Holy Bat-Auction! No joke or Joker: Barrett-Jackson returns to WestWorld of Scottsdale, Jan. 13–20, 2013. The 42nd Scottsdale edition of “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions™” will bring to the block 1,200-plus classics, exotics, muscle cars, hot rods, resto-mods and contemporary collectibles — almost all at No Reserve. And the original Batmobile. This will be the last Scottsdale auction in the big top tent, as next year’s event will be held in a new 120,000-square-foot permanent structure, now under construction at WestWorld. SPEED will broadcast over 40 hours of live, high-definition TV coverage of the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction, Tuesday through […]
KEEP READING >Ferruccio Lamborghini, Sant’Agata Bolognese, Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster, Beli Merdovic Hats off, and tops down, to the House of the Raging Bull. Fifty years ago next year, industrialist and car enthusiast Ferruccio Lamborghini, annoyed with his treatment at Ferrari, released the now legendary 350 GT. This year, on Nov. 12, 2012, the magicians from Sant’Agata Bolognese released, on line, the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster — what the company is calling a new world standard for open-top luxury super sports cars. Consistent with Lamborghini’s high-performance tradition, the car celebrates the great Aventador, a trophy-winning bull from Spanish bullfighting some […]
KEEP READING >The sixth-generation Maserati Quattroporte is coming — lighter, longer, stronger. The 2013 Maserati Quattroporte will debut in January at the 2013 North American International Auto Show, Detroit, with sales of the luxury sports sedan scheduled for spring in Europe and summer in the United States. “I’m very excited about the car,” says Gary Simon, sales manager at Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati-Lotus, a Penske Automotive Dealership, 6825 E. McDowell Road. “With the production of the first Quattroporte in 1963, Maserati introduced the world to the concept of a four-door sports sedan, a car that combined the looks, speed and handling of a sports […]
KEEP READING >Inspired by the SLS AMG GT3 race car — already a winner in 37 races this year — the 2014-MY SLS AMG Black Series from Mercedes-AMG combines superlative design, driving dynamics and lightweight construction. To be released mid-year, the fifth Black Series model weighs 3,417 pounds while delivering a power/weight ratio of 5.49 lb/hp — the best by far of all AMG Black Series vehicles to date. The lighter-weight AMG 6.3-liter V-8 generates 622 horsepower at 7,400 rpm and 468 lb/ft of torque at 5,500 rpm. Zero to 60 mph is accomplished in 3.5 seconds with a top speed of […]
KEEP READING >Recently, Highline Autos had the opportunity to interview Diko Sulahian, the owner of WTW Corp. just weeks in advance of the 2012 SEMA Show. Diko was gracious enough to share his thoughts on the challenges and successes his wheel company has seen as they celebrate their 15th year in this industry, and look forward with us at the direction he sees for high-end wheels in the future. What was the first car you fell in love with as a kid? A Trans Am, which I was never able to convince my father to buy me. He said, “it was too […]
KEEP READING >Performance, luxury, craftsmanship, engineering and technology: The Bentley EXP 9 F SUV should soon be available at Bentley Beverly Hills, an O’Gara Coach Company, 8833 W. Olympic Blvd. Bentley unveiled its concept Sport Utility Vehicle at the Geneva International Salon d’Auto in March; at the 2012 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in April; in England at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed, June 29 to July 1, in Crewe, the operations home for Bentley; and at the Concours d’Elegance, Pebble Beach, in August. When it appears, the EXP 9 F SUV will offer world-class luxury and all-terrain capability — a Grand Touring Bentley as appropriate […]
KEEP READING >The Viper is back, with more sting and stryke than ever. Revealed in April at the New York International Auto Show, Chrysler Corporation’s two-seat sportscar, first produced in 1992, will be available in two 2013 models: the SRT Viper and the SRT Viper GTS. The Auburn Hills, Mich.-based company’s Street and Racing Technology division creates the flagship Viper and other high-performance vehicles. In June, the first production-model 2013 SRT Viper GTS was auctioned for $300,000 at Barrett-Jackson’s Orange County to benefit The Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer. The two models will be hand built at the Conner Avenue Assembly […]
KEEP READING >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, […]
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