Luxury Sports Cars: October 2010

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Some of the Very Best Luxury Super Sports Cars in the World

If you have money to spare then you may own a super car or two, there are many collectors around the world who collect the worlds very best cars and simply have to have the very latest Ferrari as soon as it has been designed. Whether you wish to take your Bugatti for a spin around the Monaco Grand Prix circuit or you just want to covet it and keep it safe in your private museum, these cars are prestigious. If you are a lover of fast cars you may wish to check out this list of the worlds luxury super cars manufacturers.

One of the worlds finest super cars manufacturers is Bugatti. This brand is known as being among the very best and of course is from Italy. These are some of the fastest and most luxurious cars seen on the roads today and also some of the fastest on the roads. The designs are typically sleek and are often considered to be works of art. The Veyron in particular is a typical favorite among super car lovers.

Lamborghini is another top super car manufacturer Pagani is another Italian great that lovers of superb cars covet. This brand name brings some of the worlds fastest super cars out that not only have the luxury look but that also have the power to match. A great deal of the super cars is limited edition which means that they are much coveted by collectors the world over.that many people love to own. There are numerous models to choose from this superb brand name with some being known and driven all over the world. This is of course another name to come out of Italy. Popular models to come from this Italian manufacturer include the Gallardo and the racing model, the Trofeo.

No list of the very best car designers in the world would be complete with mention of Ferrari. The Enzo is in fact one of the most well-known super cars ever to be built with a fantastic top speed. A limited number of these models were designed and let loose on the world and they are much sought after with collectors of luxury super cars around the world.

Exotic Sports Car Rentals - Gotta Get Me Some!

I don't know about you, but I've always wanted to drive one of those really extreme high-end sports cars. Lamborghini, Ferrari, Mazerati... the list goes on. I've never sat in one of these kinds of sports cars, let alone driven one - all that power transmitting itself from the tires all the way into the palms of my white-knuckled hands, seeing the looks of envy on the faces of everyone I pass by.

Oh What A Feeling
What a feeling that would be. I thought I'd never get to have that experience, but I found you I actually can! Turns out there are hundreds, possibly thousands, of exotic car dealerships all over the United States and all over the world. For a week, a day, or even just a few hours, that exotic, luxury sports car can be yours, along with the feelings of superiority that come with it! True, it will set you back more than the average compact car rental. But what an experience! Being behind the wheel of a sports car, a TRUE sports car that's normally only seen on the race track, is something most people will never experience. The bragging rights alone are worth the price of admission!

OK I gotta Have One. Now What?
So where do you find the sports car rental of your dreams? You'll have to look around to see who's in your local area with sports cars to rent out (or the area you plan to be visiting if you're thinking of doing a vacation sports car rental). Jump onto the internet and search for something like "sports car rental Your City" replacing "Your City" of course with... your city! Depending on what you want, you'll find it quickly or not. If you just dream of a convertible Porsche for example, that's probably not all that hard to find. But a Lamborghini Diablo might take a little more hunting. If you look around enough, you'll eventually find that almost every model of exotic sports car in existence can be had for a price. Ferrari, Viper, Alfa Romeo, Mazerati... they're all out there.

You Want HOW Much For That?

Now let's be clear - this is a serious luxury, and it's going to command a luxury premium price. You can expect to pay several times what you would pay for a "standard" rental car [http://lasertargeted.com/carrental/car-rental-savvy-company-losing-money-rent-car.html], though with these luxury sports cars they will often deliver them to you at your home, office, hotel, etc. When you pay this much - you get service! It's not cheap, but then how many things that are really worthwhile, are cheap? Rent an exotic sports car, live a little. It's your life - live it!

Saturday, October 30, 2010

The Art & Spirit of the Exotic Sports Car

Anyone who has seen the Lamborghini Reventón or the Aston Martin DBS knows that unmistakable feeling. It's the thrill & the allure of the exotic sports car, overhauled & updated for the 21st century. Since their inception, sports cars have continually pushed the boundaries of both engineering & art. These are the cars that exemplify speed, power and beauty.

