Ettore Bugatti, Pierre Veyron and Jay Leno will be there — and Bugatti Beverly Hills. Especially built for 2012 Pebble Beach, the 2013 Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse reaffirms, with power and panache, the legendary craftsmanship and innovation of Bugatti (1881–1947), the company founder who vetted buyers for their qualifications to own his extraordinary cars. What’s more, the 1200-horsepower 16-cyclinder hard-top convertible — the world’s fastest production car — reprises the blue-and-white livery of the supercharged 1928 Bugatti Type 37A owned by Leno, known as widely for his passion for cars as his comedic gifts. Leno’s classic two-seater, with its signature […]
KEEP READING >The 2013 XTS luxury sedan has arrived at Lund Cadillac Company — delivering the marque’s signature luxury and latest technology to one of the Valley’s most distinguished car dealerships. Opened by John Lund in 1987, Lund Cadillac, 1311 E. Bell Road, is minutes from the Loop 101. The award-winning Phoenix dealership has sold and serviced more new and used Cadillac, Hummer, Saab, and certified pre-owned cars than any other Arizona Cadillac dealer. Elevating even the celebrated Cadillac portfolio, the new front-wheel-drive XTS offers space, elegance and dramatic presence with technically advanced systems and components for today’s digital-age customers. “XTS redefines […]
KEEP READING >The Fisker Karma has arrived in Scottsdale. The Penske Automotive Group announces the newest member of its family: Fisker of Scottsdale, which opened May 28 this year, is the exclusive Fisker Authorized Dealer for Arizona and now offers the eco-friendly Karma. Fisker is an Anaheim-Calif.-based car manufacturer founded in 2007 to produce electric vehicles with extended range (EVer™) while delivering “Uncompromised Responsible Luxury™.” Showcasing the Karma, Fisker of Scottsdale shares its space with the Lotus of Scottsdale at 6855 E. McDowell Road, adjacent to Scottsdale Ferrari/Maserati. All are part of the Penske Automotive Group, offering sales, service and financing on […]
KEEP READING >The Ferrari 458 Spider debuts in June at Scottsdale Ferrari Maserati, and a Maranello new arrival on McDowell may never have looked so exhilaratingly sexy and classically beautiful. Customers at the Penske Automotive dealership, 6825 E. McDowell Road in Scottsdale, will be able to see and drive the world’s first mid-engine spider with a retractable hard-top. Base price will be $263,762. “We’ve all been waiting for this gorgeous car, and the wait has been worth it, I’m sure Ferrari lovers will agree,” says John Schlitt, general manager for the dealership, one of more than 150 Penske locations nationally and 325 […]
KEEP READING >Twenty years in any business is quite the accomplishment these days, but this is especially true in the ultra-competitive and fast-paced world of luxury automotive sales. When brothers Hamid and Sy Salari first began Luxor Auto Group in 1992 Chrysler still owned Lamborghini and customizing your car meant adding a racing stripe on the side. These days any independently owned dealership looking to thrive has to not only be able to sell a client the vehicles of their dreams, but also personalize those cars to mirror the client’s individual personality as well. As part of Luxor’s celebration, Hamid, Sy, and […]
KEEP READING >If you thought the Swedes produced beauty only in the form of Scandinavian winterscapes and statuesque blondes, consider — for a quick moment — the svelte Koenigsegg Agera R. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, the new standard in hypercars showcases Christian von Koenigsegg’s most recent innovations as well as celebrates its current world records, which will rev any car lover’s rpms: 0–200 mph in 17.68 seconds; 200–0 mph in 7.28 seconds; and top speed, as yet unverified, or, better, dared, 273 mph. And, last September, in Ängelholm, Sweden, headquarters of Koenigsegg Automotive, The Guinness Book of […]
KEEP READING >Carroll Shelby should be particularly proud of the new 2013 Ford Shelby GT500. Test driven by the racing legend when it was in planning four years ago, it’s now available as a hardtop or convertible — with the most powerful production V-8 in the world. Top speed for the coupe is 200-plus from the 650-horsepower aluminum 5.8-liter engine, assisted by a TVS series 2300 supercharger with 2.3 liters of displacement. Built at AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich., and debuted at the LA Auto Show, the new top-of-the-line Ford muscle car will also thrust you from stop to 60 […]
KEEP READING >Craig Jackson went back to his company’s roots to plan Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2012. To celebrate the 41-st annual event, Barrett-Jackson Auction Company is debuting its Salon Offering Collection — one-of-a-kind cars that are among the world’s most valuable and collectible. These include a 1947 Bentley Franay Mark VI cabriolet, a 1948 Tucker Torpedo and a 1957 DeSoto Adventurer convertible. These signature vehicles will cross the block Jan. 20, 2012, from 5–7 p.m. at WestWorld of Scottsdale. They join 1,200 exotics, customs, classics, resto-mods, hot rods and other original collector vehicles at the lifestyle event, which includes vendors and events such […]
