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Official: Royal Mail celebrates British Auto Legends with special stamp collection

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Government/Legal, UK

Lotus Esprit stamp from the Royal Mail

We love cars because they’re fast and exciting. The postal service, not so much. But at least the mail is reliable, which is a lot more than you could say for most classic British cars, like the ones which the Royal Mail in Great Britain is celebrating with this special philatelic collection.

Launched this year on the occasion of Aston Martin’s centenary and the 150th birthday of Sir Henry Royce, the British Auto Legends stamp collection includes the 1961 Jaguar E-Type, 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, 1963 Aston Martin DB5, 1968 Morgan Plus 8, 1976 Lotus Esprit and 1962 MG MGB as part of the six-stamp Thoroughbreds set. Another four-stamp Workhorses mini sheet features the Morris Minor Van, Austin FX4 black cab, Ford Anglia 105E and Land Rover Defender 110.

Rather than create them from stock images, the Royal Mail commissioned veteran automotive photographer Andrew Mann (since our own Drew Phillips was busy) to capture pristine examples of the cars selected. And like all special stamps issued by the Royal Mail, Queen Elizabeth II approved the final designs herself, and apparently didn’t object to the absence of her own Daimler and Bentley (or any Daimler or Bentley, for that matter) from the collection. The stamps are available to the estimated 2.5 million stamp collectors in the UK by phone, online or at any of the 10,000 post offices across the UK.

Royal Mail celebrates British Auto Legends with special stamp collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Aug 2013 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Cadillac DTS goes to Bulgari Collection

Filed under: Sedan, Cadillac, GM

Final Cadillac DTS

Final Cadillac DTS rolls off the assembly line – Click above for high-res image gallery

Famed Italian car collector (and luxury goods retailer) Nicola Bulgari owns no less than 14 Cadillacs, ranging from historic beauties like a 1932 355B V12 Fleetwood Limousine to modern marvels like the 2009 CTS-V sedan and 2010 CTS Sport Wagon. Now, Bulgari has added a 15th Caddy to his collection: the very last DTS sedan to roll off GM’s Detroit assembly lines.

No, the DTS isn’t as audacious as everything else in Bulgari’s garage, but the Italian collector is extremely fond of the Wreath and Crest’s current flagship.

“I like the DTS because it’s a great sedan. It’s the last of an era. I thought it would be wonderful to own the last Northstar in a DTS. It’s one of the best engines ever designed – reliable and a performer.”

General Motors has ended the Cadillac DTS’ production run in order to make way for the upcoming XTS flagship, which is nearing the end of its development. “I’ve seen the XTS Concept,” says Bulgari. “I know it’s superior. The DTS was a great sedan for its time, but it’s a different world, a new period. It’s time for something different.” Couldn’t have said it better ourselves…

Follow the jump for GM’s official release.

Continue reading Final Cadillac DTS goes to Bulgari Collection

Final Cadillac DTS goes to Bulgari Collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crazy collection of concepts from Bertone to be auctioned by RM at Villa d’Este

Filed under: Concept Cars, Auctions, Chevrolet, Lamborghini, Misc. Auto Shows, Lancia

1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero by Bertone

1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero from the Bertone Museum – Click above for high-res image gallery

You can’t make an omelet, or so the saying goes, without breaking some eggs. So while it’s unfortunate that the restructuring at Bertone means the dissolution of its museum collection, it also means that its contents are going up for auction. And they’ll be crossing the block at no less fitting a location than Villa d’Este.

Those in the know will recognize Villa d’Este for the Concorso d’Eleganza held there every year, where the most gorgeous and rare of classic cars mingle with the finest concept cars unveiled throughout the year. This year’s concours will mark the first time that RM Auctions will be holding an event at the open-air show on picturesque Lake Como, and in addition to the myriad unspeakably beautiful classics on the docket, RM has just announced the consignment of six concept cars from the Bertone Museum, each one-of-a-kind in its own right and available to collectors for the first time.

The consignment includes the 1967 Lamborghini Marzal, 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero, 1963 Chevrolet Testudo, 1974 Lamborghini Bravo, 1980 Lamborghini Athon and 1978 Lancia Sibilo. Each was a seminal design for Bertone, and each is expected to fetch well into the six and even seven figures. The Marzal, particularly, which was driven by Prince Ranier and Princess Grace at the start of 1967 Monaco Grand Prix, and the Stratos, the first prototype for the iconic supercar rally machine of the same name, are expected to sell for between €1,000,000 and €1,800,000… that’s as much as $2.5 million apiece in equivalent American funds.

Have a look at the collection (sans the Lancia Siblio, images for which are en route) in the high-resolution image gallery below, and follow the jump for the full details in the press release. Hat tip to Sea Urchin!

