Elite Auto Rental Blog

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Always burning rubber

Some car industry experts said the day might never come.  Proving them wrong, Porsche Cars North America is celebrating the launch of the next-generation 2008 Cayenne SUV, a more powerful new version of Porsche’s sport utility vehicle hitting U.S. dealer lots Saturday, March 3. The Cayenne has been arguably the most controversial car launch in Porsche history, especially with its many sports car purists who thought a SUV could dilute the essence of the legendary German sports car maker. However, after more than four years of remarkable sales success, the Cayenne has established itself as a successful cornerstone of Porsche’s traditional brand essence.

“We’ve never had a car as passionately debated by our pure sports car lovers as the Cayenne,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Porsche Cars North America president and CEO. “But when skeptics saw that we had infused the traditional, high levels of sports performance of a Porsche into an SUV, it became passionately loved. We expect this success story to continue with the market introduction of the second generation.”

Since its original launch in 2002, Porsche has produced more than 150,000 first-generation Cayennes at is factory in Leipzig, Germany. In North America alone, more than 60,000 have been sold, boosting Porsche to three consecutive record-breaking sales years in the U.S.

“There is no doubt, the Cayenne has helped drive Porsche’s sales growth in the U.S. and expanded our brand appeal to wider audience among all our models,” said Schwarzenbauer.

The 2008 Porsche Cayenne, Porsche Cayenne S and Porsche Cayenne Turbo were revealed at the North American International Auto Show in January. The evolutionary new Cayenne is now more defined visually and most importantly offers an array of technical improvements including, more powerful engines, using an advanced direct fuel injection that enhances fuel efficiency with the corresponding increase in horsepower.

For the 2008 Porsche Cayenne with its $43,400 base price ($58,900 Canadian), a 3.6-liter V6 engine pumps out 290 horsepower and 283 pound-feet of torque. For the 2008 Porsche Cayenne S with its $57,900 base price ($78,500 Canadian), the engine is 4.8-liter V8 that generates 385 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. For the 2008 Porsche Cayenne Turbo with its $93,700 base price ($124,300 Canadian), the engine is a twin-turbocharged version of the 4.8-liter V8 that produces 500 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, propelling the five-passenger SUV from a standing start to 60 miles per hour (96 km/h) in a mere 4.9 seconds on its way to a top speed on the test track of 171 mph (275 km/h).

More press information on all current Porsche models can be found at www.press.porsche.com.

 Source: http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070228005669&newsLang=en

Given the uncertain fate of Aston Martin remaining a part of Ford’s Premiere Automotive Group, it’s understandable that the high-end British make has decided to keep its presence at the Geneva show decidedly low-key. As a result, the Vanquish S Ultimate Edition wasn’t on the Palexpo’s show floor, but instead, will be rolled out to customers who request one of the 40 models that will be handbuilt at the firm’s Newport Pagnell works. Priced over $360,000, the Vanquish S Ultimate features no real changes to the mechanical package, but features a new exterior color, Ultimate Black, and a semi-aniline leather interior with coarse stitching and black chrome accents. Each car is fitted with personalized sill plaques denoting the limited-edition number. Aston also announced that owners of existing Vanquish models can now order a factory retrofit 6-speed manual if they wish to convert their automatic paddle-shift models to a conventional gearbox. The price for the conversion is approximately $26,000.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=4844

I really can’t wait to see that car in person. Should be a real beauty! Will definitely be a headturner.

The Bentley Continental GT coupe has been a runaway success, but that hasn’t stopped the engineers in Crewe from working on the next phase of the project, the 2007 Continental GT convertible. In the product plan right from the start, our latest spy photos show that the convertible Continental GT is well on its way to showrooms. Disregard the Mercedes grille and Maserati taillights, as the rear-quarter panels are a dead giveaway that this is indeed a Continental GT-based drop top.

It’s expected to keep all the same specs as the coupe, meaning a 552-horsepower W12 under the hood and standard all-wheel drive. The convertible soft top will most likely add a few hundred pounds of additional weight, but as we have seen in the case of the Continental Flying Spur a little extra weight doesn’t hold the big 12-cylinder back much. Expect an official announcement of this Continental GT convertible from Bentley by the end of the year.

I heard Dfw Elite has one of these on order. I can’t wait to rent that one….

ForbesAutos reviews the car that sends Audi into the supercar stratosphere , the R8:

“On that crucial sports-car question — “Is it fun to drive?” — the R8 roars in the affirmative. The Audi was lively, direct and confidence-inspiring, whether at triple-digit speeds in the Nevada desert or through a tight handling course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.”