Alfa Romeo: The Grandfather of Exotic Sports Cars

Alfa Romeo first began producing racecars in Milan, Italy in 1910. Their first endeavor, the HP 24, turned some heads with its superior speed and handling. Chief Designer Giuseppe Merosi worked on all Alfa Romeo models from 1910 to 1923. When Merosi retired, racecar driver Enzo Ferrari persuaded Vittorio Jano to leave Fiat and take over Merosi's work.

In 1925, Alfa Romeo unveiled the P2 Grand Prix Car, Jano's first car with Romeo and widely considered the first "supercar." The P2 was powered by a straight-8 cylinder supercharged engine, and placed first in 14 Grand Pix races between 1924 and 1930. Today, the P2 Grand Prix is considered one of the most rarified of the collectible antique cars, with less than a dozen still intact.

This year marks the return of Alfa Romeo to the United States. Their current sports car, the 8C Competizione, is stunning with its sleek lines, 4.7L 6-cylinder engine & a top speed of 181 mph. This car is destined to send ripples throughout the US market.

Luxury Sports Car Performs Best Over Others

Consumer Reports has tested the vehicles that it has purchased. And they are checking the range of expensive machines. And what they found out was that the Porsche 911 took earned the right to be called one of the best vehicles there is in the market. In fact, it topped the list of vehicles of Consumer Reports' list of high performance sports vehicles and cars.


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David Champion is the senior director of the Auto Test Center of Consumer Reports. He even assesses the Porsche 911 by saying, "The 911 wowed us enough with its acceleration, handling, and braking for us to rate it our top sports car. The 911 is also easy to drive, but its much less expensive Boxster sibling performed almost as well."

The automotive magazine tested the Porsche 911 in all its Porsche car parts glory against other high class and high performance vehicles like the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the Dodge Viper. Aside from these two, the Porsche 911 competed eleven other performance vehicles that are currently available in the market. The vehicles went through a series of tests so as to see who performed best and who topped all others as a luxury sports car.

You certainly would not believe the kind of prices these vehicles hold. The cheapest in the lot is the Lotus Elise that can be purchased in the market for $45,545 while the most expensive machine tested by the auto magazine was a Mercedes Benz SL550 vehicle that could cost you $105,855.

All these vehicles had to go through tests that would give Consumer Reports data on who should be declared the best among the lot. The vehicles had to go through public roads. They also were driven through the Consumer Report test track facility which is located in Connecticut. The vehicles also had been tried using various tests like one for high speed maneuvering as well as braking and cornering while driving at high speeds.

The Jaguar XJ - The Luxury Sports Car

Every XJ has a V8 engine under the hood. A standard engine is powerful; a 4.2L aluminum V8 engine with 300 horsepower. It uses cam phasing to increase response with lower emissions. Advanced versions of the XJ feature higher performance engines. The R model features a supercharger with 400 horsepower.

Of the five XJ models, XJR is probably the most thrilling. The body uses a rivet-bonded aluminum alloy monocoque, which is stiffer and stronger and 40% lighter than steel. Independent, aluminum double-wishbone suspension with larger anti-roll bars, featuring R-tuned self-leveling air springs and enhanced Computer Active Technology, analyze road conditions and curtail pitch and roll. The level is lowered automatically at higher speeds so that the car will be more stable. In other words the closer to the ground the car is, the greater its stability.

The XJ employs a clever system of protecting the driver. Pre-tensioned 3-point safety belts serve all seating positions, and energy absorbent seats help guard front passengers. Driver and passenger airbags are deployed according to a number of factors including occupant position, weight and safety belt use, and side curtain airbags drop from above doors to help shield occupants. A similar concept to oxygen masks coming down on aircraft. Built into the car´s aluminum body are crumple zones and a rigid safety cell. Traction control varies power to wheels to limit slip. Four-channel anti-lock brakes, largest in the XJR and Super V8, stop the car with confidence and in treacherous conditions the braking force at each wheel is varied to help manage grip. Just like the other Jaguar cars, individual tire pressure is continuously monitored, even the spare.

The interior of the car is also exquisite. Each interior is hand crafted with Peruvian boxwood and rich leather. Four-zone climate control is used along with a twelve speaker sound system that can work with the option Sirius Satellite Radio feature. The seats are also heated and can be adjusted in sixteen different ways.

