BMW

Why you should invest in a luxury car

The luxury car market is growing and changing every day to suit the needs of prospective clientele. Where once before you could only dream of owning one, now luxury car manufacturers are looking at ways to make their brands open to more people.

Sales of luxury vehicles will continue to grow for many years to come, according to Jaguar and Land Rover.

The group marketing director for the British brands, Phil Popham, says there is plenty of growth potential for brands that produce premium vehicles and sell them at a premium price.

“We believe that the premium segments have got significant growth in future,” said Popham, who was in Australia this week as part of a visit to the Asia Pacific region.

“The world has and is becoming a more affluent place, there’s more and more affluent people. They are becoming increasingly brand savvy.”

He said success relied on the desirability of the brand being matched by unique and attractive products.

Popham said the growth would be a mix the arrival of new models and organic growth as buyers aspired to owning a luxury vehicle and wealth increased.

He also said emerging markets such as China and India brought potential for significant growth, while markets such as South Korea presented opportunities due to the greater acceptance of imported vehicles.

Sales of luxury cars have been steadily growing for more than a decade, with most manufacturers selling in market segments they haven’t traditionally competed in.

The bulk of that growth has been from intense competition from German brands Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi.

Whereas in the 1990s they produced a selection of luxury sedans and a sports car or two each now produces dozens of body styles covering SUVs, hatchbacks, coupes and the traditional luxury fare.

Much of the sales growth for those German brands has been at the lower end of the market, with each now selling city cars priced below many mainstream offerings.

But Jaguar says it will not follow the German brands as far down the price scale, saying it was too difficult to compete.

“We have no aspirations to be a volume brand, because that’s not our experience, that’s not our expertise.

Popham said the margins and investments required meant it did not make sense.

“[We’re not going to be] getting down into the smaller segments, where we haven’t got the economies of scale, we haven’t got the expertise, it would cost an incredible amount to invest,” he said.

“We’re not going to be a 2 million car company like BMW.”

“But we do want to be seen as a benchmark, we do want to be considered as one of the big players in the premium segment, a benchmark in terms of a our product attributes, in terms of our credibility and in terms of our geographical coverage.

“We have got ambitions to be a substantial player in the segments in which we compete, which is the premium segment.”

Popham said that could mean producing small cars.

“I wouldn’t say we would never introduce smaller cars … it really depends upon the trends,” said Popham.

“We’ll always look around our portfolio of products in terms of trends, where are the growth segments, where do we think we can have a credible product that will make money.”

Source http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/luxury-cars-have-significant-growth-potential-20140514-389ss.html

The latest craze for the rich in China

If you suddenly won the lottery and could afford a life of luxury, what would your first purchase be? A house, a holiday, maybe some exquisite jewellery? Well people in China are shunning these ideas and going for a more extreme and extravagant buy!

People act very strangely when they suddenly come into money.  Think of all the lottery winners who are famous for half a second and then mysteriously disappear.  If you ask any of them, they almost all say the same thing, “My life was actually more manageable before the money”.  For men and women in countries that have been poor for decades, but have suddenly reaped the rewards of globalization, the shift in fortune is even more dramatic.  When an entire country is seemingly wealthy overnight, people do some weird things.  Case in point – China.  A generation of men and women have made their fortunes by producing goods and parts more cheaply than anywhere else in the world.  They have been amassing their fortunes long enough that their children are now reaping the benefits of their business savvy.  As countless E! True Hollywood Stories have shown, there is little more dangerous, or ridiculous, than a rich child with no limits.  Such is the case in China, where immensely rich twenty and thirty-something’s are constantly on the lookout for new ways to both show off their wealth and entertain themselves.

A recent trend has been to paint or wrap luxury cars in gold.  Yep.  You read that correctly – gold.  It doesn’t really matter what car as long as the car is high-end.  This list seems to include anything by Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Infiniti, or BMW.  Oh!  Limousines count, too.  The general population seems to take these ostentatious displays of wealth in stride.  The bright gold cars are parked at malls and movie theatres like any other vehicle and nobody really bats an eye.  However, the cops have been known to confiscate one or two of the vehicles for being just too, too eye-popping.  It is hard to tell what constitutes too much versus all right when looking at a luxury vehicle wrapped entirely in gold, but apparently China’s police force has it figured out.

Source http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/celebrity-cars/gold-cars-the-chinese-noveau-riche-flaunt-their-wealth/

BMW and Lexus over take Mercedes-Benz in Luxury Car ranking

Lexus and BMW have showed impressive growth figures and have taken over from Mercedes-Benz in the ranking of overall Luxury Car brands in the US.

Luxury automakers have been exceptionally busy over the past year: new designs, new vehicles, new agencies, new advertising, new marketing executives. In spite of the activity, posturing and jabbing in the ring, Lexus and BMW — Floyd Mayweather-like — seem to have taken the purchase-consideration lead in the late rounds so far this year, at least among the 1,200 or so consumers polled by marketing firm YouGov BrandIndex in an online survey.