Wow look what Audi is up to now. Move over Aston and Porsche there’s a new kid on the block and it is sharp. Not only is this cutie fabulous looking but its mid-size engine and aluminum -intensive structure is shared components with the Gallardo. This hottie’s 425-hp V8 put up solid numbers at its Las Vegas Mtr. Speedway paces. Showing out with 4.6 seconds from zero to 60 mph and a 186-mph top speed.

For the exterior heralds in true Audi fashion, there’s terrific detailing here. The engine is exotically exposed under glass, surrounded by optional carbon-fiber trim and ambient lighting. An element inside the headlamps looks like a high-tech dentist’s mirror, and naturally there’s Audi’s jaunty front grille. Most dramatically, a cool row of LED lights, like silvery eyeliner drawn around the headlamps, makes the R8 a ghostly, unmistakable presence in one’s rearview mirror. And if this isn’t enough this slinky two seat coupe has enough headroom for a 6′ 5″ man to drive comfortably. This excites this 6′ long legged lady. And for the ones who don’t admit to getting lost the Audi navigation system, with its relatively easy programming and scalable views, remains notably superior to frustrating systems from its German rivals at BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche.

Here’s the freebie:

Did You Know …

The Audi R8 gets its name from Audi’s R8 sports prototype race cars that have dominated endurance racing — including the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans — in recent years. But the non-racing R8’s basic layout traces back a bit further to the company’s famed Auto Union race cars of the 1930s. Their mid-engine design, revolutionary at the time, was the brainchild of Professor Ferdinand Porsche, who saw it as the best way to achieve stable handling at high speeds.

So for the 1,000 that the company will offer in the US. I hope to see one at DFWEliteAutoRental.com for the enthusiasts who want nothing more than to stand out from the herds of Benzes, Bimmers and Porsches. Those independent-minded types may find that the Audi makes exactly the statement they’re looking for. I’ll be among them.

This sleek auto comes with a minor facelift and some new options. New to the front bumper spoiler area is an additional horizontal trim bar giving the front end a wider appearance. The headlights now use clear glass and use transparent glass panels to cover the turn lights.

This new model sports a new cockpit look design with more elegant door panels and easier to reach window buttons. New for the first time, is a HUD, or heads-up-display to enhance that “cockpit” feel. The 530i will have an aggressive 3.5L 272HP power plant accelerating you from 0 to 60 in about 6 seconds; while the 525i will have a 3.0L generating 218HP and the 523i will have a 2.5L. Transmission options are a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic for the 530i.

Not yet available in the US, I’d be willing to say when it does finally hit our shores you can probably bet you’ll see one at DFWEliteAutoRental.com very shortly after. Sporty yet elegant, this is sure to be a very nice ride for the night on the town!

Don’t you wish you could own some American muscle? For example a 2008 Dodge Viper SRT-10?

Your sitting at a light that massive 600 horsepower V-10 just rumbling so loud you can’t even hear the person next to you complimenting you on the nice car. Light turns green and you are putting that engine to the test and not being able to catch traction. DFW Elite Auto Rental offers one of these American muscle Dodge Viper. For only $325 a day you can enjoy this car plus many others.

Always burning rubber

Porsche today announced that it has begun supply of a new factory Aerokits for its Cayman and Cayman S models. The Aerokit adds on spoiler lips for the front-end and a new fixed rear-spoiler. The kit was design by Porsche engineers and give the Cayman a sportier and dynamic looks. In Germany, it can be ordered via Porsche Exclusive for 3,500 Euros for installation on a new car. For later customization, it will be available starting in March 2007 from Porsche Tequipment for 2,950 Euros excluding VAT, installation and spraying.

New Aerokit makes the Porsche Cayman even sportier

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany, has begun to supply Aerokits for its Cayman und Cayman S sports cars. This new customizing equipment consists of add-on spoiler lips for the standard front-end apron panel and a new, fixed rear spoiler.

Designed by engineers at the Porsche Development Center in Weissach, the Aerokit gives the Cayman even more ‘bite’ and even sportier, more dynamic looks. The front spoiler lips emphasize the visual power of the big air inlets in the front apron. The new, fixed rear wing creates a strong visual accent even when the car is standing still. Along with the car’s appearance, its aerodynamics have also been upgraded. The Aerokit’s components, optimized in Porsche’s wind tunnel, reduce lift at the front and rear axles, making the car even more stable at high speeds. The aerodynamic components have been carefully matched and must therefore only be installed as a complete set. All the items in the Aerokit are supplied in the car’s body color and harmonize well with the Cayman’s dynamic styling.

