Month: July 2014

Lionel Messi Drives New Maserati GranTurismo MC Strasdale 2014

We have just found out that Lionel Messi is not only a class act on a football pitch but off it as well. This is because he drives the Maserati GranTurismo MC Strasdale 2014 version

In my opinion this is one of the best looking cars out there, absolutely stunning.

Although things have not gone his way on the pitch this year I am sure driving this fantastic car gives him a lot of pleasure.

Quite possibly the best car ever manufactured by Maserati in terms of speed and power, the MC Strasdale features a three modes, Automatic, Sport, and Race.  It also comes with carbon ceramic brakes, and a 4.7 liter V8 Engine. 

The MC Strasdale is a sportier, faster, lighter variation on the already impressive GranTurismo, and has only been on the market for about two years.  The car can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, and can hit speeds of up to 300 km per hour. 

It is the first and only non-racecar that Maserati has manufactured with the ability to travel that fast. 

Source – http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/celebrity-cars/lionel-messis-car-perfect-car-perfect-player/

This is fast becoming my favorite supercar just on looks alone and is a probably going to become even more popular with the rich and famous.

Just listen to the noise this makes….pure class

 

 

 

The Range Rover Sport SVR Claims Record at Nuremburg

Here at HPI we are excited about the upcoming release of the Range Rover Sport SVR and being able to offer it to our customers.

That excitement has just been increased when we heard that the Range Rover Sport SVR had just created a new track record at the Nuremburg race track for a SUV.

Apparently the time of 8m 14 seconds was enough the take the title pipping the Porsche Turbo Maca that clocked 8m 15s earlier in the year.

If you want to see how it perfomed here is a video taken at the Nuremburg Track

 

The SVR will become Land Rover’s flagship performance model when it goes on sale next year. The car is powered by a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine, the same unit as found in Jaguar’s R-S models, tuned to develop 542bhp.

That’s some 39bhp more than the existing top-spec supercharged V8 model, meaning performance figures for the SVR are likely to improve on the Range Rover Sport’s 0-62mph sprint time of 5.3 seconds. Sources have previously suggested the firm has targeted a sprint time of around 4.5 seconds.

Land Rover says the lap was completed using a production-spec car, with engineering chief Mike Cross saying: “The Nürburgring is a benchmark for vehicle development and testing, and cars become stronger, more durable and faster over its 13 miles and 70-plus corners. We wanted to see whether an SUV could behave like a performance car in this challenging environment.”

Created by Jaguar Land Rover’s new Special Vehicle Operations division, the Range Rover Sport SVR is expected to feature tuned suspension, software changes and a more powerful braking system than the current Range Rover Sport.

Despite its on-road credentials, Land Rover has also said the model will come with a twin-speed transfer case for both high and low gear ratios, as well as a wading depth of 850mm.

Source – http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/range-rover-sport-svr-takes-nuerburgring-record-suvs

I don’t about you but that looks like a winner to me. If you can’t wait to next year we still have all the latest models of Ranger Rover Sport to hire in many locations across the Uk and the Europe.

The Aston Martin Lagonda is Back

If your of a certain age you may remember the Aston Martin Lagonda saloon car that was made by Aston Martin between 1974 and 1990.

With it’s sleek long bonnet it was pretty to easy to identify should you see one out on the road. However catching a glimpse of one was a pretty rare event as only 645 were ever made in the UK.

Here is one in all its glory

aston lagonda old

Now the Aston Martin Lagonda is too make a comeback return but in name only. Aston Martin recently announced that they were launching a limited edition saloon model some of which will bear the Lagonda Badge

The new model is being produced in response to specific demand in the Middle Eastern market, and although it will be based on existing Aston Martin architecture and takes its styling inspiration from the famous 1976 Lagonda designer William Towns, it will feature the latest in production technology such as carbon fibre body panels.

The new Lagonda model will be hand-built by Aston Martin’s highly-skilled craftsmen in a dedicated production building at the company’s Gaydon plant Warwickshire, the same building previously used in the creation of the One-77 hypercar.
Aston Martin Car Design Director Marek Reichman said: “The debut of this luxury super saloon in the Middle East market will be an exciting moment not only for Aston Martin, but for discerning customers who are seeking the ultimate in luxury and personalisation.”

