Paris Hilton and her cars..ooh-la-la, j'taime

Paris Hilton can't seem to escape the law. The celebutante has previously served jail time for DUI charges and now Hilton is being questioned about her neighbors vandalized cars. After several of Ms. Hilton's new neighbors' cars were keyed and egged, the Los Angeles police questioned Paris Hilton. The Hollywood Hills neighborhood got Ms. Hilton back recently, as her re-renovated home was complete. The party girl threw a "welcome back" party for herself, that went on until 4 a.m., causing some neighbors to complain to the police. The same complaining neighbors awoke to find their cars vandalized, revenge really? The cars that got keyed and egged included a $1.4 million Bugatti Veyron, a pair of Maseratis, and two Bentleys. To all of this Paris said, "We had nothing to do with this. My blue Bentley was egged and I even filed a victim’s report." 

"Turns out the house in question is Doug Reinhardt's and Paris says her own Bentley was vandalized as well!"

in her Mercedes SLR

her Ferrari & Mercedes SLR again

A Xmas present: a pink Bentley

The story: The house has been under renovation for a long time and she's just moved back in. So, naturally, she needed a huge "welcome Paris back" to the 'hood soiree that lasted until approximately 4 a.m. Tuesday.
Her neighbors were not amused. Some of them finally called cops about the noise just before the party broke up.
A half-dozen über-pricey, expensive cars parked in the neighborhood were egged by party guests -- two Bentleys, two Maseratis and a $1.4-million Bugatti Veyron -- on that block were keyed and egged. Reports that Paris Hilton's house party got busted are totally wrong.
Turns out the house in question is Doug Reinhardt's and Paris says her own Bentley was vandalized as well!“This is ridiculous,” Paris tells E! exclusively. “We had nothing to do with this. My blue Bentley was egged and I even filed a victim’s report.”
Police were indeed called to Doug's house twice that night...so what really happened?
"Neighbors called Monday night because of the noise,” an LAPD spokesperson says. "A little later, there was another call from owners of cars that had been vandalized in that same vicinity, so officers ended up going out a second time.”

ooohhhh i love pink

In another story Paris Hilton has bought a new car to match her outfits.
The socialite has been seen driving both a pink and a blue version of the luxury Bentley in the last month, changing her car to suit her clothing.
Paris, 27, was spotted eating lunch with her mother at the Ivy restaurant in Los Angeles, wearing an all blue outfit, before driving off in the matching blue vehicle.

..i thought i ordered a pink camel?

In December, it was reported Paris had took delivery of her $200,000 pink Bentley, which was a Christmas present to herself. At the time she revealed buying the unique car fulfilled a childhood fantasy.Paris said: "I've just always wanted a pink car. I think when you're a little girl and you have the Barbie corvette you're always like, 'Oh I wish I had a car like this one day', so I think it just comes from being a fan of Barbie for so long.
"This is a car that I cannot drive every single day but I will be driving a lot. They put on protective tint on the windows so no paparazzi flashes can come through."


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The $12 Million Exotic Ferrari 250TR

The Ferrari Leggenda e Passione is an exclusive luxury car event that is held annually in Maranello, Italy. This year the event was held on May 17th during the Mille Miglia and many fine cars will pass hands. Though, it is one car, specifically, that is making big news. Sotheby's auction house is to present a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa race car.

The very rare 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa was just sold at this auction for about $12.2 million. This means a new world record for the most expensive motor car sold at auction has been set. Only 22 Scaiglietti-designed, “pontoon-fender” 250 Testa Rossa were made, between 1957 and 1958. Making the 250 TR one of the rarest Ferrari racing cars in the world. In 19 international championship races between 1958 and 1961, the Ferrari 250 TR won 10 of them. The auctioning off of this legendary Ferrari 250 TR is said to be one of the most exciting motor cars ever put up. And this specific Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa break the record for the most expensive vintage motor car ever auctioned off which was previously held by a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder which was auctioned off at last year's Ferrari leggenda e Passione for $10,894,400.

"The historical significance of this car attracted a bidding war as collectors from around the world - both in the room and on the telephone – competed to secure one of the most alluring and iconic of all Ferrari racing cars," said Max Girardo, Managing Director of RM Auctions Europe. “The quality and the provenance of the Testa Rossa speaks for itself and the price we achieved today is testament to that.”

This Ferrari Scaglietti-designed "pontoon-fender" 250 Testa Rossa was one of only 22 ever made. Yet, the 250 TR is one of the most identifiable racing cars in Ferrari history and is coveted by Ferrari collectors. Famous car collector Ralph Lauren actually owns two. Maybe Ralph Lauren can set the new world record with one of his Ferrari 250 TRs, not that he cares.

The Flying Ferrari 599 GTB Concept

Some moron actually wants to fly a Ferrari. Literally.

