Luxury cars are expensive and come in all shapes: sedan, coupe or convertible. They offer all the comfort, luxury and performance but you will have to pay premium price. German cars like BMW or Mercedes are the first brand that come to our mind but nowadays nearly all car makers offer nice and comfortable models that enter in the luxury car category.
Right after unveiling the new 6-Series Coupe, BMW unveiled its M-Sport package to jazz up the coupe that much more. British magazine, Fifth Gear, then went out to test whether the added package was worthy of the added price tag.
When equipped with the M-Sport package, the BMW 6-Series gets special M-Sport elements, including a new front bumper, rear diffuser, side skirts, wheels, and dark chrome tail pipes. Fifth Gear tested the 640d model, specifically, which means they were working with a twin turbocharged diesel powerplant that delivers a total of 313 HP and 464 lbs-ft of torque. This engine allows the vehicle to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 155 mph. It delivers a fuel economy of 51.4 mpg.
Fifth Gear’s conclusion was that the BMW 640d M-Sport is an incredible mixture of power, fuel economy, luxury, and excitement. Too bad we won’t be seeing the diesel coupe on our side of the pond anytime soon, if ever.
Tuner extraordinaire Vorsteiner revealed some teaser images of their new ’BR-10’ program for the 2012 Bentley Continental GT Coupe just before the holidays came last month.
Well, it didn’t take them long to unveil the whole details of their new tuning program.
As to be expected from these guys, the crux of their program involves a comprehensive aerodynamic package featuring a plethora of carbon fiber elements that add sporty touches to Bentley’s resident high-end luxury sports coupe. As part of the program, Vorsteiner fitted the Continental GT with a two-piece front spoiler with central splitter, sill skirts with an integrated lower section in lacquered carbon, a subtle gurney deck lid spoiler, an aggressive diffuser that has been attached to the car’s standard bumper, and a plethora of wheel options that can be customized according to the tastes of their customers. Among them, and a set that we’re dying to get our hands on, is Vorsteiner’s very own 22" VS-120 series forged aluminum mono block wheels. Wrap that in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 rubber tires and you have a set-up that’s right around the wheelhouse of what Vorsteiner is capable of building.
As far as technical upgrades are concerned, Vorsteiner has been mum on any performance upgrades. But that won’t stop us from speculating that there’s one under that hood, especially when you consider that the Continental GT Coupe’s 6.0-liter W12 powertrain comes with a total of 567 horsepower that is just begging to be tuned to high heaven.
We already know that the Maserati Quattroporte will be getting a smaller engine in order to reduce fuel consumption, which is something that is quite a trend nowadays. But while the Quattroporte’s competitors, such as the Audi A8 and the Porsche Panamera 4, are making their vehicles longer, Maserati says that their sedan "will not get any bigger."
"Even though our rivals – such as the new Audi A8 – are getting longer, we have to keep it as a sporty alternative," said Fiat design boss Lorenzo Ramaciotti. The new model will be unveiled in 2012 and will be offered with a four-wheel drive system and stop-start technology, that will also help to reduce fuel consumption. Maserati’s goal is to reduce fuel consumption by about 15 percent. Under the hood Maserati will place downsized V6 and V8 engines, as well as an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox (also offered in the BMW 7-Series).
UPDATE 12/22/2011: Good old faithful, Marchettino, has managed to catch a prototype for the next generation Quattroporte out and about on the road. So far, it doesn’t look like much will be changed for the exterior of the luxury vehicle, except for maybe a few tweaks on the vehicle’s front end. The Quattroporte is expected to be unveiled in March 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show. Hit the jump for the video.
Hit the jump to read more about the next generation Maserati Quattroporte.
Cadillac has announced a new Touring package available for all models in the CTS line: coupe, sedan, and station wagon. Priced at $2,065, the new Touring Package adds luxury features such as Recaro seats, microfiber suede inserts on the seats and steering wheel, high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps, a performance-tuned suspension, a V-series aerodynamic spoiler, and performance wheel packages.
The new Touring Package can be combined with both 3.0 liter and 3.6 liter V6 engines. In the 3.0L version, it brings 18-inch pearl nickel finish wheels; dual exhaust; dark finish grille; HID headlamps and fog lamps; V-Series aerodynamic center high mounted stop lamp; suede seat inserts, steering wheel and shifter; midnight Sapele wood trim ; and metal pedals.
The 3.6 L package adds Recaro performance seating, suede-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, midnight Sapele wood trim, and metal pedals.
The Touring Package for the Cadillac CTS adds another $2,065 to the standard vehicle’s price - $36,790 for the sedan, $39,590 for the coupe, and $39,890 for the sport wagon.
Just a few days ago BMW has unveiled the 6-Series Gran Coupe - competitor for Mercedes famous CLS luxury four-door coupe. And, as Mercedes has promised a CLS Shooting Break - set to be released in March 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show - of course there might be a possibility for BMW to offer a Touring version for their Gran Coupe model.
Of course that exactly like with the CLS Shooting Brake the BMW Gran Touring model will add some extra space, but will feature the same design language and technology as with the sedan version.
If built, the Touring model will be powered by a TwinPower turbo 6-cylinder engine with an output of 315 HP at 5,800 to 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 330 lbs-ft delivered between 1,300 and 4,500 rpm. The model will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds and will hit a top speed of 155 mph.
