Rival Undertaker Steals Hearse

I’ve heard of rivals in sports. I have even heard of rivalries in business. But this is the first time I have heard of rival undertakers!

This story from the United Kingdom may be one of the most bizarre stories I have ever read. Let me just quote the first line of the story to give you an idea of how weird it is: “Mourners at a funeral were stunned when the keys to the hearse were stolen by a rival undertaker as the coffin was about to head to the cemetery.”

The incident occurred at Patricia Thorburn’s funeral at the Salvation Army citadel in Middlesborough. Undertaker David Wood, who believed undertaker Joel Kerr had been poaching customers from him, waited outside the funeral home until the time was right. When nobody was looking, he jumped in and stole the keys out of the waiting Rolls-Royce hearse. As a result of his actions, the family had to wait for another hour before they could follow the hearse to the cemetery as workers at the funeral had to hotwire the hearse. The family was offered a similar Cadillac hearse from a different company, but they insisted on using the Rolls-Royce hearse for the procession.

“The level of disrespect is unbelievable, dreadful,” said Irene Jessop, a funeral director that works with Kerr. Wood is due to stand trial after pleading guilty to theft.

readmore...

Someone’s Gonna Get Fired: LeMons Cars Invited To Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance [Hillsborough Concours D'Elegance]

The Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance is a super-upscale car shows, with the rich folks showing off their high-buck machines. This time, the organizers had the bright idea of inviting five 24 Hours Of LeMons racers.

You figure it’s going to expect like Caddy Day at the pool, right? Unfortunately, the five LeMons veterans (including the Autobahn Racing BMW 2002, the Flakes’ ‘Chevolvo’ Volvo 244, the Faster Farms Plymouth Belvedere, the Ecurie Ecrappe Alfa Romeo Spider, and the Mille Miglia Alfa Romeo Alfetta) were ghettoized in a parking lot, apart from the Rolls-Royces and Ferraris. “We’re ghettoized because we are ghetto,” explained LeMons Chief Perpetrator Jay Lamm.

Also parked with the LeMons machines was the in the highest degree beater Aston Martin ever, complete with spinner-removin’ Hammer Of Thor mounted underhood. The folks in the crowd- those who trekked excessively to the noxious border of the tracks, at any rate- weren’t wholly sure what to make of the old stager racing machines, but someday their authentic racing provenance will see them selling for millions of Plutonium Krugerrands at Barrett-Jackson.

Meanwhile, the PA was manned by a guy with an English beat so refined (”…be aware, ladies and gentlemen, that the word Jag-yoo-ah does not contain the letter ahhhh“) that we became convinced that he probably grew up in the infamous Red Phosphorus Acres Trailer Park in Lodi, and the San Francisco 49ers Cheerleaders were onward hand to add a surreal catalogue to the proceedings. Some pretty cool iron was there in on the grass, including a instruct fully Kaiser-Darrin, a 427/4-speed Galaxie 500, and a showroom-condition Citroën Traction-Avant. I got enough shots for some gallery action:

readmore...

China’s Hautai is not a Rolls-Royce Phantom

Hot on the heels of Geely’s “this is not a Rolls-Royce Phantom” GE, Chinese automaker Hautai is apparently busy working on its own new luxury vehicle, one that would appear to borrow liberally from the Bentley Boys. Huatai Automobile Group, based in Beijing, specializes in SUVs, so this model would represent something of a marked departure for them. HAG reportedly has the capacity to build 200,000 vehicles annually, and they have R&D centers in China, South Korea, and Germany. Last month, the private automaker reported sales up nearly 150 percent from last year.

Still unnamed (allow us to suggest: “This is not a Bentley Continental”), the four-door detailed in these images offers more than a striking resemblance to Bentley’s admittedly comely Flying Spur. At the moment, details about the new sedan are about as shallow as the depth of the designers who have penned it, but we’ll have more details for you as they become available.

Gallery: Huatai “Continental GT”

readmore...

BMW X5 M And X6 M Pricing Disclosed

Following up on our recent post about BMW’s M versions of their X5 and X6, the Bavarians have seen fit to tell us what they’ll cost. The short answer, unexpectedly, is: A lot. But more than that, how BMW prices something like this tells us something about their target market, and where they see future sales (and potentially company viability) and company direction.

“When the X5 M and X6 M go on sale this fall as 2010 model vehicles, they will retail for $86,225 and $89,725 respectively (including $825 Destination & Handling).” OK, so essentially 86 and 90 large for these guys, that’s the bottom line. And quite the bottom line it is. Plug in 80 – 90 thousand dollars as the price bracket in Craig’s List and see what kind of cars you come up with. Then ask yourself, ‘Would I rather have the sport version of BMW’s SUV, or would I rather have a

Ferrari 360- Mint condition - $87500

2009 Porsche Cayenne GTS - $84655

2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Sport Utility 4D - $89999

2008 Porsche 911 S Cabriolet - $81988

1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Convertible - $89995

(Although I got to say that $90K for a Challenger is nuts).

See what I’m getting at? Yes, I know, comparing a new car to a used car, price-wise, might not be all that fare, but c’mon, a BMW X6 M or a Ferrari 360?