The firm says Mercedes-Benz, which has consistently ranked among the top three luxury car brands in overall brand health this year, hasn’t gotten commensurate purchase consideration and is behind among all luxury brands.

By contrast, Lexus started the year behind Infiniti, Audi and Mercedes Benz, with only 6% of U.S. car buyers saying they would consider the brand in February. That metric is up to 16% now for the Toyota Motor luxury brand.

BMW’s purchase consideration surge with potential buyers began two weeks before Lexus, rising from a 9% in early February to a virtual tie with Lexus at 16% now, per YouGov BrandIndex, which reported that the lift happened around the time of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Perhaps not coincidentally, BMW had a big presence on the U.S. Bobsled sled team, having helped design the sleds and getting branding on the sleds and racewear and gear.

Sales have been strong for both brands. In April Lexus saw a 23% gain and BMW was up 8.5%, year-over-year. Year-to-date through April, Lexus was up 20.8% for its cars and 14.3% for its trucks; and BMW was up 10.7%.

“Lexus and BMW really separate from the pack,” says YouGov BrandIndex CEO Ted Marzilli. “That’s about three full months in the lead for BMW and about five to six weeks for Lexus.”

The firm’s study suggests that Infiniti, which has totally revamped its marketing and product, has the opposite challenge as Mercedes: while Infiniti is beginning to see a resurgence of purchase consideration, which has taken them from the bottom of the YouGov ranking to around the middle, their brand health has been near or at the bottom of the luxury car group for the year so far.

Marzilli tells Marketing Daily that BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz all scored well in advertising awareness, and that this awareness metric also indexes strongly (no surprise) for people who are in the market to buy a car.

But advertising alone doesn’t account for BMW and Lexus’ pole position. Perceived value, he says, plays a major role. He says that metric boils down to “A preconceived notion that it’s either too expensive or reasonable for what you get. Or they could be responding to a TV ad they saw this weekend, or new models. That may be what resonates.”

In the study, whose data is garnered from a poll of consumers who are in market to purchase a car over the next 12 months, Acura, Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz were measured on “Index,” the research firm’s score of brand health based on the firm’s component scores of quality, value, impression, satisfaction, reputation, and willingness to recommend; and on purchase consideration.

Source – http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/225119/bmw-lexus-lead-in-luxury-auto-consideration.html

The right image for SME’s could start with the right company car

Image and style mean everything to any business, but SMEs, who want to portray themselves to be professional and capable, are using fleet cars to send the message.

Choosing the right company car for your SME can prove a difficult balancing act between portraying the right level of professionalism and minimising running costs.This is particularly the case for SMEs who have tighter budgets and yet want to put forward a positive image of their company and its employees.

What do the experts rate as the top three best value prestige company cars?

 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Saloon – £26,855-£32,855

Mercedes-Benz is a brand synonymous with high-end luxury, and is a popular choice of company car for businesses of all shapes and sizes. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class Saloon is no exception.

Offering a combination of the typical luxury and performance you’d expect from a Mercedes with low CO2 emissions and reasonable running costs, the C-Class is an ideal company car for any SME that wants to give a great first impression without breaking the bank.

The lower-end engine has CO2 emissions of just 103g/km ensuring company car tax bills that are pleasing on the eye, while fuel economy is also impressive. Performance doesn’t suffer as a result either, and the C220 Bluetec engine pulls strongly from low revs – complemented by quick acceleration beyond the 4000rpm mark.

BMW 3-Series – £23,555-£43,685

Winner of the 2014 CarBuyer Best Executive Car Award, the BMW 3-Series is an impressive car for all kinds of reasons.

Impressive engine performance? Check. Expert engineering that delivers genuine reliability? Check. Plenty of interior and boot space to provide that all-important practicality? Check and check.

With this much power under the bonnet, you might expect the 3-Series to fall down in terms of fuel efficiency, however the 320d 181bhp 2.0-litre returns an impressive 61.4mpg, while BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology restricts CO2 emissions to no more than 120g/km.

CarBuyer described the 3-Series as “one of the best compact executive cars money can buy” – and we’d have to say we agree.

Audi A3 Saloon – £22,825-£33,245

Unsurprisingly the third and final car in our round-up of the best value prestige company cars comes from yet another German automotive giant.

The Audi A3 Saloon offers strong and efficient engines, providing some of the lowest CO2 emissions for its class as well as impressive fuel efficiency.

Reliability is also an important issue for business car owners, and this is an area in which the A3 excels having been manufactured with the very best high-grade materials.

