$200,000 Rolls Royce hood ornament
Destined to be one of the most outrageous and expensive car accessories of all time, a Manhattan luxury dealership has commissioned a one-of-a-kind Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament comprised of diamonds, platinum and other rare metals. The asking price for the jeweled mascot? $200,000 or about half the price of the Rolls Royce Phantom on which it’s attached. The ornament was designed by local jeweler Jean Kemanjian on behalf of Manhattan Motorcars. Speaking with The Epoch Times, Kemanjian said his...

$200,000 Rolls Royce hood ornament
Destined to be one of the most outrageous and expensive car accessories of all time, a Manhattan luxury dealership has commissioned a one-of-a-kind Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament comprised of diamonds, platinum and other rare metals. The asking price for the jeweled mascot? $200,000 or about half the price of the Rolls Royce Phantom on which it’s attached. The ornament was designed by local jeweler Jean Kemanjian on behalf of Manhattan Motorcars. Speaking with The Epoch Times, Kemanjian said his...

‘Avions Voisin’ name revived with new supercar concept
Just as Volkswagen Group’s Veyron supercar revived the longstanding Bugatti label, Portuguese-based designer Ernesto Freitas from Luso Motors envisages his new Voisin Concept injecting some life into France’s forgotten carmaker, Avions Voisin. At the moment his new Voisin Concept remains just a 3D simulated model but Freitas has plans to create a full scale model and hopes to display it at several international car shows. Avions Voisin was a carmaker based in Paris, which built a number of luxury...

200,000 British drivers could get refund on speeding fine
Anyone that has been caught by a speed-camera knows the angst felt at the thought of paying a fine and losing points on your license depending where you’re from, but the sad fact is that most of us just take it on the chin and move on. But one man, a Brit by the name of Simon Grills, has fought the system and come out on top. His case now leaves the floodgates for victims of ‘Britain’s most profitable speed camera’ to contest their fines and points back as well. The case involved a speed...

2008 International Engine of the Year nominees chosen
There are many publications, organizations and companies that hand out awards to the automotive industry for its various technical and design achievements, but few are so lauded as the winner of the International Engine of the Year competition. Judged by a panel of 62 of the world’s top automotive journalists from around the globe, the engine that comes out on top - or tops in its class - can lay claim to being the best there is. For a year, at least. The reigning International Engine of the Year...

370HP Golf R32 by ABT Sportsline
The Golf R32 is by no means slow but the sheer number of tuning kits available for the torquey hot-hatch reveals there are a lot of people out there who disagree. The latest kit is from Germany’s ABT Sportsline, and although it’s not as nearly as potent as HGP’s 640 twin-turbo model, the new tuner R32 still packs some serious punch. The ABT Volkswagen Golf R32 is powered by a V6 engine with 370hp 272kW on tap. This is enough to propel the car from 0-100km/h in just five seconds flat, down from the...

A.R.T. Tuning two-tone Mercedes S-Class
Mercedes-Benz specialist ART has developed a new performance and styling pack for the current S-Class saloon, combing the best of elements of its previous 221 Avantgarde and Sportline GTR models with a new two-tone paint scheme. Unlike the 580hp conversion for the Mercedes G-wagon we reported about last month, for ART’s latest kit engineers focused mostly on enhancing the car’s exterior although there are some minor performance mods as well. The car’s exterior has been dressed up with a new...

A1GP planning Middle East return
The concept of the nation-based A1GP was original founded by Dubai’s Sheikh Maktoum Hasher back in 2004 but after receiving FIA regulation one year later the series lost many of its links with the Middle East. A1GP now plans a return to the region with the series seeking to hold a race locally within the next three years. The information comes from A1GP CEO Pete da Silva, who told delegates at a motorsport business forum in Bahrain this week that the Middle East and Asia are crucial to the future...

A1GP planning Middle East return
The concept of the nation-based A1GP was original founded by Dubai’s Sheikh Maktoum Hasher back in 2004 but after receiving FIA regulation one year later the series lost many of its links with the Middle East. A1GP now plans a return to the region with the series seeking to hold a race locally within the next three years. The information comes from A1GP CEO Pete da Silva, who told delegates at a motorsport business forum in Bahrain this week that the Middle East and Asia are crucial to the future...

Abt reveals tuned A4 Avant
Tuners - perhaps especially the German-car tuners - seem to leave no stone unturned in the search for more performance and sportier looks. Abt’s latest creative burst brings us this new take on Audi’s already excellent A4 Avant. The Abt AS4 is an estate redesigned for daily use with a kick. Although Audi gave the A4 Avant a good bit of go from the factory, Abt has chosen to do a bit more. Depending on the state of tune desired, and which engine you’re starting with, you can go from a...