machines that most don’t tend to associate with senior citizens.

Top of the heap, is that body-on-frame stalwart, the Lincoln Town Car, even though its days are numbered. Following closely behind is the Buick Lucerne, and then the Cadillac DTS. But number four is quite surprising, the Cadillac CTS Wagon? Considered more as a vehicle for the Yuppie set with an American bent, the wagon accounts for a whopping 74.2 percent market penetration.

The rest of the list includes Florida Turnpike specials such as the Cadillac CTS sedan, Chevrolet Impala, Buick LaCrosse, Lincoln MKZ and Toyota Avalon; though number 11 on the list is also a bit of a surprise, the Porsche Panamera.

It seems there’s more than a few grandparents out there that like to go fast, even in their golden years. All we can say is good on them! For the full rundown of grandpa and grandma’s favorite rides, click on the link below.

[Source: TrueCar.com]

This Friday, July 29, during a press conference; BMW plans to reveal two cars which will form part of its i lineup of ‘green’ vehicles.

Although some have criticized the Bavarian automaker for being later to the party when it comes to electric cars, the company is apparently looking to make up for lost time, with a ‘dazzling’ entrance planned for this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

The two ‘i’ models it plans to unveil (shown here in rendered form); are the i3, a plug-in electric city car, first seen around a year ago in the form of the ‘Megacity’ concept design sketch and the i8, a larger, sporty, plug-in gas/electric hybrid, which will make an appearance in the upcoming film, Mission Impossible 4.

Both cars will utilize aluminum chassis construction, as well as a carbon reinforced passenger cell and will use common propulsion parts including electric motors and lithium-ion batteries. Both cars will be built BMW’s Leipzig plant with production likely to begin sometime in 2013.

[Source: Carscoop ]

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has ambitious plans for the Maserati, specifically to drastically improve sales almost tenfold from last years 5,675 units sold to 50,000. Marchionne believes this is attainable through three new Maserati models, all based on systems and components from Chrysler Group.

Maserati will introduce two sedans and an SUV with technology from the American automaker. The Quattroporte flagship model will be replaced by two sedans using technology from the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Avenger(!). The Maserati SUV will be built alongisde the Jeep Grand Cherokee in the Jefferson North plant in Detroit. Maserati has stated that the new models will not be rebadged Chryslers. The Maseratis will have different bodies and interiors, however shared parts will be in very discreet areas, similar to the Bentley Continental, and its Volkswagen Phaeton stablemate.

Maserati hopes to solve the Quattroporte’s size problem. The car is too large to be a driver’s car. This issue will be solved by offering both a “baby” Quattroporte and a larger Quattroporte. Maserati hopes to combat the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class with the “baby” model. The smaller Maserati sedan,will have a traditional layout, complete with a front longitudinal engine and rear-wheel drive. The engine will be a reworked, high performance version of the Chrysler V6 Pentastar, likely a 3.0-liter motor with Fiat’s fuel saving MultiAir air management system, twin turbochargers and direct injection. The car will crank out 400-hp and deliver good fuel economy. The price will range between $78,000 to $99,000.

The larger Quattroporte will be considerably larger than the current model, rivalling the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The larger Maserati will have an overall length of 5170mm, 70mm longer than the current model and 220 longer than the “baby” vehicle. The larger Maserati will feature a revised version of the Ferrari-built 4.7-liter 475-hp V8, mated to the ZF Group’s eight-speed automatic transmission.

[Source: Automotive News]

Dennis Rodman, known for his outlandish appearance and behavior on and off the NBA court, had a 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo customized to fit his style… and possibly his style only. In true Rodman extravagance, he had his Gallardo repainted a unique gold flake finish featuring a rainbow-esque shade depending on how the light hits it. In his defense, this style of paint was probably cool and flashy enough back when he did it to match his style.

Who are we kidding. There’s no way to defend this type of paint job (which costs $15,000, no less) on one of Italy’s finest exotics. Though it’s worth mentioning that the entire exotic isn’t treated to the special shade; the sides of the vehicle are now in a gloss black thanks to a fender bender. As of March it sported only 7,000 miles on the odometer. It’s also worth mentioning that the Gallardo is apparently outfitted with $12,000 custom wheels, but that value might be a tad inflated.