The combination of aluminium and high-strength steel helps to keep weight down to a minimum without compromising on durability, while the cabin is also built to an exceptionally high standard to deliver the kind of interior you’d expect to find in a luxury vehicle from one of the world’s leading brands.

source http://www.businesscarmanager.co.uk/best-value-prestige-company-cars-smes/3/

BMW believe the face of luxury is changing

With the growing demand for more digital technology and style, it is no surprise that BMW have recently made a bold statement about what defines a luxury car today. The car manufacturer believes that premium manufacturers will have to focus more on details if they want to continue to charge premium prices.

The German luxury giant’s senior vice president product management, Hildegard Wortmann, said luxury car makers such as BMW would have to evolve to reflect changing tastes and expectations by buyers of luxury vehicles.

“There’s a new understanding of what luxury stands for, which is a strong evolution or revolution of where we are today,” Wortmann told Drive at the 2014 New York motor show.

“Being a leader, we think we need to be there progressing as well and doing different things.”

Speaking at this month’s New York motor show Wortmann pointed to the recently unveiled BMW Future Luxury Concept car that is a pointer to the upcoming sixth generation 7-Series luxury flagship. She said it was evidence of the lengths BMW would be going to in an effort to further build its image and sales.

“We had a lot of discussions about it internally,” she said. “Luxury is no longer adding chrome and bits and pieces to a car … there is a new generation coming up where you have to deliver luxury in a different way, which is more about innovation, about craftsmanship, about the materials you use, etcetera.”

Wortmann said while BMW would be focussing more on materials and attention to detail the digital era meant it was more important than ever for luxury brands to maintain pace with new developments.

“If you look at all the consumer electronics in the car, we cannot offer old stuff when the world around is moving fast.”

Wortmann said there was no danger of the luxury market drying up, with increasing demand prompting major players such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi to increase the number of cars they offer.

“There will always be a market for luxury, top-end models,” she said. “There will always be customers going for the ultimate luxury experience and that’s certainly something we will deliver, but the definition of luxury has got to be at least evolving if not changing.”
Source: http://www.watoday.com.au/executive-style/motors/face-of-luxury-is-changing-says-bmw-20140430-37gtg.html#ixzz30XZTI9P3

BMW unveils their latest concept car, the Vision Future Luxury

Vision Future Luxury is the latest saloon concept car coming from BMW. The German car manufacturer unveiled the car, which  features augmented display technology, hoping it will wow fans of the BMW brand.

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The Vision Future Luxury concept comprises the latest iteration of BMW’s Vision Head Up Display, which augments the driver’s view of the world by projecting real-time information including speed limits and road signs onto the windscreen directly in the line of sight.

Sensors located on the exterior of the car collect environmental data, which is deciphered and transferred to a light source located inside the instrument panel. Light shining through a translucent thin-film transistor (TFT) projects the relevant data on to the windscreen via specially shaped mirrors and allows the driver to view information without having to look away from the road.

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“Innovative technology and modern luxury have always been an important part of BMW’s brand DNA,” explained Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President of BMW Group Design at a preview of Vision Future Luxury in Munich. “Connectivity in a luxury vehicle has to be seamless and so well integrated that it doesn’t deter from the driving that you want to do, it actually enhances it.”

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The rear lighting is provided by organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) for the first time on a BMW, an efficient light source consisting of wafer-thin semi-conductive layers of organic material that can be cut into any shape to allow for a variety of patterned lighting designs.

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The luminescent layer is a film of carbon compound, which emits light in response to an electrical current. Each light-emitting polymer layer is roughly 400 nanometres thick, which is approximately 400 times thinner than a human hair.

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Car designers have previously relied on reflectors to enable the light produced by LEDs to be seen from different angles, but OLEDs do not need reflectors, allowing designers to create less bulky and more unusual shapes. OLEDs also require less power to operate.

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The roofline and sloping boot lid on the car have been designed to reduce drag, while carbon fibre openings positioned at the front and rear of the car help to channel airflow more efficiently.

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“Aerodynamics and lightweight materials are key elements of this car’s design,” explained Karim Habib, head of BMW design. “Visible carbon fibre on the exterior of a luxury car is something we believe BMW needs to do.”

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Carbon fibre, as a lightweight and strong composite, also allows for a minimised central B-pillar – the join between the front passenger and rear passenger doors. This allows the doors to use different hinge points to a standard car door.

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The doors open to reveal a layered interior with wood, leather and aluminium finishings on top of a carbon fibre base.

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“Lightweight construction is not going to go away,” says Adrian van Hooydonk. “All of our cars will have to get lighter and that means as a design team we are dealing with different types of materials, which can lead to different types of aesthetic.”

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Front passengers are equipped with a personal information display, which is connected to the driver display via a touch-sensitive panel. Rear passengers also have access to two displays mounted in the headrests of the seats in front and a detachable tablet between the individual seats. All three can be used to exchange information with the front passengers using swiping movements.

Embedded user interface components from which internet-based video and music streaming can be accessed also feature.

Read on for BMW’s press release:

Heralding a new approach – the design.