Acura NSX - Luxurious Sports Car

The Acura NSX, also called as Honda NSX is a sports car, first released in 1990, manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda. The model is a rear wheel drive car, powered by an aluminum V6 gasoline engine and the engine is featured with lift electronic control and Variable valve timing system.

The Acura NSX is produced at the Takanezawa R&D assembly plant in Japan. The NSX is a two door coupe model with the mid engine layout. The vehicle also offers various engines to the sports car like C30A V6 that produces power up to 201 kilo watts and torque of 280 lb ft, C32B V6 that produces 216 kilo watts of power and torque of 304 lb ft. Both the engines are paired to a standard four-speed automatic transmission. The optional transmissions offered by the engine include five and six-speed manual transmission.

As far as the dimensions and the capacity of the car are concerned, it has the wheel base of 2530 mm, length of 4405 mm, width of 1810 mm and height of 1170 mm. The fuel tank in the car has the capacity to hold up to 18.50 US gallons. The curb weight of the car is 1340 kilo grams.

Though the sports car was introduced in 1990, the vehicle was redesigned and released in various generations, with added and revised features in each generation. There were new standards and features added for every new release and the model was also offered in different body styles and colors. The trim options and the various body styles offered by the car attracted the customers towards the car and it became one of the top selling sports cars in the United States car market.

Aston Martin V12 Vanquish Review Luxury Sports Car

The Aston Martin V12 Vanquish was designed by Ian Callum. When you think of GT vehicles, the V12 Vanquish is considered quintessential. The V12 Flagship model was introduced to the general public in 2001. 2007 was the last year for production of the car. Throughout all that time the V12 Vanquish served as the flagship vehicle for Aston Martin. The car became a part of pop culture when it was featured in the twentieth James Bond film, "Die Another Day.

In 2004, Aston Martin unveiled the Vanquish S model at the Paris Auto Show. Newly designed rims, an upgraded body styling, and more power outfitted the upgraded V12 model. In 2005 Aston Martin not only put the V12 S on sale, but they made the Sports Dynamic Pack a standard part of the car. The Sports Dynamic Pack gives the V12 (S) sportier suspension, better steering, and braking power. During 2005 the V12 S and the base V12 were sold alongside one another. In 2006 Aston Martin only sold the V12 S in the United States. By 2007 Aston Martin only sold the V12 S in Europe.

Ironically the last of the Aston Martin's V12 production run was celebrated with the creation of the Vanquish Ultimate Edition. Aston Martin decided that the last 40 cars produced the V12 format would have a new Ultimate Black exterior color. The cars would also have upgraded interior as well. The UEV, comes with a standard manual transmission. Previous owners of the V12 applaud this upgrade considering the sloppy shifting mannerisms of the floppy paddle gear box found in the standard V12 Vanquish.

Aston Martin DB9 Luxury Sports Car Review

The Aston Martin DB9 is a GT which was introduced by Aston Martin in 2004. The DB9 is the first car to be built at the Gaydon plant in England. The DB prefix in DB9 stems from David Brown who owned Aston Martin from the late 1940's into the 1970's. The DB9 was designed by Ian Callum and Henrik Fisker. The DB9 replaces the DB7 which started production in 1994.

The DB9 coupe has a 6.0L engine. It has the same V12 engine as the Aston Martin Vanquish. With a width of 73.8 inches (over 6 feet), a height of 52 inches, and a length of 185 inches, it would be an understatement to say that the DB9 is a big GT. With such massive size in a coupe one might consider this machine cumbersome and slow. But underneath its bonnet lies a 450Hp power plant capable of raising the car to speeds over 180mph.

Currently there are more than 5000 Aston Martin DB9's produced each year. It is around the same numbers as Ferrari's F430 and Porsche's 911 Turbo. The DB9 come outfitted in a standard manual transmission or with a floppy paddle gear box. The instrument panel is as unique as the gearbox. The DB9's tachometer runs in a counter clockwise direction. Instead of the usual redline that is on most sports cars instrument panel the DB9 has a red light that glows when you are redlining the engine. In 2006 a sports package was introduced for the DB9 which improved stiffness, lowered right height, and added aluminum 19 in alloy wheels.

