Luxury cars

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2013 Lexus LS 600h L: Luxury hybrid satisfying

Maybe you can’t have it all in a full-size, fast, ultra-luxury sedan, but the 2013 Lexus LS 600h L hybrid sure makes it seem like you can. It should satisfy most spoiled—and some hard-to-please—luxury car buyers. Rivals to the LS 600h L are the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid and BMW 7-Series ActiveHybrid. The Lexus LS 600h L is no sports sedan, nor is it supposed to be—not when it weighs a hefty 5,115 pounds—or 5,203 pounds with the costly, optional executive seating package that is popular in China. Big shots there like to be driven as they ride in the back, and the longer (205-inch) LS 600h L (compared to the normal 200-inch-length LS 460) gives them limo-style rear seating. However

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BMW 750Li, 2013: stylish, hi-tech, hefty price

The 7-Series is the BMW flagship and it deserves the status. It’s a beast of a sedan, a 4,600-pound cruiser best suited for long, open-road hauls. The 2013 BMW 750Li, my weekly driver, showcased BMW‘s power, as in a 4.4-liter, 32-valve V8 with 445 horsepower and five-second, 0-60 mph prowess. But the long (201 inches) sedan is also a standard bearer of engineering, technology and for audio enthusiasts, an over-the-top whirlwind of sound. The 750Li has a base price of $90,000 and that’s reflected in all that BMW represents -— superior handling and superior design as well as industry-best comfort and refinement. But the available option packages put the vehicle into a category of automotive overload combining plushness and hi-tech

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Bugatti honor: World’s fastest, most rare, most expensive car

The 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic recently won the Best of Show at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy, and there’s plenty of reason. Only four production Atlantics were made and they were made with plain aluminum, featured flowing coupes lines and a pronounced dorsal seam running front to back. The body panels were riveted, creating the signature seam, and were retained for style based on the concept of the vehicle made three years early and built from magnesium alloy. The car that claimed the recent Best of Show is one of two Type 57S cars remaining and is from the collection of Ralph Lauren. The second Type 57S, when owned by Dr. Peter Williamson, won best of show at

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Top art deco cars from The Great Gatsby era, Buick to Corsair

GearPatrol.com is a compelling website with a compelling motto: “Spirt of Adventure, Passion For Gear.” One recent post, Ten Great Art Deco Cars, features stunning images and succinct, informative descriptions of cars long gone and some that only existed as concepts. Two of the cars featured in post, a 1948 Timbs Buick Streamliner and the Phantom Corsair, a concept, were particularly stunning were included in a timely connection with the current movie The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Describing the Buick Streamliner, the site writes in part: A mechanical engineer named Norman E. Timbs designed and built this sleek number with mostly aluminum on top of a steel chassis. At a cost of $10,000, the Streamliner took more than two

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Acura RLX, 2014: Odd-looking luxury sedan elegant, plush, pricey (video)

What should a consumer expect from a car with a starting point of just under $50,000? That’s the beginning price of 2014 Acura RLX, the new medium-sized Acura luxury sedan. The Acura RLX replaces the RL as the carmaker’s top sedan, and it’s firmly positioned against a few heavy-hitters — the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Lexus GS 350. Like its rivals, the Acura RLX has a lot to offer with a variety of trims, powerful engines and enough plushness and superior touches to make it hard not to like. For starters, it has a 3.5.-liter V6 with 310 horsepower. There are faster sedans, but the new Acura has a steady powerful growl of authority while accelerating. It only

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Review: 2013 Lexus LS 460 pricey luxury sedan refined with more luxury

Lexus turned the luxury car market upside down in America when it introduced its big LS 400 luxury sedan in 1989. Suddenly, it seemed as if you were a sap if you bought a Cadillac or Mercedes instead of the Lexus LS. It was especially true in trend-setting places such as Beverly Hills — although Lexus had no luxury car track record in America and came from Toyota, which had still had a definite economy car image. Along with the LS 400, Lexus introduced a new, smaller, less expensive Lexus sedan. Called the ES250, it was clearly a thinly disguised Toyota, whereas the LS 400 looked as if it had just arrived from the heavens. I was at the media

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John Lennon’s rare Ferrari and his first ticket to ride set for Bonhams auction

Nearly five decades since John Lennon received his first driver’s license and purchased his first car, a 1965 Ferrari 330GT, the former Beatle’s classic sports car will be featured at Bonhams auction July 12 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. Lennon, who owned the classic Ferrari for about three years, paid slightly more than $10,000 for the new right-hand driver Ferrari and drove it for about 20,000 miles. Now restored to its original status, the Ferrari is expected to sell for between $275,000-$340,00 as one of only 500 330GT of its type built. According to Bohhams, the car comes with its original DUL 4C registration, vast documentation of its history, including a correspondence with Lennon. Lennon bought the

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Car Review: 2014 Acura RLX, Plush, Powerful, Pricey

It wasn’t too many years ago when $30,000 was the launching pricepoint for purchasing an entry-level luxury car. Now, $30,000 is about the average price of a new car in the United States. So what should a consumer expect from a car with a starting point of just under $50,000? That’s the beginning price of 2014 Acura RLX, the new medium-sized Acura luxury sedan. It replaces the RL as the carmaker’s top sedan, and it’s firmly positioned against a few heavy-hitters — the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Lexus GS 350. And like its rivals, the Acura RLX has a lot to offer with a variety of trims, powerful engines and enough plushness and superior touches to make it

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2014 prices unveiled for enduring Chevrolet Corvette coupe, convertible