“The design of the BMW Vision Future Luxury is the messenger of our philosophy of modern luxury, one in which innovative technologies play a key and vital role. These innovations deliver a new, multifaceted luxury experience that spans intelligent lightweight engineering, innovative interior design and a radically new user interface design,” says Karim Habib, Head of BMW Design, summing up the design approach to the BMW Vision Future Luxury.

This approach is particularly tangible in the interior. Throughout, the design expresses both form and function of the innovative technologies. For example, the intelligent lightweight engineering concept of the BMW Vision Future Luxury is expressed in the design principle of subtractive modelling. That is to say, the specific geometry and functions of an individual component are created from one and the same layered composite structure, comprising many different levels and materials. An initial base layer of fine carbon fabric is followed by a functional level featuring user interface components, control and display interfaces and lighting functions, which in turn is followed by a further structural, load-bearing layer of aluminium for additional strength.

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Finally, the top layers comprise wood, then leather, to create a warm and comfortable ambience. In a given area of the interior, the multi-layer structure is “milled down” to the appropriate depth depending on what surface material and what function is required. Since the interior geometry is therefore always pared down to essentials, this cuts total weight substantially. This treatment also makes for virtually seamless transitions and very elegant, fluid surfaces.

The unrivalled characteristics of carbon as a material – both individually and in combination with its surrounding materials – are optimally utilised in this rigorous lightweight design concept. The carbon underlying layer is visible in the doors, under the seats and especially in the innovative, pared-down B-pillar. A full B- pillar as used in the past is dispensed with. The carbon construction allows the seat frames to be integrated into the load-bearing structure. There are also connections to the door sills and centre console, which means only a very small and unobtrusive B-pillar is required. The BMW Vision Future Luxury’s wide- opening coach doors would not have been possible without this new carbon B- pillar solution.

New-style user interface design and exclusive BMW ConnectedDrive services.

In the driver’s and front passenger’s area, precisely defined lines and surfaces create a sense of exclusive dynamism. The design of the instrument panel closely complements the design of the displays themselves. The driver is surrounded by a wrap-around cluster of three intermeshing displays, creating the typical BMW driver-centric cockpit. The three-dimensional display technology means that at the visual level the instrument panel styling appears to carry over into the displays themselves. In other words, to the eye the interior space seems to continue into the solid structures of the instrument panel, generating an impression of unprecedented depth and spaciousness.

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The left-hand display mainly presents vehicle-related information, while in the centre a programmable cluster displays speedometer, rev counter and other information, as well as context-adaptive supplementary data, which is displayed as and when relevant. Meanwhile, the right-hand display – the Driver Information Display – provides additional infotainment information. The driver also has the option of controlling all these functions by voice command.

BMW Vision Head Up Display.

The primary driver display, however, is the “contact-analogue” BMW Vision Head Up Display. This display augments the driver’s view of the real world by projecting information directly in the driver’s line of sight onto the road. Buildings, traffic signs or hazards can be highlighted directly in the real-world environment, selectively directing the driver’s attention to specific information which is particularly important at any given time. This technology gives a new dimension to driver assistance functions such as Speed Limit Info, where road signs can be identified and highlighted in the driver’s field of view, or the Traffic Light Assistant, which provides real-time information about traffic light phasing.

In place of a central shared information display for driver and front passenger, the BMW Vision Future Luxury offers front passengers their own Passenger Information Display. This display is connected to the Driver Information Display via a touch-sensitive panel, where information can be exchanged between driver and front passenger using swiping movements. Applications like booking opera tickets online direct from the vehicle via the BMW ConnectedDrive Luxury Concierge service can be displayed in the Passenger Information Display, where they don’t risk distracting the driver. The relevant functions can be conveniently controlled by the front passenger using the iDrive Controller with touch-sensitive interface.

Rear Seat Touch Command Tablet.

In the back, two Rear Seat Displays set into carbon surrounds, and a detachable Rear Seat Touch Command Tablet, put the finishing touch to the integrated user interface concept of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. These displays can communicate with the front displays and also with the BMW ConnectedDrive services. Everything from trip-related information like speed and journey time to information relating to the Luxury Concierge Services can be displayed here in simple and customised form.

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It is also possible to use online entertainment content like internet-based video and music streaming as well as gaming. All content and functions can be controlled from the rear seats using the detachable Rear Seat Touch Command Tablet in the centre console.

Personal space at the rear.

For the occupants of the rear seats, the BMW Vision Future Luxury offers a luxurious haven of personal space. Two large, deeply contoured single seats add to the appeal, inviting passengers to retire into their own personal “comfort zone”. A retractable table, the angled Rear Seat Displays and the rigid backs of the front seats create a very private ambience, sectioning this area off from the rest of the interior. The sense of privacy is accentuated by modern, flowing geometry and the use of select materials, with lavish wood surfaces extending from the rear parcel shelf to enfold the rear seat occupants in a cosseting three- dimensional space.