Gallery: Bertone concepts at RM Auctions Villa d’Este

1967 Lamborghini Marzal 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero

[Source: RM Auctions | Images: Tom Wood/RM]

Continue reading Crazy collection of concepts from Bertone to be auctioned by RM at Villa d’Este

Crazy collection of concepts from Bertone to be auctioned by RM at Villa d’Este originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ralph Lauren car collection going on exhibit in Paris

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Bentley, Bugatti, Jaguar, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo

1955 Jaguar XKD

1955 Jaguar XKD – Click above for high-res image gallery

The public is getting a chance to slather its eyeballs all over a few choice gems from fashion designer Ralph Lauren’s personal automotive collection. The Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris is planning to exhibit some of the more shining examples of automotive history and design from the Lauren collection from April 28 to August 28, and the crew over at Luxist have managed to get a sneak peek at what exactly will be on display. Visitors to the museum can look forward to seeing a quartet of luscious metal that includes a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti, a 1956/1958 Jaguar XKS and a 1931 Alfa Romeo Monza 8C 2300.

Deep breath.

In addition to those lovely ladies, a total of 13 other Lauren vehicles will be on display as a part of the exhibit, titled The Art of the Automobile: Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection. Those include two of the world’s most expensive vehicles: a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO and a 1938 Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic Coupe. Both of those pieces are worth an estimated $30-$40 million each.

Gallery: Ralph Lauren Collection

[Source: Luxist]

Ralph Lauren car collection going on exhibit in Paris originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Citroën goes for extra style points with DS3 by Orla Kiely Collection

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Citroën, Design/Style

Citroën DS3 by Orla Kiely Collection

Citroën DS3 by Orla Kiely Collection – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s French. It’s compact. It’s stylish. And it’s hard to get more chic than the Citroën DS3. Does it really need an extra touch of style, then, from a fashion designer? Probably not, but that’s never stopped the Parisians before, and it’s not about to now.

And so Citroën has teamed up with Orla Kiely for a limited-edition collection of DS3 hatchbacks. Only 500 examples of the four different models will be offered. Each painted in one of four different colors with four different roof designs that feature Orla Kiely’s signature stem or acorn design – a theme which repeats in the interior and on the rear tailgate. There’s also contrasting door mirror shells and 17-inch alloys in either white or black depending on the design.

Follow the jump for details and browse through the images in the gallery below for a closer look.

Gallery: Citroen DS3 by Orla Kiely Collection

[Source: Citroën]

Continue reading Citroën goes for extra style points with DS3 by Orla Kiely Collection

Citroën goes for extra style points with DS3 by Orla Kiely Collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari supercars from Benny Caiola collection headline Gooding Scottsdale

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Auctions, Ferrari, Racing

2006 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione

Ferrari FXX Evoluzione from the Caiola Collection – Click above for high-resolution image gallery

Picture your dream garage, and we have a sneaking suspicion that a fair few of the vehicles contained therein would be Ferrari supercars. But which ones? An F40? The F50 roadster that followed? Would you skip the Enzo and go right to its track-focused cousins, the FXX and the Maserati MC12? Benny Caiola had all of these and then some, but now his collection’s going up on the auction block.

The enviable stable of the late enthusiast and noted collector included an F40, F50, FXX Evoluzione (the even more advanced version of the Enzo-based customer prototype), an MC12, 333 SP (the last Le Mans Prototype Ferrari ever made), both a 430 Scuderia and an F430 Challenge racer, a 599 GTB Fiorano with the HGTE package and a ’73 Dino, plus a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 and a McLaren Mercedes SLR Roadster thrown in for good measure.

This lustworthy collection is all on the docket for Gooding & Company’s auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, for January 21-22. Most of the New York real estate mogul’s vehicles are estimated in the six-figure range, but several of them – notably the three V12 track monsters – are anticipated to fetch north of the million-dollar mark. Follow the jump for the full details in the press release and don’t forget to click through the 52-image high-resolution mega gallery below for a closer look at each of the supercars on the roster.

Gallery: The Caiola Collection

[Source: Gooding & Company]

Continue reading Ferrari supercars from Benny Caiola collection headline Gooding Scottsdale

Ferrari supercars from Benny Caiola collection headline Gooding Scottsdale originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you’re looking for the most collectible American-made vehicle on sale right now, you might want to stop by your local Chevrolet dealer. According to the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is the most collectible car on sale right now. Each year, members of the organization get together to vote for the single domestically produced car or truck that’s bound to be a good return on investment later down the line. There’s no arguing that the 2010 Camaro is a hot piece of metal, but we could think of a few other vehicles that could have nabbed the honor.

Such as? We’re glad you asked.

If it were us picking, we’d lay a finger on the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. With the amount of abuse those trucks are designed to take, we can imagine that the future won’t exactly be littered with operational examples, much less show-room quality trucks. Throw the simple fact that Ford will only build a small number of the desert pounders compared to the fleets of Camaro models rolling out of Canada, and you’ve got an even better case for a future moneymaker. But hey, who are we to argue with the group that picked the Chrysler Sebring Convertible as a winner in 1996? Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS

[Source: Detroit Public Library]

Continue reading National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’

National Automotive History Collection dubs Chevy Camaro ‘Collectible Car of the Future’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alfa Romeo partners with Avatar‘s Federico Alliney on official artwork collection

Filed under: Etc., Alfa Romeo, Design/Style

Alfa Carabo artwork

Alfa Romeo artwork by Federico B. Alliney – Click above for image gallery

Describing an Alfa Romeo as a rolling work of art is easy enough. We’ve done it, you’ve likely done it, and everyone else has, too. Heck, the blokes over at Top Gear even tried to sell a Brera to an art museum on exactly that basis. Actually turning an Alfa into a work of art – you know, one you can hang on your wall – takes another kind of talent altogether.

