Road Test: 2013 BMW 760Li
There is something inherently intriguing about stealth and subterfuge. Especially when that intrigue takes the form of a car. When eyes slowly examine your car at the lights, trying to catch a glimpse of what is hidden underneath that unassuming shell of aluminum and steel. I am, of course, talking about the much attempted, yet rarely perfected art form of the “sleeper”. A car that, to an an unassuming eye, wouldn’t look any more out of the ordinary than sand at the beach. But upon closer inspection, would reveal something very sinister indeed.
German luxury manufacturers have quite a successful record of creating these types of cars over the past few decades, what with BMW’s M-division, Audi’s RS line and the bonkers AMG boys over at Mercedes (has anybody told them they’re basically building muscle cars?). Although, I would argue that most people have begun to expect performance from an M-badged BMW, but do they expect it from a 7-Series? A car that, from all outward appearances, looks as normal as any other luxury car. Well, I wouldn’t be so sure.
BMW has owned Rolls-Royce, the British purveyor of all things luxury, for nigh on two decades now. And as such business deals go, a crossover is only to be expected between the two marques. In all honesty, it would be a wasted investment otherwise. Before I get accused of digressing unbearably far from the main topic of this piece, there is a reason for the short history lesson. And it is a simple one: the BMW 760Li and Rolls-Royce Ghost, for all intents and purposes, share more similarities than your local Rolls Royce salesman would like to admit. But all this fluff about the two cars sharing the same chassis and engine essentially boils down to one thing: the crossover between Rolls and BMW has made the 2013 760Li one of the best luxury cars on the market today. And one of the most overlooked.
As with all luxury cars in this day and age, you come to expect a certain level of gratuitous luxury, especially when you are sat square in the driver’s seat of the most expensive car BMW makes. At just a hair over $ 140,000, taxes and delivery charges withheld, the 760Li is appointed unlike any other car in BMW’s line up. The best analogy to describe the experience is a rather simple one — no matter what you wear while driving, you will feel underdressed. For all intents and purposes, you are driving a Manhattan penthouse that can, at your bidding, get you across town at 155 mph.
My Rotary Diaries: An Owner’s Guide to the Mazda RX-8 Galaxy
“The RX-8 doesn’t just like a drink; it is the founding member of the AA institution for sports car engines”
Are you tired of my RX-8 reports yet? If you secretly nodded your head in agreement, then I have good news for you, because this will be the final one, in which I’ll try to recount the ups and downs of running Mazda’s last rotary sports car – until, hopefully, the next one comes up…
First of all, let me introduce you to the world’s first contemporary four-door coupe. The Mercedes-Benz CLS that supposedly invented the niche? It was launched a year later than the RX-8, which is a coupe and has four doors. True, the Merc and its clones are perched much higher in terms of pricing and none adopted the rear suicide doors that did without the B-pillar, but you get the point.
There’s nothing else like it on the market – period. Its powerplant shuns valves, pistons and conrods for ports and rotors and thus produces 228HP from a capacity of just 1.3 liters and a mad 9,500 rpm redline. I’ll admit, it suffers from a severe lack of low-end torque, but it revs so creamily and effortlessly that a chime has to remind you to change up before you hit the limiter.
This comes at a price. The RX-8 doesn’t just like a drink; it is the founding member of the AA institution for sports car engines. Yes, it really is that bad. No matter how gentle the right pedal is treated, a shocking 16-18 lt/km (15-13 mpg US) average in mixed use is common. Combine it with the 61–liter fuel tank and visits to gas stations are much more frequent than Lindsay Lohan’s to courts and rehab facilities.
On the bright side, it doesn’t get that much worse when it gets a good pasting. Thus, since the tank and wallet are draining at nearly the same rate regardless of speed, better to indulge in it. That’s what it was made for after all, right?
All-New 2014 Corvette Stingray Fully Unveiled, Was it Worth the Wait?
America’s most recognized sports car nameplate is welcoming the debut of its seventh member since it came into the world in 1953.