“The new model, like its exclusive siblings the One-77 and V12 Zagato, has been created as a piece of exceptional automotive art. It has been designed and developed entirely in keeping with the spirit and ethos of previous Lagonda super saloons – notably the William Towns Lagonda – and as a tribute to this car it proudly bears the Lagonda nameplate.”

Source – http://www.carsite.co.uk/news/article/aston-martin-lagonda-returns/16068

As ever with Aston Martin the cost of this new saloon is still wrapped in secrecy as it only being offered to selected customers.

Remember HPI Luxury Cars are able to help if you want to hire an Aston Martin in the Middle East or Europe

 

Beautifully modified Lamborghini Aventador

We didn’t think you could improve that much on the design of the Lamborghini Aventador, but looking at these photos we have now changed our minds!

Ever since the Lamborghini Aventador hit the road, we’ve become accustomed to seeing outrageously modified examples. The following example could take the cake as the most in-your-face we’ve seen to date. Created by Vancouver’s SR Auto Group, and featuring parts from PUR Wheels, the car is utterly insane and all the better for it.

blog_07232014_lamborghini_aventador_puraero_rs09_12-640x426 2

 

First off, this Lamborghini Aventador is finished in a bright shade of blue and is rolling on a set of the PUR RS09 wheels measuring 21×12.5 at all four corners. These wheels are unlike any others offered for the Aventador on the market and feature a brushed aluminium design with blue spokes and inners to match the paint job of the Italian supercar nicely.

Ferrari 250 GTO up for auction next month

If money was no object and you want to splash out on a classic luxury car, then bidding on the this Ferrari 250 GTO in August is a must!

An example of the most famous and sought-after classic cars in the world, the Ferrari 250 GTO, is being sold at auction on August 14. With the market buoyant, it might even beat last year’s record price when one was sold in the US for $52 million (£30.5 million).

The 1962 250 GTO is said to have been in one family’s care for 49 years, from 1965 until now. It is being sold at the Bonhams Quail Lodge auction, which is part of the Monterey Peninsula Car Week in California from August 11-17, which includes events such as the famed Pebble Beach concours d’élégance and events at the nearby Laguna Seca racing circuit. This year, in addition to collections of mouth watering cars and displays of car culture, there are special events for owners of significant cars from Porsche and Lamborghini.

Such is the lure of the event among classic car enthusiasts and collectors that major auction houses all hold huge, high-profile sales during Car Week.

The 250 GTO was designed to race and the O of its designation stands for “omologato” or homologation special. The competition rules stipulated that 100 examples had to be built, although Ferrari somehow got away with making only 39 of them.

The Maranello Rosso Collection car, chassis number 3851 GT, was the 19th 250 GTO Berlinetta in sequence and was completed on September 11, 1962. It was delivered to the French racer Jo Schlesser, to be co-driven by himself and French skiing champion Henri Oreiller in the 1962 Tour de France Automobile road race. The pair challenged for victory and finished second overall. The car was then crashed during a race at Montlhery and was returned to Maranello for repair, before being sold to Italian gentleman driver Paolo Colombo before the 1963 racing season.

Source http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/classiccars/10983614/Ferrari-250-GTO-at-auction.html

Audi A6 transformed to look like a Bugatti Veyron

Dreaming of owning your favourite luxury car is one thing, but turning that dream into a reality but modifying your own car is a whole other ball game!

It’s not unheard of for folks to slap “M” badges on their BMWs in a lame attempt to fool people into thinking their rides are something they are not. But converting an Audi into a Bugatti? That creates the ultimate automotive transformer ride.

That’s what one Lithuanian did with his 1997 Audi A6, that he converted from a staid four-door sedan, into a Bugatti pretender with two doors (or maybe it’s three – more on that later). According to the posting at autoplius.it (“The most popular motor ad site in Lithuania”), the car looks like two million (presumably euros) while costing “only” 30,000 euros. Check out the photos and form your own opinion.

FakeBugattirear34<img class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-52529″ src=”http://news.boldride.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/FakeBugattirear34.jpg” alt=”FakeBugattirear34″ width=”720″ height=”479″ />

Underneath the facelift, though, it is all Audi A6. It has a 200-horsepower, 2.8-liter V6 mated to a manual transmission and comes with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system.