Audi S5 Luxury Sports Car Review

With the likes of Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, and even Jaguar, Audi has become the forgotten stepchild of the luxury automobile world. Now before Audi loyalist jump out of their seats in defense of their sacred brand, let is be of note that you can find a Lexus, Beamer, or Benz on just about any street corner in America. Meanwhile, with few exceptions, a person would have to be in a major metropolitan area to spot an Audi.

1 in 1050 people bought a Lexus in the United States in 2007. 1 in 1000 people bought a Benz or a BMW. 1 in 3200 people bought an Audi. Audi's are less exclusive than any of those brands and they sell fewer models world-wide then any of the previously mentioned brands. But why is this? Fear not Audi fans. Unlike Brutus, I come to praise Caesar, not to bury him.

Until the R8 it almost seemed like Audi was incapable of making a sexy car. Please, sedans and coupes that can double as beach balls do not constitute sexy. After Audi introduced the R8, it's as if the company had an epiphany: sports cars sell! And now along came the S5. The S5 is downright sexy. This is a magnificent coupe with beautiful lines and over 350 raging horses. Inside the cabin is what you would expect from a mid priced sports car. There is the Audi Multimedia Interface similar to BMW's I-drive. The entire cabin is very ergonomic to say the least. Audi gets an A+ in every category when it come to the S5.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and look forward to your continued readership. When I'm not busy writing on things that interest me I retail clothing, accessories, and self help products.

Range of Aston Martins Luxury Sports Cars

Despite this legacy, each sports car is a product of the latest technology. The latest designs aided by computers and engineering facilities create new cars that can be the pride of generations. If you want to own an Aston Martin, you can be assured that you are not just getting the illustrious name but also the kind of technology that rules the road. Here are some of the cars on the Aston Martin range worth knowing about...

The Aston DBS is a luxury sports car that brings the road and the track closer together. It is versatile enough to be used in winding mountain roads or on flat and open city roads. The DBS is powered by a 6 liter V12 engine and its aerodynamic design leaves no room for compromise for on-road performance. It is a two-seater car that boasts of elegant interiors in hand-finished materials. It can easily be said to be Aston Martin's sports car or luxury that uses elegant design, race-derived and inspired materials and components and also an innovative manufacturing process.

The DB9 is considered to be the grand tourer. It can be great as a DB9 Coupe or a DB9 Volante. All three offer top character, luxury, driver involvement and refinement. The DBS Volante completes the DBS lineup. It features a motorized fabric roof that easily retracts upon command. You can feel exhilarated or in a safe ambiance depending on when you want your roof up or down. Of course, as an Aston Martin DBS, its sports features are top rate.

The Rapide is a four-seater sports car that can only be described as luxuriously sporty. As a hand-crafted sorts car, it is elegant in looks and outstanding in performance. Despite its being a high-end sports car, it is agile and versatile enough for everyday use.

The V12 vantage uses a 6 liter V12 engine. It has top speed of 190 mph. This latest Vantage exudes unique character and is developed for pure driving enjoyment. As an Aston, it uses materials and components that are race developed and inspired.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Jaguar XJ75 Car Concept Luxury Sports Car

No future for the mid-engine Corvette

With GM facing well-publicized challenges -- along with just about everyone else who needs a little thing called money -- certain high-profile and expensive programs are crowding up on the back burner. Even America's sports car, the Corvette, is not exempt, with CAFE regulations clouding the view inside the 'Vette Nation's crystal ball. Motor Trend, commenting on the C7 Corvette's delayed arrival, has said that the new coupe won't appear until the 2014 model year at the earliest. The mid-engined route has also been scrapped, since it would simply cost too much to re-engineer the entire car for the purpose of easier integration of fuel saving tech like cylinder deactivation. That means a six-cylinder is still being talked about -- by GM outsiders only, at this point -- as an option for the C7. If we take the Camaro as an example, that 2014 introduction date could mean late 2012, but that still only gives you four years to mentally prepare for a budget- and economy-minded V6 Corvette. Get cracking.

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