That’s where Federico B. Alliney comes in. Alliney is the artist to whom James Cameron turned to render his vision of how the Avatar world should look. And say what you will about overgrown Smurfs romping through the Pocahontas storyline, the scenery and animation is really what made Avatar the blockbuster success it was. Now the artist has worked his magic on some of Alfa Romeo’s most beautiful creations for a series of factory-sanctioned paintings called “The Cross and the Snake” collection.

The seven works of art depict 100 years’ worth of picturesque Alfas – including the original 8C 2300, the otherworldly Disco Volante, Giulia, BAT 9, and Carabo concept – against such backdrops as the Venice waterfront, a retro gas station, a race track, Batman’s lair, and of course a surrealistic tropical jungle. Each is available in a limited reproduction series of 30 editions each. The cars and their settings are achingly beautiful, as you can see for yourself from the gallery below, with full details available in the press release after the jump and the website at this link.

Gallery: Alfa Romeo artwork by Federico B. Alliney

[Source: Alfa Romeo | Images: (C)Cultwork/Alfa Romeo]

Continue reading Alfa Romeo partners with Avatar‘s Federico Alliney on official artwork collection

Alfa Romeo partners with Avatar‘s Federico Alliney on official artwork collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Oct 2010 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear cheats on GT5, teams with Forza on Stig’s Garage collection

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Toys/Games

Forza Motorsport 3 Ultimate Collection - Stig's Garage

Top Gear defects to Forza Motorsport – Click above for video after the jump

It seems everyone is losing their patience waiting for Gran Turismo 5 to arrive in November. Apparently, that includes Top Gear, which is now lending its name to special features in the upcoming Forza Motorsports 3 Ultimate Collection edition that’s due in stores this month.

The new content includes the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Koenigsegg CCX and Lexus LF-A, which make up a pack called Stig’s Garage. (What, no Toyota Aygo?) There’s also a free 90-minute video compilation produced exclusively for Forza and an Xbox LIVE premium dashboard theme. The makers of Forza Motorsport also say that future collaborations with Top Gear are also planned.

In addition to the Top Gear content, the Ultimate Collection includes every previously released Forza 3 add-on pack, plus seven new cars:

Lancia 037 Stradale
Jaguar D-Type
Plymouth Cuda
Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro
Audi TT RS Coupe
Audi R15 TDI
Porsche 550A Spyder

It’s almost enough to make a guy want to ditch his PS3. Hurry, Gran Turismo…

Want to see how the two games stack up? Take a look after the jump for videos of each.

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5

Gallery: Forza Motorsport 3

[Source: Forza Motorsport, YouTube]

Continue reading Top Gear cheats on GT5, teams with Forza on Stig’s Garage collection

Top Gear cheats on GT5, teams with Forza on Stig’s Garage collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Oct 2010 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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21-year-old with giant supercar collection makes us jealous

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Middle East, Luxury, Koenigsegg

Ferrari badge

When we were 21, we were happy to ditch the fake ID and score cheaper insurance rates. Life’s a little different for Dhiaa Al-Essa, a 21-year-old Saudi who owns a fleet of exotics that’d turn the average enthusiast’s knees into Jell-O.

His 30-car (not a typo) garage includes enough Italians, Brits and Germans to re-enact World War II. His current stable includes four Ferraris, five Porsches, three Lamborghinis, two Rolls-Royces and a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which he counts as his personal favorite. To wring maximum enjoyment out of his exotic empire, Al-Essa spent this summer flying his fleet around the globe so that he and his friends could create their own driving tours in cities such as London, Montreal, Las Vegas and New York.

How is a young man like Mr. Al-Essa able to afford such amazing machinery? Well, he can’t. His father just happens to be a billionaire who enjoys spending money on cost-is-no-object basis for his son. To prove this point, Dihaa’s father is planning on providing him with the keys to two more otherworldly vehicles. On his 22nd birthday, Dihaa will become the proud owner of a Koenigsegg Agera, which comes with a golden key. It’s like the Willy Wonka of supercars. After the Agera, a Bugatti Veyron will join the family. The price for both cars? Around one Corvette Z06 under $5 million dollars.

Sadly, Al-Essa’s new Ferrari 458 Italia was recently lost to fire while housed at Heathrow Airport. Is he crying about it? Nope. He reportedly plans to replace it with one of the Ferrari 599 Roadster models rumored to have been shown at Pebble Beach last month. Thanks for the tip, dood!

Image Copyright (C) 2008 Alex Núñez / AOL
[Source: Metro.co.uk]

21-year-old with giant supercar collection makes us jealous originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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