The new Chevrolet Corvette is the third model in the series after the second (1963-1967) and third (used between 1969 and 1976) generation vehicles to wear the Stingray designation. It will receive its world premiere at the Detroit auto show on Monday, January 14, and go on sale in the fall.
As with all Corvettes or any other sports car for that matter, the first thing you will notice is the exterior styling, which in the case of the C7, breaks many traditions like the round or rounded-square taillights found on all Corvette’s since 1961, while keeping others. Another new feature worth noting is the presence of rear-quarter windows, which were last seen in the first generation coupe model.
Many aspects of its design were previewed by the 2009 Stingray concept that appeared in the Transformers movies as Sidewipe.
It’s too early to say whether the edgier and more sculpted design of the new Corvette Stingray will capture the imagination of buyers and fans alike and if it will become a classic, but as a first observation, we’d say that the from some angles, the styling looks unnecessary busy and overly trimmed, while we haven’t warmed up to the plain-Jane-shaped rear window, yet.
From what we gather, many of the design choices were made to cater to the tastes and needs of both traditional buyers as well as the younger generation that finds cars like the Nissan GT-R more attractive.
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2012 Paris Report: Audi RS5 Cabriolet confirmed to be coming stateside by 2013
AutoBlog reports, after speaking with Audi’s President of U.S. operations Scott Koegh, that the four-ringed make will be bringing its RS5 Cabriolet to the United States in the first quarter of 2013.
“That car is a no-brainer,” Koegh told AutoBlog. “We think our RS strategy fills the brand. We think adding this high-performance attribute is huge. TT RS is a classic example. The car sold out and rock-and-rolled extremely well.”
Check out our original post on the Audi RS5 Cabriolet.
The BMW Driving Experience and MINI Driving Experience
In 1977 BMW became the first carmaker to offer drivers the chance to hone their skills at the wheel – and it has continued to do so ever since. This year, what began as a “driving school” has been repackaged under the “BMW Driving Experience” and “MINI Driving Experience” banners to serve up driving experiences of a very special variety. Today, the range of training courses extends beyond the original remit of driving safety training. From drifting on ice and snow and the pursuit of the ideal line on the race track all the way to tours through picturesque landscapes – the broad spread of brand-specific BMW Driving Experience and MINI Driving Experience courses offer the type of content and car to suit novices and advanced drivers alike.
The basic idea behind the courses has remained the same for the last 30-plus years: learning how to work effectively with the car in a wide range of – sometimes critical – driving situations will allow participants to go about their daily driving safely and securely. Indeed, BMW Driving Experience or MINI Driving Experience courses prepare drivers to experience their cars in a totally new way.
FAQ document answers a lot of questions related to Fisker Karma issues
A recent FAQ document floating around the Internet has raised a lot of question about Fisker Automotive’s Karma plug-in hybrid sedan. While some news outlets are calling the document ‘leaked,’ the Q&A sheet is actually an ongoing customer service operation, Roger Ormisher, Fisker’s head of PR, told AutoblogGreen.
Check out more news on the Fisker Karma.
The FAQ is the result of the company’s ongoing town hall meetings it holds through telephone conference with customers, where “we discuss everything that’s going on with the car,” Ormisher said.
He said the move is a way to develop an open relationships with Fisker’s customers.
Usain Bolt is the world’s fastest Nissan GT-R owner
The year 2013 is going to be a big celebration for Automobili Lamborghini. The grand Italian automaker of some of the most outrageous pieces of machinery celebrates its 50th year anniversary after being founded in 1963.
According to Road&Track, Lamborghini plans for 2013 to be a big year. At a recent press conference in Monterey amid the auctions, Lamborghini announced that they’ll be featuring slew of special events for their up and coming anniversary celebrations, complete with an all new bespoke logo.
Lamborghini is still based out of Sant’Agata Bolognese in Italy, where they build the Aventador, Gallardo, the Sesto Elemento, and the potentially to be Urus SUV.
The biggest celebration for the brand during 2013 will be The Lamborghini 50th Anniversary Grand Tour, which will take place May 7-11, 2013 and begin at Bologna before ending at Lamborghini’s factory.
For full details, head over to the automaker’s website.