A flying version of the Ferrari’s 599 GTB called the Autovolantor is, kind of, in development. The bananas concept is being developed by Moller International, the same Moller International that has been promising to turn out a flying car since 2000, in existence since the 1980's with no production yet. Targeted towards the affluent, obviously, the Autovolantor would be a desirable sports car that could sometimes fly.




Designer Bruce Calkins has fitted the flying Ferrari supercar with a specially designed hybrid fuel and electric power system to run the eight thrusters that would give lift to the car, a system that Calkins believes would give the futuristic machine 800 horsepower. Translating to a top speed of 150 miles per hour in the air and altitudes of up to 5000 feet, for an air travel distance of about 75 miles. Why a Ferrari you ask? Well, apparently, the 599 chassis was picked by Calkins because of its distinctive shape and natural born aerodynamics. The airworthy Ferrari 599 GTB will conceptually have Back To The Future-like hovering capabilities for vertical take-off and landings, as well as wings and stabilizers for forward flight. Once airborne the car maneuvers like a helicopter, rolling to turn and changing pitch to move forward or backward.

Rumors suggest that Moller is hurting and needs new investment backing to take the Autovolanter to the next stage of development. Unless you feel like donating upwards of $5 million, don't expect to see a fleet of flying Ferrari's anytime soon.A production version of the Autovolantor, as unlikely as it may be, will cost something like $800,000 per vehicle. Worth the price of flying over bumper to bumper traffic, yes, but not worth the price of a crash, blow-up or crash landing. We applaud the green efforts of a hybrid engine but are hoping this air-born vehicle never takes to the skies, leave flying to the professionals.

Oh My God...........it's a Porsche Ship

Porsche is building ships?
An SUV and a 4 door Porsche is hard enough to swallow. No matter how succesful the Cayenne and the Panamera (probably) are.
But a ship? A Porsche Ship?
Yes. Seriously.

Porsche is moving into the business of boat building. Porsche Design Group just announced a new deal that would have them designing and marketing yachts. The deal is going down with Royal Falcon Fleet, a South East Asian based catamaran and mega-yacht building company.

The yachts look seriously slick and futuristic. The first project is going to be a motor catamaran. The catamaran is being called the RFF135 and will be 135 ft. You would think it will be called Alligator or something; after all they did call one of them Caymann don't they?

Tank test results point to yachting speeds of 35 knots and don't worry Porsche isn't messing around for kicks. They are taking the project seriously, enlisting Kockums which is a Swedish marine engineering company and some serious naval architects.

We will see how Porsche does on the sea.
Hey, they did build tractors, you know.

Mr. Ercole Spada's Codatronca..............Ha-Ha-Ha

Exotic Luxury Cars: SVS Codatronca TS

The story goes that one Mr Ercole went to Gotham City to seek the Batman himself and try to sell his latest creation which he calls Codatronca. Unfortunately the Bat had been unable to pronounce the creature's name and declined to purchase the thing. The actual reason, it was whispered, was that the Bat took one look at Codatronca and he puked and was convinced that Mr Ercole was the Joker's son.

Ercole Spada is the ex-Zagato Design Chief with a knack for designing light weight, aerodynamic car classics like the 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, the 1962 Alfa Romeo 2600 SZ, and the 1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ. Now Spada has revived his design philosophy through SpadaConcept which is his Italian design studio, with son Paolo Spada (former designer at Smart and Honda). Their first model likened to an updated, Italian take on the Batmobile, is called the SVS Codatronca TS or "truncated tail, turismo sportivo." The SpadaConcept company's focus is on “functional design”, which, according to Ercole Spada, means to express functionality of an object through its shape. Thus, the first Spada Vetture Sport has an undeniably avant-garde shape although to many it is rather, uh, pukable.

SVS Codatronca TSA laundry list of big name partners like Alcantara, Sparco, Aznom, Pirelli, and O.Z. Racing, will supply parts for the stealthy-looking SVS luxury sports cars. The Corvette-sourced 7 liter LS7V-8 engine, supercharged for 622 horsepower and 493 ft pounds of torque, catapults the 3000-pound tubular aluminum frame and fiberglass body to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds. In 6th gear the Codatronca TS exotic car will attain 211 mph; an onboard data recorder stores up to 80 hours of track telemetry and a digital readout on the tail displays the car's lateral g-forces. The Codatronca TS will also be available with a flex-fuel modification that will allow the car to run on BioFuel E85. This exotic car has an engine with both mechanical and electronic components designed to respect the specification of the client's needs.
"Client's needs," has a nice to ring to it doesn't it? SpadaConcept doesn't seem to be just about profit or race track records but rather designing for the pure pleasure of driving. Never mind the visual assault.

Mr. Ercole Spada insists that he has a moral obligation on his part to create hand-built niche vehicles and he will limit production to just 20 cars per year.
The Joker, it was whispered, had booked all of them.