As the pictures on the site demonstrate, this Bugatti/Audi looks every bit of its 17 years on the inside. All traces of the Audi name have been stripped away and a Bugatti badge affixed to the steering wheel. It’s a leather interior with heated seats for those cold Lithuanian mornings.

 

Fake Bugattirearview<img class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-52530″ src=”http://news.boldride.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Fake-Bugattirearview.png” alt=”Fake Bugattirearview” width=”720″ height=”480″ />

There are some intriguing details about this faux Bugatti such as 2/3 doors (maybe something got lost in translation), an exterior described as light alloy rims (the wheels perhaps?), and security of central locking. Apparently no one wants to steal this pretend Bugatti.

By the way, a 1997 Audi A6 in good condition (as this Bugatti wanabee seems to be) would run you about $2500. The additional stage makeup that turned it into a Bugatti adds another $37,500 to the bottom line when converted from Euros.

If you want to drive the real thing, get in touch to find out about our hire rates.

Source http://news.boldride.com/2014/07/for-sale-audi-a6-posing-as-a-wannabe-bugatti/52527/

John Terry spends £375,000 on two luxury cars

Having the salary of a top end football player means you can afford to splash out on a luxury car or two!

Chelsea captain John Terry has been pictured in two new gleaming luxury cars with an estimated combined price tag of £375,000.

He is still celebrating the new one-year deal he signed with the club at the end of last season, as he prepares his garage ahead of the new campaign.

Terry has been busy so far in pre-season, scoring in their 5-0 rout of Wycombe on Wednesday, before coming off the bench to score twice in their 3-2 victory over AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

Chelsea Captain and former England footballer John Terry is seen fresh from pre-season training in his brand new 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith

Chelsea Captain and former England footballer John Terry is seen fresh from pre-season training in his brand new 2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith

Terry clambers in to his £235,000 Rolls-Royce using the rear-hinge ‘suicide’ door

Terry parked his flash new car on yellow lines at the front of the pub for 45 minutes

Terry parked his flash new car on yellow lines at the front of the pub for 45 minutes

Despite persistent rumours that he was going to be moving on, Terry signed a one-year pay-as-you-play deal with the club at the back end of last season, meaning he’ll be captaining the club for the eleventh season in a row.

And, following the departure of Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole, he remains one of just three players – alongside Petr Cech and Jon Obi Mikel – to still be at Stamford Bridge from Jose Mourinho’s first stint in charge between 2004-07.

Terry and Chelsea head into this season hoping to avoid two consecutive campaigns without silverware for the first time in the Roman Abramovich era.

Source http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2698410/John-Terry-splashes-400-000-TWO-cars-ahead-new-Premier-League-season.html

Let’s take a closer look at the Bentley Continental GT Speed convertible

Bentley are known for their sleek design and luxurious style, but they are now showing us they can become real contenders in the speed stakes too.

What is it?

Subtle tweaks to the Bentley Continental GT Speed convertible mirror those made to its fixed-head sibling, with some mild styling changes and fractionally more power teased out of the mighty W12 engine under the bonnet.

Just as the previous revision to the Continental GT Speed convertible featured incremental increases in power, torque and top speed, this new variant nudges the performance game forward once more.

The 6.0-litre W12 powerplant, augmented via electronic management and turbo pressure fettling, now produces 626bhp and 607lb ft, increases of 10bhp and 17lb ft respectively over its predecessor.

Although the GT Speed convertible offers the hair-ruffling exhilaration and posing potential of luxury roof-down motoring, it does narrowly lose out to the hardtop version in terms of performance, even if the differences are miniscule.

Replacing the coupé’s steel roof with a seven-bow, three-layer fabric hood, and the accompanying operating mechanism and additional body reinforcement, has plumped the GT Speed convertible’s kerb weight by 175kg compared to its sibling, to 2495kg.

Yet it is just one-tenth of a second slower than the GT Speed to 60mph, at 4.1sec, and loses a scant 3mph at the uppermost echelons, with the maximum speed pegging at 203mph according to Bentley’s official figures.

It’s unlikely that any but the most inquisitive owners would seek to take their GT Speed Convertible past the double ton, but the top-end figures mean plenty when there’s bragging rights at stake in the private members’ bar or at the golf club.

What is it like?