KEEP READING >The original Prototype 427 Shelby Cobra, CSX3127, and the “Noland Adams” 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, an NCRS Duntov Award winner, are among the more than 700 European sports and American muscle cars, hot rods and custom automobiles headed for the blocks at the Russo and Steele Scottsdale Arizona Auction, Jan. 18–22, 2012. This year’s 12th annual auction is in the traditional location as last year’s event, the southeast intersection of Scottsdale Road and the North Loop 101 Freeway, but auction founder Drew Alcazar has significantly improved the site following a long-term agreement with the city. “We’re very excited about what we’re […]
KEEP READING >It’s a cycle and a sports tourer and an exhilarating drive into motoring history: After almost 60 years of inactivity, the famous 3-Wheel Morgan has been reborn, with the Valley’s Brighton Motorsports the exclusive Arizona dealer. “This is not a new car or concept; it is a vehicle that was originally produced in 1910 through 1953 by Morgan Motor Company, and now Morgan is re-introducing it back into production,” says Karen Mustoe, who, with husband Shane, owns Brighton Motorsports and Brighton Ranch Paint & Body in the Scottsdale Airpark. “And, because the 3-Wheeler is powered by a motorcycle engine from […]
KEEP READING >Your luxury and performance vehicles should ride on luxury, too, and Diko Sulahian’s WTW Corporation provides a full line of custom wheels to ensure that. His Santa Fe Springs, Calif.-based company manufactures Giovanna, Gianelle Designs, GFG and KoKo Kuture lines, which are cast and forged wheels he released and named after his three children as they were born. And, next month at the annual SEMA show, Nov. 1–4, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Diko will be introducing new innovative wheel designs and products for all his brands. “Our technology and manufacturing process provide flexibility, reliability and light weight in […]
KEEP READING >The FF, the new grand tourer from the magicians at Maranello, is the first-ever four-seat, four-wheel-drive car from the Prancing Horse. Revealed at the 81st Geneva Car Show March 1, this potent V-12 Ferrari is also versatile, as suitable for highway touring as it is for taking the children to and from school. Recently, at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver Felipe Massa commented: “It’s a car I like very much, indeed: the perfect combination of performance and usability. I have a son who’s just over a year old now, and this is a Ferrari that you […]
KEEP READING >McLaren Automotive — on the same campus as McLaren Racing and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team — is finalizing the shipping list for the all-new 2012 McLaren MP4-12C, scheduled for delivery to North America in October. The 12C is revolutionary in design, construction and performance, says Tony Joseph, the company’s North American director. “Developed around the driver, the 12C was designed by McLaren from a clean sheet of paper with everything for a reason. Completely bespoke, there are no shared parts with any other vehicle.” Influenced by the iconic McLaren F1 — which set the world land speed […]
KEEP READING >The 2012 SLS AMG Roadster — Sky and stars above, 563 horses below, and in front the road awaiting the driving signatures you want to etch into it. With its long hood, rear-biased glasshouse, long wheelbase and wide track and styling celebrating the company’s legendary 300 SL coupes and convertibles, the new two-seater car from Mercedes-Benz is the excellence you’d expect from the standard bearer of luxury, class and performance. Scheduled for a Sept. 13 premiere at the International Automobile Show in Frankfurt and to the United States market shortly after, the SLS Roadster is the second car to be […]
KEEP READING >Porsche is going green — in the fast lane. Earth consciousness and asphalt-scorching performance will ride together in the company’s planned 918 Spyder Hybrid. Combining a high-performance gasoline-powered engine with plug-in electric-drive technology, the mid-engine two-seater debuted as a concept car at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March 2010 and later appeared in the United States. “People responded quite favorably, enough so that we are going to put the car into production,” says Dave Engelman, product communications manager for Atlanta-based Porsche Cars North America. He notes that in the last year dealers for the Stuttgart-based company have already taken […]
KEEP READING >Growing up, having a hot Camaro was great. Putting a Camaro top down on a hot day was better. The new 2011 Camaro convertible went on sale in February, beginning at $30,000. If you remember when American muscle flexed on street, boulevard and highway, or you want to create 21st-century Camaro memories, take a drive to your local Chevy dealership, and take a drive. This new convertible snugs right into the line of one of America’s great performance cars. Unveiled at the Los Angeles International Auto Show, the convertible also starred at the recent Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, as the […]