The Economic crisis /The Chinese Vultures/The Carcass of US Hummer

a green Hummer

a tough Hummer destroyed by a humble school bus

an ugly Ssangyong

BEIJING, June 18 — It started with Hummer. Volvo could be next. Opel, Buick and Jeep are targeted too. In the not too distant future, the famous vehicle brands of the West may be more Chinese than European or American.

As the US auto industry disintegrates, Chinese carmakers are circling over the carcasses of the likes of General Motors and Chrysler, eyeing the marquee international wheels owned by the tottering American giants.

“Things are cheap now. It's good shopping time,” said Richard Tay, a former vice-president of DaimlerChrysler in China.

Beijing Automotive, one of China's big five motor giants, is reportedly sending a team to Sweden this week to size up Volvo, adding its name to a growing list of Chinese bidders for the brand that is known here as Wo Er Wo.

This follows one of the most eye-popping bit of auto news in recent weeks, when it was revealed that little-known Chinese machinery maker Sichuan Tengzhong had made a surprise bid for Hummer — that petrol-guzzling behemoth made famous by American GIs and, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The deal, which has not yet been approved by the Chinese government, is clouded in controversy, with many in China slamming the purchase as running contrary to the official stance of promoting a greener society.

But the acquisition of these foreign brands does carry a “high degree of attractiveness” for Chinese companies, said Beijing-based auto analyst Bill Russo.

The most alluring reason is to use these established names to grab a slice of the increasingly lucrative Chinese car market.

For the past five months, China has been beating the US as the world's largest car market, and the projection is for sales this year to crack the 10-million-unit barrier for the first time.

Despite the economic crisis, Beijing showrooms are reporting two-month-long waits for customers wanting a set of new wheels.

The International Monetary Fund estimates that by 2050, China will have as many cars as the whole of the world does today — 700 million.

And Chinese buyers crave foreign cars, in particular the Western brands, which are seen as status symbols, more prestigious than the local makes, or even the South Korean and Japanese cars.

“The domestic companies are looking at foreign brands because they need them to target the higher-end market,” said analyst Ricon Xia of Daiwa Securities.

While first-time, young car buyers in China make do with a domestic QQ or Dongfeng, there is no doubt that most urban Chinese aspire to own a European brand such as Germany's BMW or Mercedes-Benz.

But the Chinese automakers also want these established Western brands to enter the international market.

Instead of following the Japanese and Korean models of developing indigenous brands to conquer the world, the Chinese prefer a short cut.

“How long did the Japanese and Koreans take — 30, 40 years? A brand takes generations to build. Nobody wants a Made in China car today. So it's easier to buy a famous foreign brand,” Tay pointed out.

“That's the advantage of the Chinese now. They have the money, they can shop. They do not need to start from zero. Just copy and take over.”

The acquisitions are also attractive as a means to obtaining the technology and global sales and distribution network which Chinese carmakers lack.

While years of joint ventures with foreign giants like Volkswagen have allowed the Chinese to pick up some of the technologies — such as assembly techniques — experts say the local industry still faces difficulties in building a top-notch engine from scratch.

But analysts have warned that buying these big brands does not mean that the road ahead will be smooth.

Shanghai Automotive acquired South Korea's Ssangyong in 2004, but it did not lead to happily ever after, and Ssangyong went bankrupt earlier this year.

Xia said many of these foreign car companies come with strong labour unions, something which Chinese firms will not be familiar with.

These brands are also not in the best of shape.

“The reason they are for sale is that they are not doing well,” said Russo.

“Chinese firms need to take a bite they can chew instead of swallowing the whole thing.”

Bugatti: Old & New & Special Edition

The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engine grand touring supercar made by Bugatti Automobiles SAS, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The Veyron was introduced in 2005 as the fastest production car in the world. Currently, the Bugatti Veyron is the fastest accelerating street-legal production car available. With a proven zero to 60 in under 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 253.81 mph, the Bugatti Veyron pretty much dominates. The 8-liter 16 cylinder engine puts our 1001 horsepower and features ten radiators. It was said that Gordon Murray the man who designed the McLaren F1, at this point the fastest production car in the world, was skeptical of the Veyron during its development phase but after driving the finished car, he called it a “huge achievement.” To own such an achievement, would cost you upwards of $1.5 million. Considering that the majority of people don’t see that much money in an entire lifetime, it becomes very unusual to see a Bugatti Veyron in real life.




Some actually just got tired of their Bugattis.
Sigh.
After just 124 miles somebody either got sick of their exotic Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang or they couldn't afford it because it's now for sale. Safe to bet it was the latter reason. The special edition Bugatti with exposed carbon fiber and aluminum bodywork is one of only five, all of which were originally sold within one day. This is now the second Pur Sang up for sale and the going rate is a cool $3 million. The Veyron Pur Sang is being sold in Frankfurt, Germany very close to its original launch-place at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Due to the economic depression, it seems Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang owners are looking to cash in and move on. Get it if you can.



