A celebrated British car brand is about to return to production. Lagonda will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year and Aston Martin will bring back the brand which produced cars independently until 1947 when it was bought by Aston Martin. After that Aston used Lagonda as a model designation from 1976 to 1989 creating a boxy four-door car. The last model Lagonda produced was the 1961-65 Rapide, a nameplate which Aston used on its upcoming four-door coupe model under the Aston Martin name. The concept car for the new Lagonda will be be unveiled at the Geneva show next March. Autoblog's sources say that the new car may be a sedan competitor aimed at Bentley and Rolls-Royce but focused on more on performance than long distance cruising.
Perfect for those who love their Maserati, wish they had a Maserati to love, or are just all about all high-end sports cars, the latest writing instrument from OMAS is a silver, sleek Maserati pen. The inspiration from the Italian auto can be seen in the aerodynamic design, in the grille pattern on the upper half of the case, and of course by the Maserati logo engraved on the pen's silver nib. Made of sterling silver the pen will be issued in a limited edition of only 1,914 in honor of the year Maserati was founded, 1914. Available in fountain or rollerball styles, $2,750
In Los Angeles, Derringer Cycles are the new Bentley. Whether you want to go green or just look good doing it, these moto-hybrids are a trend to hop onto. You can reach speeds of 40mph, pedaling not required. (Hence the hybrid in moto-hybrid: you can pedal as if on a traditional bike, use the engine for assistance pedaling, or rely completely on your bike's 4-stroke engine, traveling near and far without ever breaking a sweat.) Depending on how often you choose to pedal, your moto-hybrid can get up to 180 miles per gallon.
The Derringer cycle was conceived by famed industrial designer Adrian Van Anz (Brad Pitt is a fan) to "take the compromise out of environmentalism," riffing on parts Ducati and parts Schwinn. You can order up your hand-built cycle in splashy colors ranging from Fresco Blue to Bad Girl Pink (there's Good Girl Pink, too), or custom paint jobs like 22-carat engine-turned gold. Check out the gallery for all the cool options.
Derringer has a retail store at 7954.5 West 3rd St., L.A. and can talk bikes with you over the phone at 323-944-0091. Cycles sell for $3,500.
Men sometimes buy luxury cars partly based on the response from women. Now here comes the science to back up that behavior. British psychologist, David Moxon has performed a study for auto insurer Hiscox which says that the revving of a luxury car engine is sexually arousing to women. His research involved having 40 adults listen to recordings from Maserati, Lamborghini and Ferrari engines using the sound of a Volkswagen Polo for contrast. His team used saliva samples to measure the level of testosterone before and after listening to each car.
Moxon found that all the women had a significant increase in testosterone levels after listening to the Maserati engine but only half of the men marked an increase. By contrast the Volkswagen Polo led to a decrease in testosterone for some in the study. So maybe instead of putting on soft music when you want to get romantic you might want to try the throaty rumble of a Porsche instead.
The prices for vintage Bugattis are just astounding. Last month we saw a 1937 Bugatti go for $7.9 million at Pebble Beach, now Forbes says the 1930 Bugatti Type 41 Royale Kellner Coach is for sale for a jaw-dropping estimated $10 million asking price. The Bugatti Type 41 Royale is important in automobile history because of its massive eight cylinder engine. In the 1920s, Ettore Bugatti was banking on a military contract to build 16-cylinder aircraft engines when he didn't get it he decided to use half the engine in cars. The Type 41 Royale has the largest engine of any car to be sold privately and is pretty imposing all around. Unfortunately 1930 was not a great time to be selling luxury cars. just six Royales were made. This one was never sold and stayed with the Bugatti family until 1950. The car went through a couple of collectors before being sold for a record £5.5 million at London's Royal Albert Hall. Now the current owner has asked Bonham & Brooks in London to see if anyone is game to pay the $10 million for the car.
Not many cars come with their own fragrance. The Peony is a bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantom designed for United Arab Emirates customers. It has a two-tone exterior of Pearl Blue with a contrasting Moonstone Pearl Blue and Seashell interior. The Peony is named after the peony flower and the peony leaf motif, in Oriental blue and yellow, is used throughout the car and used as an exterior logo and on the interior wood trim inlay and door capping. The tread plates use the logo and the words "Peony motif, exclusive Bespoke Phantom". The Peony fragrance has been created to match the car by Emirati perfumery HIND's Mohamed Hilal. A silver bottle comes with the car. Autoblog has shot of the peony motif interior.
The $400,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom is a big hit in the Gulf. Arabian Business reports that demand is so high that Rolls-Royce is already booked into next year and the cars haven't even officially arrived their yet.
Perhaps spurred on by too many crashes, Ferrari has created a new car that takes human error out of the equation. The Ferrari Monza concept was designed by Iman Maghsoudi. It can hit traveling speeds of 125 mph and is designed to be operated by a computer because the human brain is not fast enough to keep up with it. When it is traveling more slowly the driver can pilot it but once it shifts into high speed the computer changes the look of the car, angling those wing-like pieces known as canards over the front wheels to make sure the car doesn't take flight. It's still just an idea at this point but one that makes speed demons a little light-headed just thinking about it.
Luxe British outerwear company Belstaff, founded in 1924 and known for their distinctive motorcycle jackets, is teaming up with Audi to produce a one-off SUV to benefit the charity founded by Ocean's Eleven co-stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt. The stars' charity, Not On Our Watch (NOOW), which my colleague Laura Malesich reported on earlier this year, raises awareness about humanitarian crises around the world. Belstaff and Audi are co-designing a special edition Q7 luxury SUV which will be sold to benefit NOOW's efforts in Darfur, Vogue UK reports. Earlier this week, Clooney and Pitt hosted a fundraiser for NOOW at the Venice Film Festival.