Strategically placed lighting slats integrated into the wood echo the surrounding styling and, with their warm glow, accentuate the modern and cosy ambience. Finest-quality aniline leather in Batavia brown and a lighter Silk shade, Silk nubuk leather and the warm brown, layered lime wood all have a natural aura which offers unique visual appeal and quality. The division between darker materials in the upper areas and light materials in the lower areas creates a feeling of warmth and a luxurious sense of space. A deep-pile pure silk carpet rounds off the exclusive array of materials in the interior of the BMW Vision Future Luxury.

Exclusiveness and elegance – the exterior design.

In side view, perfect proportions – precise, uncluttered and elegant – convey the exclusiveness of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. The long wheelbase, short overhangs and low, set-back greenhouse lend the stretched silhouette a refined dynamism. In hallmark BMW style, a finely sculpted contour line creates a taut arc along the side of the vehicle, and the opulent surfaces underneath this line have, as always on a BMW, been shaped by seasoned modellers. This hand- sculpted design gives the surfaces a special emotional appeal that would be beyond the capabilities of a computer.

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The effect is further enhanced by the Liquid Platinum Bronze exterior paintwork, which generates a warm, shimmering effect. An exclusive flourish at the side of the vehicle is the side mirror, which appears to grow organically out of the chrome window trim. Designed as a visual continuation of the chrome trim, its slender stalk is attached to the mirror from below, giving it a graceful and effortless appearance, almost as if it were hovering in mid-air.

BMW EfficientDynamics: honed aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight engineering.

The exterior design perfectly showcases the advanced aerodynamics and innovative lightweight engineering of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. The coupé- style roofline and sloping boot lid, for example, significantly reduce drag. Underlying the tautly sculpted exterior surfaces, equally refined solutions provide optimal channelling of the airflow. They include the Air Breather system at the rear of the front wheel arch, a C-pillar with internal air channelling, and openings in the rear apron which vent air from the wheel arches. An elegant carbon strip in the door sill area alludes discreetly to the innovative lightweight engineering concept based on aluminium and carbon. Both these lightweight materials are used in the vehicle in exactly the right places to achieve maximum effect – both individually and in tandem.

BMW Laserlight at the front.

Clean and simple in design, the traditional iconic BMW front-end design cues – the twin kidney grille and twin headlights – instantly proclaim the brand identity of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. The lean contours of the headlights also hint at the innovative technology sheltering behind them: BMW Laserlight. This new technology not only paves the way for a very flat and dynamic interpretation of the typical BMW twin round headlamps, it also sets completely new standards in terms of brightness, range and intensity. The concentrated, parallel light beam is up to ten times more intense than that of an LED system. The reduced energy consumption and packaging requirements of laser lights make this technology a prime candidate for use in future vehicles.

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Underneath the headlights, the assertive multi-material front apron accentuates the elegant front-end styling. At the outboard ends of the apron, graceful carbon air deflectors conceal a range of BMW EfficientDynamics aerodynamics features. The thin-walled air deflectors are made of carbon, a further reminder of the intelligent lightweight engineering concept of the BMW Vision Future Luxury. A slender chrome strip on the air deflectors highlights the airflow system.

OLED lighting at the rear.

The horizontal lines of the side profile glide gently away at the rear in a final expansive flourish. As at the front, the body styling in this area is deliberately understated, allowing the innovative, narrow and slender lights to make a powerful statement. For the first time on a BMW the rear lighting is provided by organic LEDs, paving the way for a completely new treatment of the typical BMW L-shaped lights. The BMW Vision Future Luxury’s L-shaped rear lights comprise a large number of small, likewise L-shaped OLEDs.

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An organic LED consists of wafer-thin organic semiconductor layers positioned between two electrodes. The light-emitting polymer layer is only approx. 400 nanometres thick, making it roughly 400 times thinner than a human hair. Organic LEDs are not only extremely thin, as well as flexible, they also produce very uniform illumination over their entire surface. Due to their very thin dimensions, and since they do not require reflectors in order to produce the desired broad light dispersion, they open up completely new ways of using light in and around the vehicle.

Source http://www.dezeen.com/2014/04/22/bmw-unveils-vision-future-luxury-with-augmented-reality-display/

What luxury cars are celebrities driving?

Everyone envy’s the cars that celebrities both sides of the pond can afford to drive. whether you like the classic Ferraris that Chris Evans owns or the Eco friendly cars that the likes of Cameron Diaz and Diane Kruger drive, you are sure to find some little gems in the list below!

