Wearing what would barely pass as anti-photo camouflage, our auto paparazzi snapped spy photos of the upcoming 2013 Land Rover Range Rover on the road.
Auto News
AutoGuide News Blog
The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.
Despite little news on the Lagonda front as of late, Aston Martin is reportedly continuing to prepare for the launch of its new sub-brand.
With just over 500 hp on tap in the latest Nurburgring taxi, the Jaguar XJ Supersport feeds thrill-seekers adrenaline through a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine.
A tiny car with big personality, Morgan CEO Charles Morgan announced that the radical Three-wheeler will be offered in the U.S. through the distribution channel of three select U.S. dealerships. Continue Reading…
Iconic racing cars never retire. Having not seen competitive action for a decade, a special 1952 Jaguar C-type returns to racing for the 2012 Royal Automobile Club Woodcote trophy, and the racing Reverend Simon Butler will be behind the wheel. Continue Reading…
In show-worthy shape, the millionth Land Rover Discovery appeared yesterday at the Beijing Auto Show after making it’s “grueling” journey from the U.K. to China.
The latest Land Rover Evoque “Special Edition with Victoria Beckham” seems to possess all the right ingredients to become a proper special edition vehicle. The former “Posh Spice” member of the wildly successful Brit pop girl group Spice Girls, a stand-out BFA award-winning fashion designer, and wife of international soccer star David Beckham, Victoria has worked closely with the British Automaker in developing the latest model.
In its latest Victoria Beckham special edition offering, the Evoque features what Victoria described as a “masculine” treatment. Describing her process, Victoria Beckham explained, “When I first started working with the team I did a lot of research, and created mood boards to show the team my love of timeless and classic design. I looked at yachts, luxury jets and classic cars.”
The result is an exterior painted in a stealthy matte gray color scheme accented with a glossy black roof and trim pieces. The 20-inch wheels are black as well, each wearing 245/45 rubber, exclusive to this particular edition Evoque. Lending a softer “Posh” touch, Victoria sprinkled rose-gold accents, painted onto the wheels and plated to additional trim pieces inside and out.
As for the special Evoque’s interior, Victoria Beckham chose “vintage tan” semi-aniline leathers , finishing the seats with baseball stitching a composition that gets Mrs. Beckham to remember her family’s time in California. What’s more, Victoria also chose Mohair Carpets similar to those found in her father’s Rolls-Royce. Finally, no special edition is complete without a bespoke four-piece luggage set to go with the vehicle.
Mechanically untouched, the Evoque Special Edition with Victoria Beckham offers the same turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four engine producing 240-hp. Land Rover has decided not to tack on a bespoke “Special Edition with Victoria Beckham” badge onto the Evoque either, as a long and clumsy moniker won’t do the car any favors anyway. Instead, the limited examples will be distinguished by Beckham’s signature found inside the leather folder for the Evoque owner’s manual.
Only 200 examples of “Special Edition with Victoria Beckham” will be produced, beginning sales in the Chinese market first. Prices start at £80,000 to £90,000, or $130,000 to $145,000 after currency exchange. While a 200 percent mark up over a standard Evoque may seem outrageous, no price is too high for the well-heeled.
Check out the Evoque “Special Edition with Victoria Beckham” promo video below: Continue Reading…
While many businesses had been hurt badly by the tough economic times, some of which have never recovered, British luxury and sports car manufacturer Aston Martin is thriving.
The company just released its full year results for the 12-months ending on December 31, 2011 and are happy to report that the numbers are in the black.
Aston Martin’s revenues increased by 7 percent, to $817.3-million, its highest since 2008. Aston’s earnings before interest,taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) works out to be $112.8-million.
Aston Martin managed to make this profit by shifting 4200 vehicles in these 12-months, which also included selling all 77-examples of the One-77 supercar.
“Our 2011 results demonstrate the energy, passion and ongoing resilience of Aston Martin – a truly unique, independent manufacturer. We are on track with our expansion plans around the world, especially in China, and are investing in new models,” said Aston Martin’s CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez.
The Aston Martin brand is stronger than ever. This is demonstrated by intense interest in the new V12 Zagato, recently shown at the Geneva Motor Show, and our $1.93-million One-77 supercar – all 77 of which are now sold.”
Aston Martin has also accrued $122-million in projected sales since last months Geneva Motor Show, so the future is looking very bright indeed.
