I’m a car nut, so when I lived in Chicago, going to the Chicago Auto Show was pretty much an annual pilgrimage for me.  Now that I’m in Arizona, the idea of going back to Chicago in the dead of winter just to see the new models and concept cars; well, I think I’ll hold off- at least this year.

But I’d still like to be able to drool over the new models and concept cars, so I was happy to learn about the Arizona International Auto Show, going on today through Sunday at the Phoenix Convention Center.

According to The Arizona Republic, the manufacturers scheduled to show off their new must-have new rides include Chevy and their new Camaro, the 2010 Ford Taurus and 2011 Super Duty, Lexus’ hybrid HS250h, and Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe. And Lexus won’t be the only manufacturer there with new ‘green’ offerings- Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Ford, and GM nameplates Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac will be among those showcasing new fuel-sipping hardware.

In addition, there will be some drool-worthy dream (for all but the most well-heeled attendees) cars on display- Rolls-Royce, Bentley’s new Azure, Aston Martin (for those of you who, like me, dream of one day rolling like James Bond), Maserati, and Ferrari.  Lamborghini will have a Gallardo Spyder on display… and Porsche will have its all-new (and first-ever) four-door Porsche Panamera there for potential owners to check out.  These ne plus ultra iterations of the automobile (and in all likelihood, most destined to be garage queens) are all on display courtesy of their respective local dealerships: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Scottsdale, Bentley Scottsdale, Aston Martin Scottsdale, Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati, and Lamborghini North Scottsdale.

The show will be open Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and on Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Admission is $9.00 for adults (well, anybody 13 and over); seniors, military, students, and children (7-12) are $5.00, and anybody under 6 gets in free. Sunday is even ‘Family Day’, so kids under 12 get in free with a paying adult!

I don’t know what day I’ll be going, but I will be there, camera in hand, so be sure to check back for my photos from the event.  If you go, please share your 2009 Arizona International Auto Show photos by posting them (or links to them) in the comments!

Thanks!

Dan, a.k.a. @PHXPhoto

Please click on an image for more information.

The Art of Gordon Crosby
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After Phantom, Rolls Royce is ready to drive its most technologically-advanced car Ghost into India and hoped that at least 45 people with crores in disposable income would be charmed by the vehicle’s simplistic design.
The company previewed, the super luxury sedan with a whisper-quiet engine and a price tag of Rs 2.5 crore in New Delhi and expects the first delivery to happen in quarter one of next year. The 6.6 litre twin-turbo car is charged with a V12 engine.
“We expect to sell 75 units in 2010 in India, of which Ghost will comprise 50-60 units,” said Rolls-Royce regional director, Asia Pacific, Colin Kelly. Last year, the company had sold about 15 cars from the Phantom family.
“Everybody is keeping an eye on India. India is a key market for us. Last year, we added our second dealership in Delhi and if demand increased we will expand more,” said Rolls-Royce general manager (South and East Asia Pacific) Brenda Pek.
Rolls-Royce, once the car of choice of the royalty during British colonial rule, re-entered India in 2005 after a break of half a century.

You´d never thought that the biggest and most important Rolls Royce museum in the world would be located in a little visited area of one of the provinces of the Basque Country. 75 unique cars, 43 of them Rolls Royce and then Lamborghini, Ferrari, Hispano-Suiza, Bentley…, all kept in perfect working condition in a beautiful tower castle in a lust green valley just 35 kms west of Bilbao. For detailed info and pictures, www.torreloizaga.com, unfortunately only in Spanish, but Google offers a free and decent translation service… Sadly, its owner, founder and keeper (he sold the tickets, also) died recently, so there´s some degree of uncertainty about the future of this museum I was there last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Kids are welcome, you can take as many pictures as you want and the fortress and gardens are perfect for a bit of relax.

Not far, in the Karrantza (or Carranza) valley, there are XIX century balnearies, the Pozalagua caves (one of the biggest in the world), El Carpín Zoo and Adventure Park (perfect for kids)…in an unspoilt environment, tourist-free. A good web page is www.karrantza.com, luckily also in English. I also like to go to this area to enjoy “alubiadas” in a restaurant, consisting of slow cooked beans with black pudding, chorizo, bacon…as much as you can eat, followed by a huge grilled (rare, as we like it over here) T-bone steak…all for about 25 euros per person, wine included (one of them, www.enkartur.net/servicio-restaurante-la-bodeguilla-sopuerta-40.html, in Sopuerta).

I can´t help to think that if this museum were located in, say, the UK or the US, it would be a much visited attraction and known worldwide by car lovers. But for some reason it seems we want to hide these little gems to our visitors.