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the iconic sports car that debuted in 1953 and has been produced in seven generations, will be priced beginning at $51,995 for the coupe and $56,995 for the convertible. The respective MSRP prices for the coupe and convertible include a $995 destination fee but exclude tax, title, and license. Standard features on the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray include: * Seating with lightweight magnesium frames for exceptional support, and eight-way power adjustment; * Five-position Drive Mode Selector that tailors up to 12 vehicle attributes; * New seven-speed manual transmission with Active Rev Matching; * 6.2L LT1 V-8 engine with direct injection, Active Fuel Management, continuously variable valve timing and an advanced combustion system; * Carbon fiber

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Lexus IS sedans for 2014: New design, new technology, wicked new grille

The newly desiged 2014 Lexus IS sedans, which will feature revamped seats, technology upgrades, more interior and cargo room and a wicked-looking futuristic front grille in a sport trim, will debut in the summer of 2013 and with priced ranging from $35,950 to $41,700. The Lexus IS 250, powered by a 2.5-liter V6 delivering 204 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque, will have a base MSRP of $35,950 for RWD and $38,485 for AWD. The IS 350, which produces 306 horsepower from its 3.5L V6 power plant, will have a starting MSRP of $39,465 for RWD and $41,700 for AWD. The base price for the 2014 IS 350 is 2.1 percent lower than the model it replaces. The new IS

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Freddie Mercury’s 1974 Rolls-Royce Sells At Auction For $118,000

More than 20 years after his death, the flamboyant legend of Freddie Mercury, the frontman for the seminal rock band Queen, endures including via his former choice of automobiles — a 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Mercury died in 1991, but his Rolls-Royce, originally purchased by the musician’s production company and hardly driven in the past two decades, sold earlier this year for 7,700 British Sterling or about $118,000. It was purchased via a telephone bid  from a Russian businessman at the Coys auction at Autosport International in the United Kingdom. The classic Rolls-Royce had a list used value of $13,000 to $18,000. But the attachment of Mercury as it former obviously substantially increased the car’s value. Mercury’s Silver Shadow has

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Bugatti Veyron thrives on enduring mystique

Buying a supercar like Bugatti or an entry level auto like the Nissan Versa is the same in one respect — it’s a subjective choice. But then the similarity ends suddenly. Beyond the obvious financial differences between a $10,000 car and a $2 million car, the major difference between a Versa and a Bugatti is exposure. Drive a Versa and you’re invisible, always. Drive a Bugatti and it’s impossible not to seen. Every new edition of the Bugatti is automotive industry extravaganza, particularly if it’s the manufacturer’s most powerful roadster to date. That occurred in April 2012 when the open-top version of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse at the Beijing Auto Show. The new Bugatti has remarkable numbers:

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Lexus ES350: A Weekly Driver 2012 Top 10

The Lexus ES 350 is in the wondrous midsize luxury class. It features tough competition among well-heeled vehicles ranging from the Buick LaCrosse to the Volvo S60 and the Acura TL to the Hyundai Genesis. For 2012, the Lexus ES 350 remains largely unchanged from the 2011 model, with one available trim. It’s a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 268 horsepower, 248 pound-feet of torque and has a standard six-speed automatic transmission. Without changes, Lexus must be confident in the Lexus ES 350, the high-brow sibling of a Toyota Camry. There was plenty of evidence for that theory during my weekly drive. Quick acceleration to substantial comfort to smooth driving, the ES 350 continues to hold its perennial position at top

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2013 Lexus ES 350: New bold image for upscale sedan

Now in its sixth generation, the redesigned 2013 Lexus ES breaks away from its 20-plus-year tradition of being a nice upscale Toyota Camry. The new front-wheel-drive ES has a nearly two-inch longer 111-inch wheelbase shared with the all-new top-line Toyota Avalon and is an inch longer overall. It has the signature Lexus spindle grille and looks more like the higher-line Lexus GS than the Camry. Its bolder appearance features such items as larger headlights and LED daytime running lights. Taillights look as if from the GS and sit above nifty dual chrome-finished exhaust tips. The low front end can result in curb damage, but helps allow smoother air flow under the car for better aerodynamics. The ES 350’s engine and

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Tesla raises prices, offers new warranties for 2013

Tesla, the high-performance, all-electric sports car manufacturer, will increase prices of the four versions of its 2013 Model S luxury sedan by $2,500 beginning January 1, 2013. New prices are $59,900 for the base version with a 40-kilowatt-hour battery pack, $69,900 for the mid-range 60-kWh model, $79,900 for the top-end 85-kWh level and $94,900 for the Performance model, which also uses the 85-kWh pack. Tesla buyers who make a deposit after January 1 will get a premium – 12-way adjustable heated front seats — without charge. Extended warranties, maintenance Telsa has also announced prices for its replacement battery packs and a new warranty program. Replacement battery costs: 40 kWh ($8,000), 60 kWh ($10,000) and 85 kWh ($12,000). New warranty option

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2013 Cadillac XTS: New sedan best Cadillac ever?

The all-new 2013 Cadillac XTS is a big front-wheel or all-wheel-drive sedan based on the Buick LaCrosse and upcoming Chevrolet Impala. It replaces Cadillac’s DTS and STS models and is arguably the best Cadillac sedan ever. The XTS is handsome, despite a stubby hood. Its clean, elegant design doesn’t have the many sharp angles and creases found on other Cadillacs. The uptown interior is deathly quiet. It has everything from comfortable seats and easily read gauges to soft-touch, high-quality materials, with either wood or metal. No cheap plastics here. The XTS stresses technology, luxury and prestige, with no pretensions to directly compete with stiffer German luxury-performance models. In short, the XTS is largely its “own man” and leaves Caddy models

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