While many car enthusiasts have complained in recent years that Aston Martin has not come out with an all-new car in quite some time (apart from the mega-bucks One-77), it seems those who can afford such high-priced items are buying them and the people running the company know what they are doing.
Bentley of late has enjoyed double digit growths as the luxury marque rapidly expands in new markets. Moving forward with an aim to double annual sales by 2017, Bentley hopes to create a bigger impact in foreign markets by announcing a partnership with the world class St. Regis and The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, brands of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide company.
According to Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Paul James, “Starwood’s luxury brands continues to grow globally and so does the global nature of our guests. We are committed to providing experiences that far surpass their expectations, and this partnership with Bentley enables our discerning guests to explore must-see destinations in unparalleled style.”
Previously, St. Regis hosted a pilot bespoke Italian driving tour for Bentley model owners and guests of The St. Regis Rome and the newly opened St. Regis Florence in October, 2011. For the new partnership, the St. Regis hotels has chosen a line of Bentley Continental Flying Spur models for its house fleet of luxury travelers. The Bentley Flying Spurs will be appointed at resorts including The St. Regis Singapore, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi, as well as the flagship hotel in New York.
Head of Bentely Motors customer relations Joe Ashworth is pleased with the partnership, “At Bentley, we are committed to maintaining our position as the definitive British luxury car company. It is therefore important that we partner with a pinnacle brand that underpins our own values of craftsmanship, style, and sophistication. Our current and prospective customers recognize the heritage of both brands, and with Starwood’s Luxury Brands, we aim to broaden the appeal and experience of Bentley.”
Later this month, The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts and Bentley will hold an inaugural “Springtime Bentley Grand Tour” from Vienna to Salzburg, Austria. A two day event, guests will receive a grand experience of scenic Austria behind the wheel of a Bentley Continental GT W12 or a Bentley Continental GT V8. The journey will also showcase four iconic Luxury Collection Hotels including the Hotel Imperial in Vienna and the Schloss Fuschl in Salzburg.
GALLERY: Starwood Hotel and Resorts Bentley Continental
When sports car company Lotus had announced the end of its title sponsorship of the Lotus F1 team, a red flag was raised as concerns over Group Lotus’ financial problems surfaced. Now, new reports reveal that the troubles facing the automaker are more than meets the eye.
Earlier warning signs were brought to attention this year when Lotus’ Malaysian parent company Proton sold a controlling stake to another Malaysian conglomerate, DRB-Hicom. As per Malaysian law, Lotus had to halt all business operations and freeze its financial accounts during the 60-day transition period.
The 60-day period ended in March and now, new owner DRB-Hicom is currently conducting the due diligence of Group Lotus, investigating worrisome figures including Lotus’ $320 million in accumulated debt.
Due to the mounting concerns, rumors have spread that Lotus may be put into administration to free itself from debt and that even CEO Dany Bahar has been let go from the company. What’s more, in line with our reports earlier this year, Chinese automaker Zhejian Youngman Lotus Automobile (Youngman) is a potential buyer of the brand, placing a bid on its remaining assets, including naming rights. The official importer of Proton and Lotus cars in China, Youngman is perhaps better known for its past failed attempt to purchase the now defunct Saab.
So far, a Lotus spokesperson has denied these rumors and insisted that DRB-Hicom and Lotus executives are working to keep the business running as usual, ”There have been and continue to be positive discussions between Group Lotus senior management and senior management at DRB-Hicom both here in Hethel and in Malaysia. Despite various rumours in the media to the contrary, at no point has DRB-Hicom indicated to Group Lotus that they intend to put the company into administration and we welcome the opportunity to put that rumour along with incorrect speculation that production has stopped, that Dany Bahar is no longer CEO and that we are no longer involved in F1 to bed.”
The spokesperson adds, “It’s no secret that we are going through a very difficult time at the moment due to the change in ownership but we’re doing everything we can to get through this period and come out the other side stronger than before.”
Optimistic words, but something definitely isn’t right in the house of Lotus. Stay tuned for more information as the situation continues to develop.
[Source: AutoCar]
It’s too bad that even though David Beckham could make enough money to purchase a fine collection of luxury and sports cars, he could never find the time to enjoy them.
Feeling a bit disappointed that his collection sits around in the UK collecting dust, Beckham’s loss can be someone’s gain as the 36 year old star soccer player (or is it football?) for the LA Galaxy has decided to sell his two Bentleys, a BMW 645i Convertible, a Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and Lamborghini Gallardo. Beckham may also sell his three Harley Davidson motorcycles.