It has been in air for some time now that Rolls Royce is unfolding its new electronic version car, though its price is still to be verified.  RR is the first to include an HD radio in its rare beauties, lets see what the electronic version will have for its highly taste conscious customers.

The 2010 Rolls-Royce model line has something very special in common with all new Volvos. It has nothing to do with the engines, safety, comfort, or design. Any guesses?

Rolls-Royce joins Volvo as the only manufacturers to offer HD radio as a standard feature in every model. Previously HD radio was only an option, but someone high-up in the Rolls-Royce company probably enjoys the HD radio function and wanted everyone with a new Rolls-Royce to have access to it.

Mercedes-Benz also is slowly introducing the HD radio option and it’s a standard option in many premium packages which the more expensive models enable. Audi previously said that that by 2011 all models will have it as well.

Rolls Royce could have an electric version of its Phantom super-luxury car on the road by the end of 2010 stated an inside company source to Autocar.

In a way, it doesn’t really matter to the global market if only a few number of these cars are produced. It’s not going to make a difference for the environment seeing as climate change is billions of tons of carbon!

But if you look at it in another way, it’s a good thing. It makes electric cars even more aspirational.  Rolls Royce definitely appeals to a different social group. Even though most people will never be able to afford a Rolls Royce “Phantom”, they are paying attention to the technology. Before people are going to buy a certain product they like to be confident in it’s ability to function. Hybrid cars went through that process. At first, most people were totally puzzled, but now they’re totally normal.

Saturday, it was announced that Rolls Royce would be joining Volvo in making HD radio a standard component across all its lines for 2010!  This comes quick on the heels of an announcement from Mercedes-Benz that HD will be in all its 2010 models that have “premium feature packages.” Looks like HD has locked on with the luxury car aficionados!

That is one heck of a brand association. Rolls Royce has been known for refinement and luxury since before World War II. It is a name that has stood the test of time and retained its noble bearing throughout. The Phantom, for example,  is to cars as a tuxedo-clad James Bond is to espionage (the Sean Connery Bond). To have HD radio become a standard firmly affixes the growing medium in the luxury market and the luxury mindset.

Here is the statement from iBiquity via Radio Ink:

“We are proud to confirm the availability of HD Radio technology for yet another prestigious brand — Rolls-Royce,” iBiquity COO Jeff Jury said. “The Rolls-Royce brand is revered. This commitment to HD Radio technology as standard illustrates how digital radio’s dynamic function enhances the in-car ambiance. The addition of Rolls-Royce to the HD Radio roster truly solidifies the technology’s stature in the luxury automotive class.”

Rolls Royce  joins an array of other car makers in offering HD either as a standard or an option: BMW, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mercedes, Mini, Scion, Land Rover and Volvo. In addition, Audi, Ford, Kia, Lincoln and Mercury are soon to join their ranks and have committed to offering HD as well. Now that approximately 85% of the US is covered by HD signals, it looks like it could be a great time for a road trip!

It’s really fun watching a medium grow up. There are always growing pains, but the process always seems to yield fascinating results.  As each quarter slips by, we see more maturity in the HD radio platform. Not only are the high-end auto makers adding it in as a standard, but there is now a HD listening option for the iPhone. (See my earlier post.) The times are certainly changing, and as far as HD is concerned, changing for the better!

The Rolls Royce Ghost was revealed to the Indian car lovers in Delhi.

Announced in the 2006 Paris Motor Show, the Rolls Royce Ghost was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show this year. Earlier, the car was hinted as RR4. The sketches of the car released by the company showed that it had some changes from the conventional Rolls Royce cars.

The Ghost has a centre opening door configuration, with hand crafted interiors and grill. While compared to other Roll Royce cars, the Ghost is slightly smaller in dimensions, and still it is more powerful and it is the most technologically advanced car from Rolls Royce stable. The top-end model of the Ghost will be priced at Rs 2.5 Crore where as the Phantom comes for Rs. 4.45 Crore.

The super luxury sedan comes with a 6.6 L twin-turbo V12 engine. The company hopes to sell 50 cars in the country. The first delivery of the Ghost in the country is expected to happen in quarter one of the next year.

Volkswagen L1 Concept

Volkswagen e-Up

Volkswagen Polo

Lexus LF-Ch

Audi R8 Spyder

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Lamborghini Reventon

Toyota Auris Hybrid

Bentley Mulsanne

General Motors Ampera

Maserati GranCabrio

Aston Martin Rapide

Peugeot BB1 Concept

More Auto news coming up soon. Keep checking this space for latest updates…

The British car maker Rolls-Royce Group has launched their latest car The Ghost, which is  the most technologically advanced  Rolls-Royce ever built, now joins the Phantom family in redefining not only Rolls-Royce but also the luxury car market.This pinnacle product is hand built at RR’s headquarters and manufacturing plant at Goodwood in England
where cutting edge technology and traditional craftsmanship skills come together.