If like me, you are on the waiting list for a Smart Car you might want to check out this custom design. The Limited Edition Ed Hardy Smart Cars were recently unveiled at the "When I Move You Move" lifestyle trade show in Las Vegas.
The cars come only in white or black and are custom-built upgrades to a standard Smart Car that are autographed and numbered by designer, Christian Audigier. Each car has a seven layer Ed Hardy tattoo inspired satin paint scheme, leather seats with tattoo embroidered suede inserts, integrated Bluetooth and navigation systems, twelve piece interior accents finished in piano black gloss and a specialized Ed Hardy Kenwood 6.1" touch screen AM/FM/CD/DVD player. Exterior upgrades include Ed Hardy edition badging, satin black multi-spoke wheels with the Ed Hardy "Tiger" center hub cap and a chrome dual tip exhaust system providing a 6hp and 14ft lbs. torque performance increase, designed by Doug Thorley Headers. Sounds nice if a bit garish but the Limited Edition Ed Hardy Smart Car upgrade package retails for $22,765 + tax and does not include the price of the car. In fact, the Smart Car itself is cheaper than the upgrade package.
A car with nautical ropes instead of doors? You are staring at the 2008 Fiat Fiorino Portofino. Fiat Professional asked customizer Vernagallo-Holiday and SALT to create a show car that looked like the Italian luxury beach buggies of the 1950s and 1960s. They took one of Fiat's FIorino vans and created this. The car has wood laminate flooring and the interior was created using natural fibers treated with a special waterproofing. They say it can seat five (five beach bunnies perhaps) and the rear seat folds down for your nautical gear. It's not known if the Fiat Fiorino Portofino will be produced as a regular car for the masses but it will be making the show rounds. Autoblog has a couple hi-res shots of this unique creature.
Carbon Fiber Gear highlighted recently a Ferrari 355 gas cap paperweight. Made by RaceChairs.com, it's constructed of a 6″ x 6″ piece of carbon fiber, a colored suede underside and a real (but unused) gas cap from a Ferrari 355. (Also available with a Lamborghini Diablo gas cap.) The carbon fiber weave is clearcoated for shiny finish, and the bottom of the paperweight is covered in your choice of black, yellow, or red suede, to ensure it won't scratch your desk. The gas cap is highly polished aluminum with the Ferrari logo on the center. Optional: have an engraved plaque added or get wall hangers for display. $325, but just $199 on RaceChairs.com at the time of this writing. Looks like something our sister site, autoblog, might take a liking to.
This idea either sounds like torture or like a good way to avoid a DUI...unless of course you can't steer the handlebars after a day's worth of tasting...is that called a RUI?? Getaway Adventures offers a fantastic, car-less way to explore the valleys of Napa or Sonoma via a bicycle (or kayak if you prefer a more refreshing option). Whether you are looking for just a day-trip, corporate/group event or weekend excursion I doubt you will be disappointed. A spread of local foods is provided for lunch, stops at a myriad of local wineries is included, and local tour guides will expand your knowledge of flora, fauna, and vineyard as you ride.
Don't expect a strenuous adventure -- it is geared toward the 'enthusiastic beginner' as they put it so don't worry if you aren't Lance Armstrong. Vacation...wine tasting...exercise all in one? Perfect.
Tours are available from March 1st to November 30th.
Aston Martin and Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre have teamed up on a new timepiece that doubles as a key to the $260,000 DBS - James Bond's car of choice. The AMVOX2 DBS Transponder, as it's called, locks and unlocks the car much the same way as a remote key fob, though far more stylishly (you'll still need a key to actually drive away). Available as an add-on only for DBS owners, the chronograph costs $37,900 and can be ordered now for October delivery. The AMVOX2 DBS Transponder will make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show on Oct. 4. The watch features "a suspended metallic grey DBS symbol, a discrete Aston Martin emblem on the movement operating indicator and ruthenium grey bridges, satin finish and a black dial that all evoke the DBS's instrument panel," the company notes.
Supercar Life, the program that allows clients to drive some of the world's most exotic automobiles on a racetrack with no speed limit, traffic or police to spoil the fun, has a number of new events scheduled at the New Jersey Motorsports Park near newly hip Atlantic City over the next couple months. Supercar Life's linup of over $1.5 million worth of wheels includes the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche 911 Turbo and Aston Martin DB9. The entry fee is $4,990 for the Track Package, which includes tuition from pro drivers in the Rolex Grand-Am series, catered trackside meals, an in-car DVD of your day and a post-event champagne celebration. The Luxury Package ($5,690) adds area hotel accommodations and all ground transportation. Programs in New Jersey are scheduled for August 26, 27, Sept 9 and 10, and Oct 7 and 8. Check out their site here for more details.
One of the most interesting collections of vintage Rolls-Royces isn't in some U.S. millionaire's shiny garage. It's hidden in a tower among the Encartaciones mountains in Spain. Spanish website Eitb24 says that the Torre Loizaga in Galdames was once destroyed by a lightning and later rebuilt. The collection includes 43 Rolls Royces spread out over three pavilions along with 27 other makes of cars such as a a 1903 Peugeot, a 1911 Ford T, a Ferrari Testarosa, a Lamborghini Countach, two Jaguars and a 1934 Bentley in three other pavilions. The oldest car in the collection is a 104 years old "Gladiator". Check out the pictures from Flickr user jl_ibarruri who toured the place. It's definitely not your typical museum.
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