“David’s collection is amazing and each of these vehicles is worth a fortune,” says a friend of David Beckham. “They are hardly used and are kept in prize condition — but David sees little point in them just mothballing in the UK and it’s not practical to ship them to America.”
Beckham’s pal adds, “Their value easily exceeds half a million but their real worth will be the association with Becks.”
David Beckham has sold several cars in the past including a BMW M3 that he bought in 1997 for 44,000 pounds. Beckham sold his BMW M3 in 2005 for £90,000.
GALLERY: David Beckham’s Cars
[Source: The Sun]
Office-K, a high-end aftermarket automotive store in Tokyo, Japan, organized an incredible Rolls-Royce meet along a swanky cobblestone street in the heart of Tokyo for its owners to celebrate their favorite luxury marque. A nod to Middle Eastern extravagance, Office K’s event was named “Dubai Street, Phantom Party.”
From standard Phantoms, to Extended Wheelbase models, Coupes, and Drophead Coupes, the wide ranging variety of custom tuned Rolls-Royce cars on display is surely a rare sight to behold. Check out the videos from the event below. Continue Reading…
American motorists’ mentalities were very different a decade ago. Gas was selling at $1.25 a gallon, and thirsty SUVs like the Hummer H2 were popular.
Fast forward to today and gas prices are more than triple the old average. That translates to buyer’s increasing interest in smaller, more fuel-efficient models like the MINI Cooper.
“MINI launched in the U.S. during the time when gas was cheap and large trucks and SUV’s ruled the road. Many thought the brand would be a one-hit wonder, and we are extremely proud that we were able to surprise some [of] the toughest critics, and at times, even ourselves,” MINI USA vice president Jim McDowell said.
Despite that skepticism, the company is celebrating a decade of sales and growth in the U.S., and steady upward progress. Most recently the company debuted its 2013 Countryman John Cooper Works edition, which is a more performance-oriented take on its largest offering to date. The Countryman is an example of how the company grew over the past 10 years.
The MINI brand first opened shop in San Francisco back in 2002, at a time when many didn’t think a funky, European hatchback had any place on the vast Interstates of America, a land where gas was cheap and size mattered most.
Many felt this premium small car brand, under BMW ownership didn’t have much of a chance of surviving in the States, especially because it started as a one-model company.
Soon, MINI expanded by introducing more models including not-so-small options. This eventually lead to the six choices you see today and a healthy customer base.
If you own a 1995 to 1999 Land Rover Discovery, a 1999 to 2004 Discovery II or a 1995 Range Rover Classic, and had recently replaced its rear drive-shaft coupling, you need to read on.
The problem: certain rear drive-shaft couplings manufactured as replacement parts between April 2011 through November 2011, carrying parts number TVF100010, could fail because they weren’t built to exact design specification the manufacturer had required.
The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reported that, “some of the rear driveshaft couplings may not have been manufactured to the required engineering design specifications and may exhibit the onset of joint separation, precluded by driveline vibration.”
This means, ignoring the vibration warning sign may lead to a “catastrophic failure” of the drive coupling, which may lead to a loss of the driveshaft while moving. The vehicle could lose drive along with its transmission park settings, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash or injury.
Land Rover expects around 180 vehicles to be affected. So if you recently had this item changed on your old Discovery or Classic, we advise you to contact Land Rover at: 1-201-818-8500. The campaign number for this recall is P024.
Preparing for the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Bentley took its latest model in the line-up, the Continental GT 4.0 liter V8, for a series of high-speed runs to acquaint the new British sports car to the hill-climb event and to allow Goodwood’s VIP guests to catch an early glimpse of the latest Bentley.
As 2011 sales numbers reveal one-third of all Bentleys sold were GTs, the latest 4.0 V8 model looks to be an important component to the British brand’s future growth.
According to Bentley Marketing Operations Manager Steven Egan, “The team had an excellent day at Goodwood with the new Continental V8 and we’re now looking forward to returning in the summer as one of the Festival’s official partners and with our leading ‘Bentley Boy’ drivers behind the wheel.”
During the outing, Bentley also fielded its 6.0 liter W12 Continental Supersports Convertible ISR and the flagship 6.75 liter V8 Mulsanne to tackle the hill-climb as well.