Exactly.

What this does point to, is that BMW thinks there’s enough (more than enough, actually) buyers out there that will plunk down the equivalent of the down payment on a house for the sport version of an SUV. And really, who am I to argue, I’m sure they have whole buildings full of marketing guys that have crunched the numbers on this and figured out that at the end of a given fiscal year, BMW will make money on the whole deal.

And yeah, insert the usual old saws about “fools and money” and “sucker born every minute” sort of things, but honestly, $86,225 and $89,725?

For what?

You want something SUV-like, nice view of the road, AWD, lots of room? Why not buy a Jeep on an Envoy or some such for half that price, and then sink the remainder into something like a good used 911 or an NSX?

Maybe I’m in the wrong business. Maybe car sales aren’t that bad of a way to go, if people are willing to drop this kind of dough on these kinds of cars.

BMW’s press release:

BMW X5 M AND X6 M U.S. PRICING ANNOUNCED

04/27/2009

The latest models from BMW’s M Division arrive in U.S. Dealers this Fall.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - April 27, 2009… On the occasion of the world debut of the BMW X5 M at the Shanghai International Auto Show, BMW today announced U.S. retail pricing for both the X5 M and the X6 M. The X6 M was unveiled for the first time at the New York International Auto Show on April 8th. When the X5 M and X6 M go on sale this fall as 2010 model vehicles, they will retail for $86,225 and $89,725 respectively (including $825 Destination & Handling).

Both the BMW X5 M and X6 M feature a new reverse flow V8 engine with patented twin-turbo technology. The lag-eliminating Cylinder-bank Comprehensive Manifold (CCM) enables the engine to produce 555 horsepower and accelerate both models from 0 to 60mph in 4.5 seconds. At BMW M, “the chassis must always be more powerful than the engine.” The X5 M and X6 M exploit the limits of physics through their reworked Integrated Chassis Management systems to provide maximum road-holding without conceding to harsh ride characteristics.

Power is delivered through an M derivative of BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive, allowing M typical throttle-steering. At the rear axle is BMW’s revolutionary Dynamic Performance Control, tailored by BMW M to ensure near-perfect distribution of power. Four M-characteristic tailpipes emerge from the aerodynamic diffuser in the rear. Enormous brakes round out the package, providing confidence under all conditions.

The modern, sustainable legacy of BMW M began in 1985 when engineers placed the snarling, race-bred inline-6 engine from the M1 supercar into the production BMW 5 Series sedan, reworked the suspension and brakes, and created BMW’s first M5. The M5 redefined the capabilities of a sedan with levels of power, precision, and linear control never before imaginable. Ever since, the craftsmen at BMW M have been focused on finding new ways to expand the performance boundaries using existing BMW models as a basis.

Additional information, videos and photographs of both the X5 M and X6 M are available at www.bmwusanews.com.

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 83 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

© Gearhead Media - Please visit Automoblog.net for more great content.

readmore...

Rolls-Royce Goes With A Ghost

Introduced as the concept 200EX at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show in March, Rolls-Royce quickly followed up in April by giving the saloon its rightful name: Ghost.

Ultra luxury automobile manufacturer Rolls-Royce has assigned a name to the RR4 (200EX concept), its long planned “Baby Rolls” model. Keeping with all things ethereal, the Ghost will now join the Phantom and its many versions to complete the Rolls-Royce fleet.

On Display In Shanghai

Rolls-Royce used the Shanghai Motor Show as the backdrop for its announcement of the all new model line, an automobile which will be built at the company’s Goodwood manufacturing facility on the south coast of England later in 2009.

In a news release announcing the Ghost, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO, Tom Purves, said, “We are delighted to formally announce the Rolls-Royce Ghost. It is one of the most revered names in the automotive industry, evoking images of adventure and technical innovation. The name reflects this new model’s breadth of abilities. The first cars to bear the Ghost name were known not only for impressive dependability and refinement but also great flair and style. This car will be the first in a new generation of models to carry this evocative name and will give us two pinnacle product lines – Phantom and Ghost.”

Now Owned by the BMW Group

Founded by Charles Rolls and Henry Royce in 1904, the Silver Ghost was one of the earliest models built by the British luxury car maker, seeing production from 1906 to 1926. Since then, several more models have come and gone in addition to its Bentley line. Today, Rolls-Royce is owned by the BMW Group while Volkswagen AG owns Bentley.

Rolls-Royce says that the Ghost will be built on its own assembly line in the UK, but will share paint, wood and leather workshops with the Phantom series of cars.  In addition, the Ghost will share some components with the BMW 7-Series including the engine and the transmission.

Today, the Phantom line includes the standard saloon model, an extended wheelbase version as well as the Phantom Drophead Coupé and Phantom Coupé.

Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

See Also — Is A Packard Revival Feasible?

readmore...

Camo Cameo: Ferrari 612 Scaglietti ready for desert storming

By: Noah Joseph

Try playing hide-and-go-seek with a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and you're bound to lose. At over sixteen feet in length, the two-door GT is longer than a Hummer H3 and nearly as long as a Mercedes S-Class. But one owner may have found the key. This desert-camo Prancing Horse was spotted by Ferrari Chat board member "elipinsk" in the wilds of Germany.