In the meantime check this piece of news: An old garage isn't the place to find treasures, at least not multi-million dollar treasures. Occasionally a rare piece or art or jewelry gets discovered in an attic or basement somewhere. Apparently a car was just discovered in an old garage, typical but this time it wasn't just any car. A very rare 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante was found in the old garage of Dr. Harold Carr. There were only 17 Bugatti Atalantes ever made, and a quarter of them are now housed in a museum in France. This specific Bugatti Atalante vanished about a half century ago, only to turn up now in the garage of recluse Dr. Harold Carr. This 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante will be auctioned off in Paris on February 7 as part of the Bonhams Retromobile sale. The classic car has been garaged for so long that it is still in running condition, it may need some minor cosmetic restoration but the odometer only reads 26,284 miles. The estimated value for this Bugatti Atalante has been listed at about $8.8 million.




By the way, famous designer Ralph Lauren will be displaying his Bugatti Type 57 SC Atlantic at the Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa, Italy. The coupe is one of three ever made and its debut coincides with the marque’s 100th anniversary. Lauren’s Bugatti coupe will headline more than 50 classic and brand new exotics. The 80th Concorso d’Eleganza is being held April 24th through the 26th.

Categories: Bugatti | Car manufacturers | Motor vehicle manufacturers of France | Motor vehicle manufacturers of Germany | Motor vehicle manufacturers of Italy | Sports car manufacturers | Formula One constructors | Formula One entrants | Grand Prix teams | French auto racing teams | French racecar constructors | Companies established in 1909 | Luxury brands | Defunct aircraft engine manufacturers of France | Luxury vehicles

The Strange Mercedeses

No, Mercedes Benz herself did not do it.
I mean producing strange Mercedeses.
The culprits that created these strange, shall we say garish (or gross?), are the after market upgraders (downgraders?)and those fools who had too much cash. As the saying goes " the fool and his money is soon to be parted". And some of this 'parting' occurred in Dubai which at one point was boasting a $37 billion-something economy and was touted as the luxury capital of the world.

First there was the fully silver chromed Mercedes-Benz SLR. The shiny sports car was just sitting outside the Emirates mall in Dubai. Now its a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and this time it is fully gold plated and it sits right where its silver counterpart used to, out front of the Emirates mall in Dubai. The flashy, borderline trashy, gold-mirror finish was, of course, an aftermarket decision. The cost of adding this gold plated precious metal finish is unknown. What we do know is these silver chromed and intense gold Benz was enough bling to last a lifetime.
Unlike the economy.
Due to rapid real estate expansion and declining oil prices, Dubai finds itself in debt right now. How the tables have turned on Dubai.

When you think of Mercedes-Benz, class and luxury are just a few of the words that may come to mind. Unfortunately, then came the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 999 Red Gold Dream. This Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is more of a nightmare than a dream. Swiss designer Ueli Anliker had 30,000 man hours and about $4.35 million in resources to toy with the McLaren.Which leads us to believe that Ueli Anliker either hates Mercedes or is just a really bad designer, or both. The 24 carat gold SLR is painful to look at and that's being polite. The SLR McLaren 999 Red Gold Dream made its first appearance at the Swiss tuning show, Auto Emotionen in the city of Berne. It has the unmistakable craftsmanship of classy going trashy. It really is a sad day when the word ugly comes to mind after looking at a Mercedes-Benz McLaren.

Two custom cars that caught the attention are on display at the Tokyo Auto Salon at Makuhari Messe, east of Tokyo. On January 9, 2009 two sparkly Mercedes-Benz SL600's made a lively debut. The custom car accessory company Garson/D.A.D put up the two Benz, studded with 300,000 Swarovski crystal glass studs. Wonder who would actually going to own this bedazzled Benz?






Meanwhile, Mercedes Benz herself has just put out the CLS Grand Edition. The Grand Edition has a few updates and tweaks. The biggest deal about this Benz seems to be the option of a platinum matte paint finish. The no shine finish will be scratch and dirt resistant. The other exterior features sole to the CLS Grand Edition are Bi-xenon headlamps with dark headlight castings, active headlights, a headlamp cleaning system, unique 18-inch AMG wheels and Grand Edition badging. If you have a CLS then consider the upgrade.

The inside features Alcantara headliner; aluminum sports pedals, wood trim, and 'Grand Edition' floor mats, oh my. If you, however, like your cars shiny then you can get another color in high gloss. Consider obsidian black, iridium silver, carneol red, or flint gray metallic paint colors. Prices for the Merceds Benz CLS Grand Edition start around $92,200 and orders are accepted starting March 2009.