GALLERY: Bentley at Goodwood
It’s hard out there for a sports car manufacturer, especially if it is owned by a larger company.
Lotus has been owned by the Malaysian car company Proton since 1995, when the company was bought from the then bankrupting Bugatti (which itself got eventually bought out by VW).
Over the last 17-years, Lotus has not made a profit for its parent company. That was not such a big deal since Lotus was seen as more of a high-class brand name for the Malaysian state-owned Proton. However, just earlier this year, Proton sold its 42.7% stake in Lotus to DRB-Hicom, one of the largest private companies in Malaysia. Generally, private companies are much more concerned with making a profit rather than owning a company just for its prestige.
Now word comes from Lotus CEO Dany Bahar, that the future of Lotus’ production is in jeopardy, as development for new models like the updated Esprit have been suspended. In fact, Bahar was “completely taken aback” when he learned at the Geneva Auto Show, that the entire Proton group would enter a three-month “lockdown.”
That means, only normal trading activities would be allowed, hence all future developments have been suspended. This lockdown will even effect its recently announced models like the Exige S and the Evora GTE. The new Esprit will now likely be pushed to a 2014 launch, which means the concept would be nearly five-years old when it hits the road.
That is, if DRB-Hicom even decides to keep Lotus. Rumors suggest that they will want to off-load the unprofitable Lotus brand, which means Bahar has to find a savior for Lotus very quickly.
For now, Lotus’ motor sport activities, the opening of their new showroom on Regent Street in London, and its participation at this years Goodwood Festival of Speed as the featured marque will continue. Let’s hope Lotus can survive through its current dilemma.
GALLERY: Lotus Esprit
[Source: Evo]
Expanding the Land Rover brand to a wider audience, the Evoque proved to be a fresh and attractive departure from the traditional Land Rover offerings. Well received since 2010, global brand chief John Edwards reported that some 80 percent of Evoque customers are buyers new to the marque.
With the unveiling of its new Evoque Convertible concept at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show, Range Rover hopes to expose itself to an even more diverse market. In fact, if given the green light, the Evoque Convertible will be the world’s first premium compact convertible SUV. Running gear in the concept is expected to be identical with its hardtop counterparts. However, additional structural reinforcements in the Evoque Convertible is expected to add another 165 lbs. to the curb weight.
One of the rare automakers to create vehicles that look just as at home cruising along the trendiest city streets as it does navigating rural dirt paths, Range Rover released a new promotional video to feature the Range Rover Evoque Convertible’s surprising versatility.
Check out the promo video below.
GALLERY: Land Rover Evoque Convertible
One of the most iconic sports car brands in the world has to be AC cars. After all, it was their Ace model that a young Texan by the name of Carroll Shelby took a liking to back in the early 1960′s, added more power (and bulges) to it, and hence gave birth to the Cobra.
Since then, AC has had its fair share of ups and downs, with the company going into receivership in 1996. Thankfully the new owner of the company decided to not only service existing cars, but also put the Cobra back into production. With the popularity of this iconic sports car only growing with time, the company has been able to sustain itself while many other British cars firms have disappeared.
However, even if the continuation series Cobra MK II and MK IV models are doing well, AC cannot move forward by just making a model from its past. To move forward, they needed a new model, and what they came up with has just been unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show.
It’s called the AC 378 GT Zagato, and it is the first all-new model the company has presented in over a decade. If the design looks familiar, it’s because this car was first shown back in 2009 as the Perana Z-One concept by Zagato.
While Perana seems to have vanished, Zagato offered the design to AC, who have thankfully taken on the project which has culminated to the car you see here today.
The AC 378 GT Zagato has its own chassis and body (both of which are put together in South Africa, by the same people who build the Noble sports car), but motive power comes from a very American source. Under that long hood is the same 6.2-liter, naturally-aspirated V8, that you would find in the base Chevrolet Corvette C6. According to AC, this engine produces 434-hp and that is good enough to propel this 3223-lbs car from 0-60 mph in under four-seconds and onto a top speed of 185-mph.
So not only is it pretty, it is also quite fast. At this point we are sure you’re tempted to park one on your drive way, but there are a few issues with that. Initially, AC will only offer this model for sale in U.K. and Germany, and currently there are no plans to bring this model for sale in the U.S.A. Even if it was available, you’d have to come up with $141,800 to have one. That makes it three-times more expensive than the car it shares its drive-train with.