The new four door super luxury saloon, The Ghost, was launched in New Delhi, India, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009.

The company is hoping to sell around 60 units of the Rs2.5 crore-plus model in 2010, when it makes debut in India.

Colin Kelly, regional director for the Asia Pacific region, said.”Ghost is a more informal design that broadens the appeal of Rolls-Royce, combining refinement, new technology, and contemporary style. It bears all the hallmarks of other Rolls-Royce cars, using the finest wood and leather materials and employing manufacturing standards which are no different to Phantom. Ghost will be built-to-order,”

THE DESIGN

The classic Rolls-Royce proportions are all present and correct: the 2:1 ratio of the height of the wheels to the height of the body; the long wheelbase and bonnet; the short overhang at the front and long overhang at the rear.

Exterior Designer, Andreas Thurner says “…it looks natural, not styled”. Its powerful presence leaves no doubt that it’s cut from the same cloth as the rest of the marque – exactly what we set out to achieve

TRUE ROLLS-ROYCE

The V12 engine remains whisper-quiet even when accelerating – Ghost’s occupants will only notice the scenery pass at a quicker rate. Engineered to grip the road at all times, it creates a more dynamic drive and the famous Rolls-Royce ‘magic carpet ride’ for driver and passengers.

It’s a true Rolls-Royce driving experience – from the authority driving position you get a commanding view along the Silver Satin bonnet, past the Spirit of Ecstasy to the road ahead.

INSIDE SPACE

Inside, Ghost is refined and cosseting. Entering and exiting is both effortless and graceful – the low sill height means you step ‘onto’ rather than ‘into’ Ghost. The unique rear-hinged coach doors open to 83 degrees adding an extra sense of theatre for the rear passengers.

Once inside, you are greeted by a simple yet contemporary interior with large expanses of soft full grain leather, natural wood veneers and Blenheim wool carpets. The cashmere-blend roof lining adds to the sense of openness and space, enhanced by the optional Panorama sunroof.

It’s like being cocooned in your own convivial private sanctuary that leaves you relaxed and unruffled after the longest journey.

THE TECHNOLOGY

Night Vision.

During the day the Night Vision System remains out of sight behind a veneered panel. As darkness falls a discreet infrared camera in the grille can detect the body heat of pedestrians up to 300 metres away.

At the touch of a button their thermal image is clearly shown on the Control Centre Display, giving you plenty of time to slow down and pass them safely.

Head up Display

The Head Up Display projects driving-related information directly on to the windscreen in front of you, allowing you to concentrate on the road ahead.

You can check your speed, follow directions and see other information without having to look down. For clarity, the inside of the windscreen has a special coating to create a sharp easy-to-read viewing panel.

Active Cruise Control

Designed for use on A roads and motorways, Active Cruise Control makes driving in heavy traffic less tiring. You can set it to maintain a predefined time gap from the car in front, reducing speed to a complete halt if necessary.

Once the traffic begins to move again, Ghost accelerates to the pre-programmed speed as soon as possible.

SPECIFICATIONS

Ghost is the essence of Rolls-Royce in its simplest, purest form. Every inch delivers on the power of simplicity.

An awesome car for the Indians. A heart beat of every businessman.

Rolls-Royce Group launched its latest car ‘Ghost’ in Delhi on Friday at a price upwards of Rs 2.5

Car buyers look the SUV way Fastest cars Buying pre-owned cars?

crore.

Upon entering from your private elevator, you’ll see a rotating four-post canopy bed which allows you to keep an eye on every piece of exquisite mahogany furniture in the two-story Royal Suite. But the $19,000 CAD a night accommodation isn’t just for staying in and enjoying your own private cinema or the Hermes bathroom products. If you decide to venture out of your palace, two chauffeurs are waiting with your own Rolls-Royce. There’s also a private helicopter in case you feel like an evening spin over Dubai.

SOURCE: Travel | MSN

The car pictured above is a Mini by Rolls-Royce, made for the famous Mini Park Lane dealership in London for a dealer event. Now, Autocar is saying that the Mini by Rolls-Royce has been given the green light for production.

The focus of the project is a bit like the Gordini line Renault recently announced: Personalization. The car will be trimmed at the Rolls-Royce factory in Goodwood. Options will likely extend beyond trim materials, such as new interior fittings. The plans have been inspired by the coachbuilt Minis of the 1960s, which were popular with celebrities.