Speculation was that it was yet another creation of Bathing Ape founder Nigo, along the same lines as his camouflaged Rolls-Royce Phantom, Bugatti Veyron and classic Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. We might have placed it among Saddam Hussein's corral of high-end automobiles, but indications are that it actually belongs to a local real estate developer. And not in the Persian Gulf, either, but in Wiesbaden, Germany. The "intriguing" treatment appears to have been done with a vinyl wrap, so at least it can be reversed fairly painlessly, which is more than we can say for its application.

readmore...

Geely GE: Go Stag In Style [Shanghai Auto Show]

The Geely GE may seem preference a Rolls Royce ripoff, but it has one-upped the luxe brand by having one less. The backseat? It features uncorrupt unit, throne-like seat.

The Geely GE is expected to subsist the first greater luxury offering from Geely’s elegant sub-brand ENGLON (what one. stands for London, England) if it ever goes into production. Modeled after the Rolls Royce Phantom in a peculiarly Chinese way, the GE even has its own hood ornament… admitting we can’t be sure what it is.

If it does see production we imagine it’ll only be for high-ranking members of the Chinese Politburo Steering Committee. Lonely, lonely members.

readmore...

'Baby' Rolls Royce PR4 named Ghost

In another first for the Shanghai Auto Show, Rolls Royce CEO, Tom Purves announced that the luxury automaker's new model series, which until now had been known either by its internal codename PR4 or as the 200EX Concept, will be called the Rolls Royce Ghost. The firm's new entry level luxury sedan that will remain very close to the 200EX Concept that was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier in March, will be powered by a brand new 6.6-liter turbocharged V12 engine delivering an output in excess of 507 horsepower.

According to the British automaker, the Ghost name was used by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars between 1906 and 1925 although these cars were first introduced as the 40/50hp model. A total of 7,876 Ghosts were made during this period, 6173 in Derby, and 1703 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The new Rolls Royce Ghost that will sit right under the larger and more expensive Phantom in the automaker's range, will go on sale late this year.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO, Tom Purves, said, "We are delighted to formally announce the Rolls-Royce Ghost. It is one of the most revered names in the automotive industry, evoking images of adventure and technical innovation. The name reflects this new model's breadth of abilities.

"The first cars to bear the Ghost name were known not only for impressive dependability and refinement but also great flair and style. This car will be the first in a new generation of models to carry this evocative name and will give us two pinnacle product lines – Phantom and Ghost," he concluded.

Rolls Royce Ghost Specs

• No. of doors/seats: 4/5
  
• Vehicle length: 5399mm
  
• Vehicle width: 1948mm
  
• Vehicle height: 1550mm
  
• Wheelbase: 3295mm
  
• Engine: new 6.6 litre turbocharged V12
  
• Gearbox: 8-speed ZF
  
• Power: Upwards of 500bhp (upwards of 373kW/507PS)

readmore...

Geely GE Rips Off Phantom, Makes Room For One Imperial Emperor [Shanghai Auto Show]

Made a fortune by selling decadent Americans lead-tainted toys and bootlegged DVDs? This Geely GE is the ride for you; doubling a Phantom’sitting luxury through means of offering half the seating capacity for less money.

The throne-like rear seat sits on plush red carpet underneath a starry night celestial expanse - the latter ripped straight from the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe.

No vocable on what engine underpowers the big Geely, but reckon upon it to make an official premiere at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 20. [via TheTycho]

readmore...

Rolls Royce 200EX: Baby Rolls to getw 6.6-Liter V12 Turbo with over 500HP Ne

Rolls-Royce CEO, Tom Purves announced new details on the firm's forthcoming entry-level 'baby' sedan that was previewed in Geneva in early March as the near-production 200EX concept, at a press conference in New York where the car is currently being shown to potential customers on the first leg of a world tour. Codenamed PR4, the four-door luxury sedan will be powered by a brand new 6.6-liter turbocharged V12 engine unique to Rolls-Royce delivering an output in excess of 507 horsepower.

The new V12 engine that is also said to find its way under the bonnet of the latest generation BMW 7-Series, will be matted to an 8-speed automatic ZF gearbox. The British firm claims that the new drive-train will significantly improve fuel and CO2 efficiency over the larger Phantom series of cars.

Speaking at the event, Tom Purves said, "There has been a great deal of interest in this car since we first talked about producing a new model series in the autumn of 2006 and the reaction 200EX received at its unveiling at Geneva was very positive. As we move another step closer to the start of production at Goodwood, it is exciting to be able to share some of the specific technical details with customers and the media."



The RR4 will deliver an authentic Rolls-Royce experience to owners, so expect peerless comfort and build quality. However, we have consciously engineered this car to be more involving and dynamic for those owners around the world that will wish to drive it themselves," he concluded.


The production version of the 200EX concept will be officially revealed at this September's Frankfurt Show with sales commencing in early 2010.

readmore...