Porsche supplies this Aerokit on all international markets. In Germany, it can be ordered via Porsche Exclusive for 3,500 Euros (excluding value-added tax) for installation on a new car. For later customization, it will be available starting in March 2007 from Porsche Tequipment for 2,950 Euros excluding VAT, installation and spraying.

Source: Porsche or visit http://www.egmcartech.com/2007/02/26/porsche-releases-new-aerokit-for-cayman-line/

Several models of the Porsche are available to rent for the day or tours are done on weekends in DFW Texas. Visit there site at www.driveyourdream.com. 

By Dr. Josef Ernst
Edited by Marc J. Rauch

Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz

The invention in the 1880s of the high-speed engine and the automobile allowed Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz (independently of one another) to lay the foundations for motorized road transportation. With the help of financial backers and partners, they invested their private funds in their own enterprises in Mannheim, Germany: Benz founded the firm Benz & Cie. in October 1883, and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) was formed in November 1890.

In order to gain publicity and a certain distinction for their products, both companies sought a suitable trademark. To begin with, the inventors used their own names – “Benz” and “Daimler” – which vouched for the origin and quality of the engines and vehicles. The trademark of the Mannheim-based company Benz & Cie. remained unchanged, except that in 1909, the cog wheel symbol which had been used since 1903 was replaced with a laurel wreath surrounding the name Benz. But the turn of the century brought a completely new brand name for products from Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) in Cannstatt: “Mercedes”. So what is the origin of this name?

Emil Jellinek becomes involved

Mercédès – a Spanish girl’s name meaning ‘grace’ – was the name of the daughter born in 1889 to the Austrian businessman, Emil Jellinek, who had homes in Baden near Vienna and Nice.

A progressive thinker with an interest in sport, Jellinek turned his enthusiasm to the dawning age of the automobile, an invention he knew would be of key importance for the future. As early as 1897, he made the journey to Cannstatt to visit the Daimler factory and ordered his first Daimler car – a belt-driven vehicle with a six-hp two-cylinder engine.

But the car, delivered in October 1897 and with a top speed of 24 km/h, was soon too slow for Jellinek. He demanded 40 km/h and ordered two more vehicles. Supplied in September 1898, the two Daimler Phoenix cars with their front–mounted eight-hp engines were the world’s first road vehicles with four-cylinder engines.

Emil Jellinek had good contacts with the worlds of international finance and the aristocracy and became increasingly active as a businessman. In 1898, he began to promote and sell Daimler automobiles, in particu-lar, within the higher echelons of society. In 1899, DMG supplied Jellinek with ten vehicles; in 1900, he received as many as 29.

Jellinek demanded ever faster and more powerful vehicles from DMG. From 1899, he entered these in race meetings – first and foremost of which was the Nice Week – where he would race under his pseudonym Mercédès - the name of his daughter, ten years old at the time, and a name that was well known in motoring circles. In the early days, the name referred to the team and driver – not to an automotive brand.

At the beginning of April 1900, Jellinek made an agreement with DMG concerning sales of cars and engines and the decision was taken to use the Jellinek’s pseudonym as a product name. In addition, it was agreed that a new engine “bearing the name Daimler-Mercedes” was to be developed. Two weeks later, Jellinek ordered 36 of the vehicles at a total price of 550,000 marks – a sizeable order even by today’s standards: in 2005, this total would have been equivalent to 2.3 million euros. Just a few weeks later, he placed a new order for another 36 vehicles, all with eight-hp engines.

The first Mercedes and the new trade name

The first vehicle to be fitted with the new engine, a 35-hp racing car, was delivered to Jellinek by DMG on December 22, 1900. This first ‘Mercedes’, developed by Wilhelm Maybach, the chief engineer at DMG, caused quite a stir at the beginning of the new century. With its low center of gravity, pressed-steel frame, lightweight high-performance engine and honeycomb radiator, it featured numerous innovations and is regarded today as the first modern automobile.

The Nice Week in March 1901, during which the Mercedes vehicles were found to be unbeatable in virtually every discipline, attracted enormous publicity for Jellinek and the Mercedes. In March and August 1901, the 12/16-hp and 8/11-hp sister models appeared. Jellinek’s orders soon stretched the Daimler plant in Cannstatt to full production capacity.

On June 23, 1902, ‘Mercédès’ was lodged as the trade name and this was legally registered on September 26. From June 1903, Emil Jellinek obtained permission to call himself Jellinek-Mercedes, commenting that “this is probably the first time a father has taken his daughter’s name.”

Find out what it would be like to drive one of these historical vehicles, go to www.driveyourdream.com