Audi: David Beckham (S8), Sandra Bullock (A6), Daniel Craig (S6), Vanessa Hudgens (A7), John Mayer (R8), Jason Statham (R8), Dwyane Wade (R8), Robert Downey Jr. (A7), Cristiano Ronaldo (RS6), Justin Timberlake (S8), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (S5), Chris Brown (R8), Taylor Lautner (R8), Sienna Miller (TT), Kevin Costner (S8), Zooey Deschanel (A5), Michael Bloomberg (R8), Phil Knight (R8), Taylor Swift (Q7), Zac Efron (S5), Zoe Saldana (A8), Miranda Kerr (A8), Harry Styles (R8)

Aston Martin: Dwyane Wade (Vanquish Volante), Jason Statham (DBS), Olivier Martinez (V8 Vantage), Ice-T (Vantage), Eddie Murphy (Vanquish), Ryan Seacrest (DB9), Pierce Brosnan (Vanquish), Adam Carolla (DB9), Jonathan Ives (DB9 and Vanquish), Lil Wayne (Vantage), Sylvester Stallone (DBS), Prince Charles (DB6), David Beckham (AMV8), Janet Jackson (Vanquish), Marc Anthony (DB7), Missy Elliott (Vanquish), Jamie Oliver (Vantage)

Bentley: Drake (Supersports), Jennifer Lopez (Continental), Prince William (Flying Spur), Bruce Willis (Continental), Eva Longoria (Continental), Jonathan Ives (Brooklands), Simon Cowell (Azure), Sylvester Stallone (Continental), Arnold Schwarzenegger (Supersports), Paris Hilton (Continental), Floyd Mayweather (Mulsanne), David Beckham (Supersports and Mulsanne), Cristiano Ronaldo (Continental), Ryan Seacrest (Flying Spur), The Game (Continental), Lil Wayne (Mulsanne), Sharon Stone (Continental), Scott Disick (Mulsanne), Queen of England (State Limousine), Carlos Slim (Flying Spur)

BMW: Brad Pitt (Hydrogen 7), Jessica Alba (750iL), Anne Hathaway (i3), Reese Witherspoon (Alpina B7), Heidi Klum (M6), Selena Gomez (X5), Cristiano Ronaldo (M6), Taylor Lautner (Z4), Will Ferrell (Hydrogen 7), Alanis Morissette (X5), Samantha Ronson (750iL), Sean Penn (Z3), Taye Diggs (X6)

Bugatti: Drake, Birdman, Flo Rida, Floyd Mayweather, The Game, Chris Brown

Ferrari: Pharrell (Enzo), Justin Bieber (458 Italia), Harry Styles (California), Kim Kardashian (F430), Jermaine Jackson (California), Eddie Murphy (599 GTB), Dwyane Wade (F12 Berlinetta), Rick Ross (458 Italia), Gordon Ramsay (F12 Berlinetta), Paris Hilton (F430), Adam Levine (365 GTC), 50 Cent (FF), Cristiano Ronaldo (599 GTO), John Mayer (599 GTB), LeBron James (F430 Spider), Ozzy Osbourne (458 Italia), Tommy Hilfiger (Enzo), Alex Rodriguez (575 Maranello), Hugh Grant (California), The Game (F430 Spider), Ashton Kutcher (California), Tyga (California), Seal (F430 Spider), Kobe Bryant (458 Italia Spider), Flo Rida (California), Ralph Lauren (F430 Scuderia), Keith Urban (F360), Usher (F430 Spider), Gucci Mane (458 Italia), Wyclef Jean (360 Spider), Adrien Brody (F430), Rod Stewart (599 GTB)

Ford: Shia LaBeouf (F150), John Mayer (Raptor), Heidi Klum (Raptor), Dwayne Johnson (F150), Simon Cowell (Bronco), Christina Aguilera (Mustang), Amber Heard (Mustang), Nick Jonas (Mustang), Shaquille O’Neal (Mustang), Benji Madden (Galaxie), Ken Block (Raptor)

Jaguar: Victoria Beckham (XJ), Kelly Rowland (F-Type), Lana Del Rey (XKF), Patrick Dempsey (XK120), Harrison Ford (XK140), Miranda Kerr (XJL), Danny Aiello (XJL), Jay Leno (E-Type), Kristin Davis (XF)

Lamborghini:  Kanye West (Aventador), Swizz Beatz (Aventador), Chris Brown (Gallardo and Aventador), Scott Disick (Aventador), Cristiano Ronaldo (Aventador), 50 Cent (Murcielago), Rick Ross (Murcielago), Missy Elliot (Gallardo), Robinho (Gallardo), Kobe Bryant (Aventador)

Lexus: Natalie Portman (RX), Paris Hilton (LFA), Paul McCartney (LS600h), Gisele Bündchen (RX), Owen Wilson (ES), Sarah Michelle Gellar (RX), Halle Berry (RX)

Maserati: Pierce Brosnan (GranTurismo), Miley Cyrus (Quattroporte), Lapo Elkann (Ghibli), Gwen Stefani (Quattroporte), Barry Diller (GranCabrio), Britney Spears (GranCabrio), Kylie Minogue (Gran Turismo), Katy Perry (GranCabrio)