KEEP READING >Lotus of Scottsdale has opened. Stop in; it will accelerate your world. In the former Penske Pre-Owned Ferrari building, 6855 E. McDowell Road, in Scottsdale, Penske Automotive is celebrating the opening of Lotus of Scottsdale. The facility is adjacent to Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati, also a Penske-family showroom. More than 150 dealerships nationwide, 325-plus worldwide, carry the Penske name. The Valley’s new Lotus dealership comprises 12,000 square feet including seven service bays and a parts department, with two sales associates and one sales manager under General Manager John Schlitt. The street-legal vehicles available at Lotus of Scottsdale are the Elise, Elise SC, […]
KEEP READING >Forty years, 1,300 cars — and millions of guests and viewers. This year, Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale Auction celebrates four decades serving the collector-car hobby at WestWorld of Scottsdale, Monday, Jan. 17, through Sunday, Jan. 23. Gates open at 8 a.m. each morning, and bidding continues into the evening until the last docketed vehicle sells. “Our 40th anniversary event celebrates the automotive passion that has transformed this hobby,” says Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson — “The World’s Greatest Collector Car AuctionsTM”. He notes that a book will be available at the auction commemorating those 40 years. “We are expecting more […]
KEEP READING >Start your engines for the most exciting Russo and Steele yet. The Russo and Steele Collector Automobile Auction celebrates 11 years serving the car-collector hobby with its annual Scottsdale event Jan. 19–23, 2011. This year’s expanded auction will be at 18601 N. Scottsdale Road, just south of the Loop 101 Freeway in North Scottsdale. This year’s Russo and Steele features a new 50,000-square-foot Losberger main structure, incorporating all the event elements: the signature R/S auction in the round, indoor vehicle staging, vendors, sponsors and amenities. More than 650 European sports and American muscle cars, hot rods and customs will be auctioned, […]
KEEP READING >A Cadillac that rips from standstill to 60 mph in four seconds? Sure, there have been powerful Caddys before: the 16-cylinder-equipped superstars of the early ‘30s; those dual four-barrel big blocks of the ‘50s; the 500-cubic inch monster Eldorados of the 1970s. But the 2011 CTS-V Coupe — Cadillac’s first two-door since the 2002 Eldo — goes where those vehicles had not gone before. The new 2 + 2 centerpiece of the GM’s top marque will attract the next generation of enthusiasts to the company, known as much during its 108 years for innovation as for uncompromising luxury. The super-coupe […]
KEEP READING >Inspired by the Saab Aero-X concept car, the new Saab 9–5 may change your concept of premium sedans. The totally restyled car from the Swedish manufacturer is now inventoried and for order at Legends Cadillac Hummer Saab, 7901 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. in Scottsdale. Combining crisp practical Scandinavian design and the carmaker’s heritage of quality engineering for driver comfort and enjoyment, the 9–5 exceeds even the high standards of a model introduced in 1999. Continuing the “9” theme designating previous Saab models, the second generation 9–5 debuted Sept.15, 2009, at the Frankfurt Motor Show and is the first Saab […]
KEEP READING >For the ancient Egyptians, the scarab represented the heavenly cycle. Today, the Scarab is sacred to racing car enthusiasts — and this legendary vehicle has returned to the showroom of Brighton Motorsports in the Scottsdale Airpark, 15650 N. Northsight Blvd. A handcrafted performer that can be outfitted for street or track, the continuation Scarab features an aircraft-aluminum body, handbuilt chrome-moly tube frame and suspension and head-turning aerodynamic styling. Prairie Village, Kan.-based Scarab Motorsports is reproducing the classic roadster, which first appeared in 1958. Shane and Karen Mustoe, principals of Brighton Motors, are the exclusive worldwide marketer and distributor. Scarab Motorsports […]
KEEP READING >The new Ferrari 458 Italia — Begin with the legacy of Enzo Ferrari. Design a sinuous, sexy body by Pininfarina. Ensure supercar status at Fiorano with seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher. And, call on the Penske Automotive Group team at Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati, led by General Manager John Schlitt, to service and maintain the newest Prancing Horse from the masters at Maranello. The two-seat mid-engine berlinetta is new in engine displacement and design, with F1-inspired improvements in aerodynamics, handling, instrumentation and ergonomics. Its numerical component references cylinders (8) and displacement (4.5 liters or 274.5 cubic inches). And “Italia,” well, […]
KEEP READING >With the LFA, Lexus moves into the super-fast lane. When production begins in December of the LFA luxury sportscar, the company that is known for premium sedans will also be talked about for a sports car to suit the somewhat less buttoned up. This isn’t your father’s Lexus, for sure: The rear-wheel drive 4.8-liter V10 engine produces 552 horses and 354 pound feet of torque to about 202 mph. Acceleration is clearly world class at a track-tested 3.6 seconds from 0–60 mph. Potently, the double-overhead-cam LFA redlines at 9,000 rpm. Easily, it’s the fastest Lexus ever produced — announced by various […]
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