After their initial run, AC will be taking the brand to global markets. After all, a car this pretty that comes from a well-established brand has the potential to do well in emerging economies.
An international auto show is a great opportunity for an automaker to introduce an all-new product to the public in order to gauge approval and reception.
Oftentimes, these concept vehicles are near 70 percent of the finished product that the public should expect once it reaches the market. However, there are rare occasions where the public’s reception to a concept car is less than enthusiastic.
After some lukewarm feedback from its Geneva unveiling, Bentley has announced that it is already working on a redesigned version of the new EXP 9 F luxury SUV concept.
During the Geneva Motor Show, a Bentley spokesperson admitted that the EXP 9 F’s styling is “a little heavy handed” and that a sharper, more refined design is underway. The source added that the EXP 9 F will be treated with “more traditional SUV proportions and less retro surfacing.” An instantly recognizable Bentley fascia will remain, complete will grill, large round headlights and fog lights. The headlights in the revised version will be slightly smaller and set farther inward.
Based on the VW Group’s Touarag, Audi Q7, and Porsche Cayenne platform, the new Bentley SUV will receive a W12 gasoline engine good for 600-hp. Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer expects a production version ready for sale by 2015.
GALLERY: Bentley EXP 9 F Concept
[Source: Whatcar?]
Named after the Q Division from the James Bond films, Aston Martin launched its new bespoke vehicle customization service at the Geneva Motor Show.
Using a matte-blue Virage Volante model with custom treatments for everything from the wheels to the interior, Q allows Aston clients to personalize their vehicle to a level not previously offered.
For more on Q and this particular Virage model, watch AutoGuide’s first look video below.
GALLERY: Aston Martin Virage Volante by Q
Standing out, and for perhaps not all the right reasons, the Bentley EXP 9 F concept is a hard-to-miss debut at the Geneva Motor Show.
Unveiled as part of the luxurious British brand’s expansion plans, it’s obvious that Bentley is thinking about growth in emerging markets like India and China with this potential new model. Of course, it’s certain to be popular in America, not to mention with Russian oligarchs and African dictators.
Find out more about the new Bentley SUV concept in AutoGuide’s first look video below.
GALLERY: Bentley EXP 9 F SUV Concept
After seeing spy photos and leaked photos of the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake over the last few months, the real deal has finally been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show.
As expected, the station wagon variant of the Jaguar XF is as beautiful in the flesh as it is in photos. In fact, the XF Sportbrake looks surprisingly sporty with its aggressive front-end design while the traditional wagon rear is rather classy.
The stretched variant of the XF sedan is a mere 5-mm longer than the sedan, but also weighs 150 lbs less. But don’t let the overall length fool you, there’s almost two inches more of rear seat headroom thanks to all new sheetmetal from the B-pillar back.
Unfortunately this sporty and versatile XF wagon won’t be making its way to America, since it’s believed that Americans are very anti-wagon. The rear-wheel drive wagon will be available in Europe with Jaguar’s 2.2L four-cylinder, turbo-diesel powerplant and a pair of 3.0L twin-turbo, six-cylinder engine variants with either 237-hp or 271-hp. All engine choices will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
After seeing the XF Sportbrake on the show floor at Geneva, we’re saddened by the fact that it won’t make its way to America. But hopefully this could help persuade the market to be more acceptable toward wagon models in the future.
See the rest of our 2012 Geneva Motor Show coverage here.
GALLERY: Jaguar XF Sportbrake
GALLERY: Jaguar XF Sportbrake
Ahead of the official Geneva Auto Show unveil tomorrow, we managed to catch an example of Aston Martin‘s new “Q” bespoke service between polishings.
It offers Aston customers an unprecedented level of customization including this Virage Volante finished with a bespoke satin Mariana Blue with new diamond turned wheels. Until now, the special British sports car had only appeared in press photos.
You can see the yellow leather headrest accents that match the car’s brake calipers and offer a striking contract to the exterior.
“This [service] could extend to colour matching a Brompton bicycle to their Aston Martin, supporting the customer’s architect to design their house, or creating colour themes and materials for the interior specification of a yacht,” the company said in a press release.
Pricing details aren’t available, but we don’t expect them to be beyond the closed doors in a salesman’s office. After all, this is a service aimed at making Aston Martins into one-off products, so it wouldn’t make sense to speculate — one man’s trash is another’s treasure.
GALLERY: 2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante by Q