[Source: Jalopnik]

Renntech is known to maximize performance out of every Mercedes-Benz model imaginable, and this time they’ve taken their talents to the SLS AMG supercar. Their new long tube headers adds 20-hp and 20 lb-ft of torque to the factory 563-hp and 480 lb-ft values. These long tube headers were engineered within Renntech’s state-of-the-art facility and features tri-metal, 200-cell catalytic converters and are ceramic coated to reduce heat in the engine bay.

In addition to the horsepower and torque gains, the SLS AMG gains a much throatier note from its naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 powerplant. The result is a finely tuned addition to the SLS AMG’s already remarkable performance and with Renntech’s brand name behind the product it’s guaranteed to last.

Check out a video of Renntech’s SLS AMG after the break.

GALLERY: Renntech SLS AMG

[Source: Speedlux]

Continue Reading…

A new global survey from the international brand consultancy Interbrand, has named Toyota, the world’s greenest  brand. The award was based on environmental performance coupled with public perception of a brand’s environmental sustainability.

Data was collected from the world’s leading markets, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, USA, Japan, Brazil and India. The report gave Toyota a top score of 64.19 points, beating 3M that took second place. The Interbrand report also stated that Toyota is “a leading example of making the environment a core management priority, while also engaging in a meaningful way with audiences around the world”. Toyota is the market-leader in hybrid technology, according to the report, and Toyota and Lexus have sold more than 3.2 million hybrid vehicles since 1997.

Toyota’s environmental approach towards sustainable operations coincides with the official switch-on of a large-scale solar power system at the company’s car plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire This facility is known as one of the company’s global “eco-plants”, leading the way in cleaner and more efficient manufacturing and operations.

Infiniti released its newest teaser photo of the upcoming JX crossover, which boasts 7-seats and one of the brand’s powerful V6 or V8 engines.

Photos will be posted on the brand’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Infiniti) and Infiniti is running a contest to win a trip for two to the reveal at the Pebble Beach Concours. The production model will debut at the LA Auto Show in November, with sales starting in the Spring of 2012.

Gallery: Infiniti JX

Set to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show in September are BMW‘s X5 and X6 Exclusive Editions, sporting a unique Orion Silver Metallic paint finish and Nevada leather interior cribbed from the 6-Series. In addition, both the X5 and X6 will receive special wheels and dark bamboo interior trim as accessories.

Unfortunately those are all the details that have been released on the Exclusive Edition X5 and X6 so far, but we’re expecting more news as we get closer to the Frankfurt Auto Show.

GALLERY: BMW X5 and X6 Exclusive Editions

[Source: BMW Blog]

High-end luxury cars really do inspire us. Some people take that inspiration and make other luxe products – like chairs. One such person is designer David Clark, whose new collection – the Veloce, Infiniti and Modena – takes its inspiration from a variety of luxury auto brands.

The Veloce takes its inspiration from the Alfa Romeo. Combining wood, faux leather and aluminum, the Veloce boasts detail – in fact, every aspect of this chair was sketched out and transferred to 3D Autocad design platform. It costs $973 for the frame alone, and for the completed Veloce, it will set you back $1,137.

The Modena takes its cues from Bentley’s grandeur and comfort. You can choose from side panels of natural wood or steel with artificial wooden finish. It costs $810 for the frame, and the whole seat is $973.

Porsche is the inspiration for the Infiniti, and it comes with a stainless steel frame that is super lightweight, making it ideal for the office reception or showroom floor areas. It is priced at $647 for the frame alone, and with the seat it costs $810.

[Source: Born Rich]

The 2011 and 2012 Nissan Leaf for earned five stars  in crash testing performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

For the front crash and dynamic rollover test, the Leaf received four stars, but overall scored five stars. Combine that with the Top Safety Pick Award it won from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and you’ve got yourself one safe vehicle. It’s also important to note that the Leaf is the first pure electric vehicle to be evaluated for its crash protection.

Fewer cars have made the cut ever since the NHTSA implemented more rigid standards for vehicles to earn five stars in its safety ratings system in 2011. This new system includes a more comprehensive testing when it comes to front and side crash, and rollover resistance. As well, each model receives an overall vehicle score, which is combined with the results of the three tests and compares them to the injury risk in other vehicles.

[Source: Consumer Reports]