It’d be easy to assume that a vehicle weighing close to 2.5 tonnes and lacking the structural rigidity provided by a fixed roof might struggle to keep its considerable mass under the kind of consummate control that Bentley likes its cars to display.

But the Continental GT Speed Convertible is remarkably composed over most road surfaces. Occasionally you feel imperfections that perhaps wouldn’t trouble the coupé, but for the most part the Bentley feels exceptionally well managed.

Body control is surprisingly composed, particularly through fast flowing corners. Ambitiously attacked slower, tighter bends offer an occasional reminder of this car’s size and weight.

Considerably slower than the car itself is its fabric roof, which can be lowered or raised in 25sec at speeds of up to 20mph, so you’d better hope the weather turns at the exact moment you’re stuck in slow-moving traffic or idling at a junction.

Roof down, it’s only natural that a good deal more of the W12’s gruff burble is noticeable than in the coupé. Engage Sport mode and the exhaust note is considerably more aggressive and, after a while, can be quite jarring.

Better to leave it in standard Drive mode. The control of wind noise intrusion into the cabin is very impressive, with occupants able to maintain a measured conversational tone at all time, enhancing the chilled-out grace with which the Continental GT Speed Convertible goes about its business

Should I buy one?

The price differential between the fixed-head Continental GT Speed and this drop-top is £15,700, and that’s before you’ve started piling on options; our test car weighed in with £30,380 of cost extras, taking the overall price to £202,780.

But it’s what the Bentley can do, rather than what it costs, that makes it stands out here. The price tag is unlikely to be the major consideration for those who can realistically consider buying a Continental GT Speed Convertible. Indeed, Bentley reckons the sales split between coupé and drop-top is roughly 50:50.

The Bentley’s sheer heft and blunt-force power delivery means those seeking a rapier-sharp driving experience should look elsewhere. It doesn’t prevent the convertible from offering enormous giggles when the mood occasionally takes you, although luxurious cruising remains its main asset.

Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible


Price £172,400; 0-60mph 4.1sec; Top speed 203mph; Economy 19.0mpg; CO2 347g/km; Kerb weight 2495kg; Engine type, cc W12, 5998cc, twin-turbo petrol; Installation front, longitudinal, 4WD; Power 626bhp at 6000rpm; Torque 607lb ft at 2000rpm; Gearbox 8-spd automatic

Source http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/bentley/continental-gt-speed/first-drives/2014-bentley-continental-gt-speed-convertible-f

traditional steering clamps are best way to beat modern thieves according to police

With the luxury car market booming, its time to brush up on your car security. Don’t become a victim and make sure you know the best ways to keep your car safe and secure.

Its security-conscious users may have been mocked as old-fashioned and out-of-date, but the simple steering lock is making a comeback as the best way to protect your car.

The gadget, which was popular in the late 1980s and early 90s, had been thought redundant in a world of on-board computers and vehicle security systems.

But police in London have said the simple technique of locking a bar to your steering wheel is one the best ways to outwit today’s sophisticated car thieves.

Scroll down for video

 

Police say old-fashioning steering locks are the best way to beat technologically-savvy car thieves 
Police say old-fashioning steering locks are the best way to beat technologically-savvy car thieves

Officers in the wealthy borough of Kensington and Chelsea have alerted drivers of expensive supercars and 4x4s that criminals have worked out how to bypass their in-built alarms.

To reduce the chance of these luxury cars being stolen, the Metropolitan Police sent letters to owners urging them to go back to basics.

The letter warns specific motorists their vehicle ‘may be at heightened risk of being stolen’.

It adds: ‘Expensive vehicles, including Range Rovers, Land Rovers and BMW X5 series and X6 series, in particular have been targeted.

HOW DO MODERN THIEVES USE IN-CAR COMPUTERS TO STEAL?

1. Pick out luxury car that uses an RF fob.

2. Get inside the car without triggering the alarm – or simply smash window.

3. Press start/stop button on dashboard.

4. Plug small computer device into the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) port.

5. Program new key fob, using the settings to toggle car make, e.g. Audi, BMW, etc.

6. Add new chip to key fob, which after a few seconds is activated to respond to car.

7. Press start/stop button again and car engine will start.

‘Having gained access, any vehicle security systems have been bypassed and the vehicle in most cases driven away.