Maybach: Madonna, Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Birdman, Lil Wayne, Jay Z, Sean Combs, Kanye West, Rick Ross

McLaren: Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, David Beckham, Ludacris, Larry Ellison, Swizz Beatz, Dwayne Wade, Jay Leno, Will.i.am

Mercedes-Benz: Liev Schreiber (E350 wagon), Harry Styles (190 SL), Hilary Duff (G-Wagen), Jon Hamm (SLS AMG), Ashley Tisdale (G55), Tom Ford (G-Wagen), Ashley Olsen (G-Wagen), Kylie Jenner (G-Wagen), David Hasselhoff (CLS), Khloe Kardashian (G-Wagen), Gwen Stefani (G-Wagen), Bradley Cooper (G-Wagen), Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai (G63 AMG), Jay Z (S-Class), Patrick Dempsey (SLS AMG and G-Wagen), Sandra Bullock (GL550), Eddie Murphy (SLS AMG), Tom Cruise (SLK), Justin Theroux (S550), Rick Ross (CLS and S550), Nigo (300 SL), Russell Crowe (S550), Usher (CLS), Jim Carrey (S550), Wyclef Jean (G-Wagen), Jensen Button (C63 AMG DR250), Britney Spears (G55 AMG), Selma Blair (ML 350), Shakira (SL 550), Shaquille O’Neal (S-Class), Jared Leto (SLS AMG), Tiger Woods (S65 AMG), Tobey Maguire (S400), Alec Baldwin (M-Class), Megan Fox (G-Wagen), Mark Wahlberg (SLS AMG)

Porsche: Kate Moss (vintage 911), David Beckham (911 Turbo Cabriolet), Dustin Hoffman (911 Cabriolet), Kanye West (Panamera Turbo), Patrick Dempsey (GT3), Hilary Duff (911), Keith Urban (Cayenne), Kiefer Sutherland (Panamera), Jonah Hill (911), Miley Cyrus (Cayenne GTS), Adam Levine (356 Speedster), Maria Sharapova (Panamera GTS), Cristiano Ronaldo (Cayenne Turbo), Ellen DeGeneres (911), LeBron James (911), The Game (Panamera), Jerry Seinfeld (various 911s), Keanu Reeves (911), Zach Braff (911), Adriana Lima (Cayenne), Lindsay Lohan (911 Cabriolet), Rihanna (911 Turbo), Chris Brown (Panamera), Samantha Ronson (911 Targa), Bruce Willis (911 GTS), Sylvester Stallone (Panamera), Pharrell (550 Spyder), Steven Tyler (911 Turbo), Matthew Perry (911 Cabriolet), LeAnn Rimes (Panamera), Ashley Tisdale (Boxster), Bill Gates (959), Michael Dell (Boxster), Robert Pattinson (Boxster)

Range Rover: Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Russell Brand, Kate Moss, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Robin Thicke, Sofia Vergara, Pippa Middleton, Jay-Z, John Mayer, Ryan Seacrest, Sharon Osbourne, Chris Brown, Shannen Doherty, Prince Harry, Queen of England, Courtney Cox, Alessandra Ambrosio, Richard Branson, Tim Burton, Hugh Jackman

Rolls-Royce: Swizz Beatz (Wraith), Jaime Foxx (Ghost), Ice-T (Ghost), Rick Ross (Wraith), Simon Cowell (Phantom), David Beckham (Phantom and Ghost), 50 Cent (Ghost), Snoop Dogg (Phantom), The Game (Ghost), Tom Brady (Ghost), Eddie Murphy (Phantom), Ryan Phillippe (Ghost), Shaquille O’Neal (Phantom), Missy Elliott (Phantom), Sean Combs (Phantom), Guy Ritchie (Ghost)

Tesla: Matt Damon, Eva Longoria, Jack Osbourne, Jeremy Renner, Shakira, Ashton Kutcher, Rachel Zoe, Laurence Fishburne

Toyota: Leonardo DiCaprio (Prius), Adrien Grenier (Prius), Ryan Gosling (Prius), Julia Roberts (Prius), Kirsten Dunst (Prius), Eric Schmidt (Prius), Sarah Jessica Parker (Prius)

Sources: Zimbio, X17 Online, Celebrity Cars Blog, Flickr, London Daily Mail, Autoevolution, UrbanDaddy’s DRIVEN, GT Spirit, Just Jared, Celebritycarz,

http://www.justluxe.com/lifestyle/luxury-cars/feature-1953959.php

 

BMW X7 back in planning stage.

Prior to the global financial crisis of 2008, BMW was working on a full-size SUV to sit above its X5 and X6 models and compete against the likes of the Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and Land Rover Range Rover the BMW X7. The crisis caused BMW to rethink the strategy, with the German automaker choosing to focus on smaller SUVs and crossovers instead of the so-called X7.