It should be made public next year.

Source: Autocar and Autoblog

The Fire Scout unmanned helicopter got its first job—hunting drug smugglers.

MQ-8B became the first unmanned helo to conduct actual operations on a navy ship. The UAV left on an anti-narcotics mission when from a port in Florida on Monday. The USS McInerney (FFG-8) is no stranger to the unmanned aerial vehicle because it hosted it during developmental testing. A crew of Northrop Grumman engineers are on board to help the aircraft stay healthy.

The operational tests will help the Navy field rotorcraft UAVs on its Littoral Combat Ship, which is still in development.

http://www.as.northropgrumman.com/products/mq8bfirescout_navy/index.html

Since a very small (and very rich) percentage of the population can afford a anything that bears the Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy, the BMW owned company will be outfitting some special ordered MINI Coopers (which BMW also owns) with Rolls-Royce accessories.

The MINI Coopers will be custom built in the Roll-Royce factory and will feature upgrades like custom leather and instrument panels.

No pricing or availability information has been released yet, but the Rolls-Royced-out  MINI Coopers are expected to debut next year.

Check out MINI’s inspiration below:

Fotos da possível versão de luxo da Mini (Fotos: Autocar Espanha)

Essa informação já foi dita há um tempo atrás e acabou no esquecimento. Mas agora, a revista britânica Autocar volta com a informação de que a Mini confirmou a produção de uma versão de luxo de seu carro, denominada Rolls-Royce.

A publicação cita fontes do alto escalão da BMW para dizer que os carros serão preparados um a um pelos alfaiates de Goodwood (sede da Rolls) utilizando exclusivamente os materiais mais nobres para decorar o interior do carro.

O Mini Rolls-Royce se produzido, será um tentativa da BMW de dar ainda mais prestígio para a sua marca. Vale lembrar, que nos passado até os integrantes dos Beatles tinham modelos de extremo luxo da Mini.

Por outro lado, o que a Rolls ganharia em ter sua exclusividade partilhada com um carrinho que briga com Fiat 500 e outros mundanos?

O carro deve chegar ao mercado daqui a um ano, segundo a Autocar.

Exposé NetMuseum Projekt – Tomaselli Julian / Tripolt Jakob

Für unser Projekt hatten wir uns zuerst für ein kleines Privatmuseum in Bregenz entschieden, unsere Wahl viel auf das Thurn und Taxis Museum in Bregenz. Bei der Vorort-Besichtigung wurden wir dann von einem verschlossenen Museum überrascht, es befindet sich gerade in der Umbauphase zwischen zwei Ausstellungen. Deshalb musste eine Alternative her, nach reiflicher Überlegung entschieden wir uns für das Rolls-Royce Museum in Dornbirn, da es für unsere Zwecke ideal schien. Dieses Museum liegt etwas versteckt in Dornbirn und wird von der Öffentlichkeit wenig wahrgenommen, ist jedoch das weltweit größte Museum für Rolls-Royce Fahrzeuge. Der Onlineauftritt stammt aus dem Jahre 2001 und ist dementsprechend veraltet.

Um eine möglichst große Auswahl von Ideen zu erhalten haben wir als erstes ein Brainstorming durchgeführt, und alle Ideen notiert die uns eingefallen sind, dabei haben wir weder die Durchführbarkeit noch die finanziellen Aspekte berücksichtigt um möglichst offen und unvoreingenommen an das Thema heran zu gehen. Dabei haben wir verschiedene Ideen entwickelt die Einerseits im Museum installiert werden können, oder andererseits rein-onlinebasiert sind. Ziel ist es eine Brücke zwischen dem Museum vor Ort und einem Internetauftritt bzw. dem Besucher Zuhause zu schaffen.

Der Inhaber des Museums war sehr an einer Umsetzung intressiert und wie in einem persönlichen Gespräch klar wurde, auch an ausgefallenen Ideen die eine Besonderheit aufweisen, bzw. das Museum von anderen Museen klar zu

The E-cars are coming. Once the dominion of entrepreneurs tinkering in their garages. Now car companies we already know are jumping into the mix.

Rumors are swirling uptown, that an E-Rolls is in the works. Who knew the Upper Crust was so eco-friendly?

But if you prefer something a little more discreet, don’t feel left out. Since Smartcar already looks like a golf cart, the makers at Daimler decided an electric car was the next logical step.

On another note…

Olympic athletes and officials are to be driven around London in the iconic British Mini during the 2012 Games after BMW was named official car sponsor of the event.