‘It is recommended therefore that you consider additional means of securing your vehicle such as through the use of a simple steering wheel or gear stick lock, which are effective in preventing theft of your vehicle.’

One motorist, who was sent the Met Police letter, has expressed shock that his expensive cars offer insufficient protection.

Simon Gregg, a property developer who owns two Range Rovers, said: ‘Cars without keys are particularly vulnerable and all new Range Rovers have keyless go.

‘One person I have spoken to says 26 Range Rovers have been stolen in recent months from central London.

Resdients in exclusive parts of London, such as Chelsea (pictured) are said to be most at risk from thieves

 

The BMW X5, which start at around £45,000, was one of the cars highlighted as at risk by the Met Police

The BMW X5, which start at around £45,000, was one of the cars highlighted as at risk by the Met Police

‘I know a BMW X5 was stolen on my road recently and a friend had their Land Rover Discovery stolen. Both were keyless. Manufacturers have a problem with this crime, but they are not bothering to tell people.

‘It has got to the point now that people are going to Halfords and buying a steering lock because it will act as a better deterrent.’

In recent years, car thieves have become more and more audacious, smashing non-alarmed car windows and then connecting a special device to the vehicle’s diagnostic system.

SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY – WHO INVENTED THE STEERING LOCK?

One of the first steering locks was called ‘The Club’ and was invented by American James E Winner in 1986.

It is believed Mr Winner got the idea from his time serving in the Korean War, when he and fellow soldiers were told to secure vehicles’ steering wheels with chains.

His traditional lock was made of two bars, each with a hook to attach to the steering wheel.

An early television advert for the device showed a would-be thief hammering at the bar for several minutes without managing to dislodge it.

The firm’s slogan was: ‘If you can’t steer it, you can’t steal it.’

They then reprogramme a blank key and it immediately works on the car – allowing them to drive away without any alarms going off.

It is estimated almost half the cars stolen in London use keyless technology.

Land Rover yesterday acknowledged that premium cars were being stolen but defended its security systems.

A statement from the manufacturer said: ‘The current Land Rover line-up continues to meet the insurance industry requirements as tested and agreed with relevant insurance bodies.

‘Nevertheless, the company has taken this issue very seriously and our engineering teams have been working in collaboration with insurance bodies and police forces to fully understand the risks.

‘It is however important to remember that this is an industry-wide issue.’

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2699733/Unfashionable-effective-Police-tell-luxury-car-owners-traditional-steering-clamps-best-way-beat-modern-thieves.html#ixzz38BIYPzxk

New Aston Martin V12 Roadster Launched

As one of our more popular brands we always get excited when we hear a new model is due for release and the V12 Roadster S is set to be as stunning as the rest of the Aston Martin range:

You have to hand it to Aston Martin. Its entry-level V8 Vantage may be nearly a decade old, but the British automaker never tires of rolling out ever more powerful versions. Where the original packed a 4.3-liter V8 derived from a Jaguar design and producing 380 horsepower, this latest version packs 565 hp to become the company’s quickest and fastest roadster to date, not to mention its most powerful.

Following the debut of the V12 Vantage S coupe, the new V12 Vantage S Roadster packs the most powerful iteration of Aston’s ubiquitous 6.0-liter V12 engine to date. Equipped with CNC-machined combustion chambers and hollow camshafts, unburdened of 44 pounds of excess weight and mated to Gaydon’s latest Graziano-developed Sportshift III seven-speed sequential gearbox, that engine is capable of propelling the open-top rocket to 60 in 3.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 201 miles per hour. That’s considerably quicker than the flagship Vanquish Volante, which runs to 60 in 4.1 seconds and tops out at 183 mph, painting the V12 Vantage S Roadster as Aston’s most performance-focused droptop to date.

It’s also got a flatter and fatter torque curve than the previous V12 Vantage Roadster, three-stage adaptive damping, three-stage stability control and two-stage ABS, carbon-ceramic disc brakes and a lightweight exhaust derived from the pipes on the One-77. Like what you see? There are more details to digest in the press release below, including a full range of customization options from the Q by Aston Martin catalog.

See the car in action in this aston martin video:

As always Hemingway are proud to be among the first to be able to offer stunning new models such as the V12 Roadster first in Europe. Contact us today to find out when you can hire an Aston Martin from us!

Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/16/aston-martin-v12-vantage-s-roadster-official/