Strong demand for big and brawny  luxury SUVs, especially in emerging markets, has led many automakers to enter the segment, some of which have never launched SUVs in the past. In the next couple of years we’ll be seeing new SUVs from Bentley, Lamborghini and Maserati. This, no doubt, must have left BMW regretting its decision, but the automaker may be about to alleviate the issue.

German publication Handelsblatt is reporting that the BMW X7 is once again being looked at, but with production yet to be approved. The vehicle would ride on a new modular platform set to debut in the next-gen 7-Series and may even be built at BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The German automaker is planning to make a major announcement concerning the plant next Friday, February 28.

Fellow BMW Group brand Rolls-Royce is considering a large SUV of its own, its CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös confirmed last year.

 

Should it be approved for production, the vehicle’s underpinnings will likely be shared with an X7 from BMW, just as the current Rolls-Royce Ghost shares its underpinnings with BMW’s 7-Series.

The Rolls-Royce would likely utilize a 12-cylinder engine, and possibly a plug-in hybrid setup, while the BMW would feature six- and eight-cylinder units, also with a plug-in option.

 

Thank you to www.motorauthority.com

Why wait to try your luxury cars?

Buyers are going on waiting lists of  up to 7 months for expensive luxury cars. This follows a surge in demand this year that hasn’t been seen since the boom.

The level of orders for vehicles costing upwards of €80,000 has taken many dealers by surprise, the Irish Independent can reveal. Production lines are struggling to cope with orders globally – and that is pushing waiting times for Irish buyers further out into the year. In some cases, buyers may have to wait until next January to register the car they want. Dealers of more practical and less exotic vehicles are also complaining that some models are in short supply. They bemoan the lost opportunity to increase sales and capitalise on demand in what has been a boom start to the year. Sales are 32pc ahead of the same period last year. But the most resounding signs of big money being spent on cars are highlighted in the volume of prestige and luxury makes being ordered. If you want a €119,000 Range Rover, for example, you could have to wait five months before it arrives. In the case of the Range Rover Sport (€84,000+), there is now a seven-month waiting time. A spokeswoman said: “It’s really just a simple case of demand outweighing supply. On a global scale cars can’t be built quickly enough.” APPETITE She revealed that there is a four-month wait for the Evoque model (€41,000) with even those wanting to buy the likes of the Defender, Freelander and Discovery having to wait three to four months. Mercedes admits it can’t get enough of the luxury flagship S-Class (from €98,000) or the small four-drive coupe, the CLA, (€30,170). A spokesman said: “We have about 65pc of our requirements for S-Class and CLA. In other words, we could do with another 35pc production on both models which we are unlikely to get this year.” BMW said there had been a big increase in the “appetite” for luxury cars. “We are now looking at a typical lead time in the region of four months for bespoke orders,” a spokesman said. There was no waiting time last year, he confirmed. Last year, people came into dealerships, saw a car on display and, eventually, in a small number of cases, bought it. “Now they are coming in and ordering a specially tailored, bespoke, car and are prepared to wait months for it,” the spokesman said.

We believe that this isn´t just the case in Ireland but throughout Europe.

Hemingway Luxury Car Hire Sl have most of these cars on their fleet and they are available to be rented from their 25 offices throughout Europe. If you want to have the newest model for a trip before you get one of your own call us and we can arrange it for you.     Thank you to The Irish Independent for this report.

Freshly spied G11 BMW 7-Series

It’s no secret that BMW has been on the forefront of weight reduction in volume production vehicles.  Starting with their tie-up SGL Group and development of the BMW i vehicles, they have been finding great use for carbon fibre in weight reduction.  The key to this is carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).  While this highly touted material is being used in the BMW i vehicles, it has yet to make its way into a series production BMW, until now…
And so it makes sense that the BMW 7-Series (usually the most cutting edge and forward looking BMW on the tech front) will be the first series vehicle to use this magical material in key areas to reduce weight, and thereby increase efficiency.   As the use of this material will be a key selling point for the new model, it makes sense that the exact weight savings will remain guarded information until we are closer to the full reveal.
Slated as a 2016 model, the next 7-Series will fall under the G11 chassis code and will likely be shown off sometime in 2015.
What’s new today Today’s set of spy photos show the upcoming 7 in a similar amount of body camouflage, what is notable is that the car now appears to wear all the production reading parts underneath.  This car is now fitted with parts previously mising, such as a production quality polished and stylized dual oval exhaust recessed into a properly cut rear bumper, production side skirts, front bumper and large kidney grills.   Fans of cohesive styling will also rejoice, it seems the hood cut line runs along with the kidney grills and headlights.
A Hot 7? While what we see here is a “standard” 7-Series, there have been persistent rumors that this upcoming G11 7er will be the first to usher in the ///M treatment, in the form of ///M Performance.  The exact engine configuration and power-output on the would be performance model is still in the realm of guesswork, but all signs have been pointing to an M770i xDrive variant. When more solid word comes, we will let you know!