Archive for category Automobiles
ECOSSE Moto Works – Exquisitely Engineered For a Fortunate Few
Posted by Ken in Automobiles on May 11, 2008

ECOSSE Moto Works, Inc. is the premier luxury marque of distinctive, limited-production motorcycles created for discerning enthusiasts. Founded in 2001, the company spent three years perfecting The Heretic through three complete prototype iterations. The final prototype, X-3, remains at the company’s headquarters and is reserved for a collector or museum.
While forming a cherished brand, ECOSSE intends to build several different models with the same underlying theme: a synergistic combination of innovation, craftsmanship and technology with a nod to the company’s racing influence. The models share chassis styling, materials and certain elements to instantly alert consumers of the ECOSSE pedigree. Yet each serves a distinctly different purpose and is handcrafted in limited quantities to motivate innovators, collectors and aficionados to place their names on the waiting list for each new model.
Luxautica Ultimate Car Club From The Showroom To The Street
Posted by Ken in Automobiles on April 29, 2008

Luxautica Ultimate Car Club recently opened its doors at the former Millenia Art Gallery adjacent to the Mall at Millenia in Orlando, Florida. The building, which once housed rare German paintings and Italian glass sculptures, underwent a $2 million renovation to make room for more than 20 German and Italian sculptures of a different kind. The impressive in-house display features two Ferrari Enzos, two Maserati MC12s, a Bugatti Veyron, Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR, and Spyker C8 Laviolette ―just to name a few. “The difference between us and others like us is the caliber of car,” says Payam Matin, general manager. “Our [Porsche] Carrera GT is the only one that wears Scuderia red paint, and one of our Enzos only has 900 miles.”
1930′s Racing Heritage Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
Posted by Ken in Automobiles on April 18, 2008

With a racing heritage that dates back to the early 1930s and exclusivity on par with the Ferrari Enzo, the 2009 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is at the forefront of automotive prominence. The 8C appellation is derived from the straight 8-cylinder engine found in Alfa Romeos from 1931 to 1939. Today it refers to the stout V-8 working beneath the carbon fiber front hood of the Competizione.
It is easy to admire the vehicle’s design. Pronounced curves along the body recall such 1960s-era Alfas as the Type 33 Stradale and the TZ, while the bobbed rear end is unabashedly modern. A triangular front grille, fender air vents, triple aspect headlights and big, circular taillights are signature styling traits that render the 8C instantly recognizable as an Alfa Romeo. The credit for design goes to Wolfgang Egger, who recently left Alfa to become Audi’s head of design.
Burmester Sound System In Bugatti Veyron
Posted by Contributor in Automobiles on May 15, 2007

When Bugatti was developing their Veyron super car they wanted to have the best sound system available in the Veyron. Instead of turning to Bang & Olufsen like Audi they decided to go with Dieter Burmester a German sound engineer whose company Burmester Audiosysteme GmbH manufactures high end sound systems. The Burmester sound system in the Veyron was custom made to make the most of the Veyron cockpit design. The CD player is designed to work flawlessly at speeds greater than 400 kilometers per hour. The controls were designed to allow the driver to use them at high speeds without distraction.
Via Sybarites
Bugatti EB110
Posted by Contributor in Automobiles on May 2, 2007

Back in 1987 the Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli (also known as the previous owner of Lotus) purchased the rights to the Bugatti name and formed Bugatti Automobili SpA. Bugatti Automobili SpA spent four years developing what turned out to be their only model the Bugatti EB110. The EB110 was released in Versailles in 1991 exactly 110 years after Ettore Bugatti’s birth, hence the name. The chassis was made entirely of carbon fiber and used a double wishbone suspension system. The car used a a 60-valve, 3.5 liter quad-turbo V12 engine which powered all four wheels through a six-speed gearbox. In total a hundred and thirty nine EB110 were made before the company went bankrupt in 1994 and the Bugatti name was sold to Volkswagen who went on to produce the Veyron.
Via Sybarites
2008 Porsche Cayenne Hits The Press Fleet
Posted by Contributor in Automobiles on May 2, 2007

The Porsche Cayenene might just be one of Porsche's most brilliant ideas in the last decade. Launched in 2003 at a time when Americans were desperately in love with sport utility vehicles, the Cayenne was largely responsible for helping Porsche keep sales up in America, even after September 11 when only the hardiest of automakers reported improved sales figures in the U.S.
New 2008 Audi TT 2.0T Coupe
Posted by Contributor in Automobiles on March 29, 2007

Nearly ten years ago the TT sent shockwaves through the automotive industry, instantly becoming an icon. The ground-breaking styling, geometric shape of the roof, front, and rear made the car instantly recognizable. The geometric theme followed through to the interior with circular styling of most interior components, and a multitude of aluminum trim pieces that made many other competitor interiors look cheap in comparison. Today’s second-generation TT is true to its roots, but it is also a significantly more mature automobile. Gone are the cute looks, replaced by a powerful looking single frame front grille, large air inlets, sharply curved head lights, convex and concave body surfaces, wide wheel arches, an integrated electronic spoiler, and a wide rear diffuser with a center mounted rear fog light. The new TT looks the part of a true sports car, but does it deliver? That’s just what we aimed to find out when the brief opportunity to sample a 2.0T FrontTrak version with the S tronic transmission, the only gearbox choice on this engine for the USA, was made available.
Ford’s Garage Sale: Aston Martin To Return To British Hands
Posted by Ken in Automobiles on March 12, 2007

The Wall Street Journal seems to be confirming what the bloggers were predicting all last week: on Monday Ford is going to sell the Aston Martin brand name "to an investor group led by international motor-racing entrepreneur David Richards" (subscrption required), thus bringing the well loved car back into British hands.
The most famous British Aston Martin driver, of course, is James Bond, who does quite a number to his Aston Martin DBS in Casino Royale. This wasn’t his first Aston, of course: he also drove a DB5 V12 Vanquish (named "Vanish" by Q because of its invisibility) in Die Another Day and various versions of the DB5 in Thunderball, Goldfinger, Goldeneye and The World is Not Enough.
New 2008 Maserati GranTurismo Coupe Drops Jaws in Geneva
Posted by Ken in Automobiles, Cities on March 7, 2007

While the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe turned heads in Geneva this week, so too did the new Maserati. The newest Maserati around, the 2008 GranTurismo coupe has been more highly anticipated than milk after a large gob of peanut butter.The new Maserati coupe places “four full seats behind a 405hp, 4.2-liter V8 on a two-door steel monocoque frame, driving by wire to the 19″ (or available 20″) rear wheels.
The Contemporary Azimut 103S Yacht Introduced At The Dubai Boat Show
Posted by Ken in Automobiles, Home Design on March 6, 2007

The red beauty above is the Azimut 103S which will be be introduced at Dubai Boat Show. The yacht is the new flagship yacht from Azimut's Open S range. The most impressive thing about this yacht is how much natural light there is in the interior. The yacht's lounge and cockpit can be used as one open space by opening connecting doors. The area also gets a sense of airiness because of the large side windows. Glass makes up 80% of the side of the deckhouse and the lounge area has a light and contemporary feel.