Elite Auto Rental Blog

Being touted as the most expensive Audi to hit the US market thus far ringing in at over $109,000, it does have it’s plusses!

Like a 420HP V8 power plant promising 0-60MPH in 4.4 seconds coupled with a manual transmission, 19″ wheels and a Sirius satellite radio system! Combine this with an optional 12 speaker 465-watt Bang & Olufsen sounds system and you can literally boom yourself down the street in comfort and style! Audi says its rear-biased setup for its quattro all-wheel-drive system gives the R8 the balance “expected of a mid-engine sports car”.

Stay tuned for further info on this superb automobile and keep checking back at DFW Elite Auto Rental to see when one will become available for part of a rental package!

Jaguar has freshened up its flagship XJ range with a more contemporary and bold appearance, heat-exchanger managed seat temperature control and revised interiors fitted out with upgraded entertainment and information systems. 

Styling changes include a new front bumper with revised mesh grilles and chrome detailing; vertical vents in the front wings (aluminum finish on XJR); new mirrors, new rear bumper; subtle lip spoiler on the trunk lid; and revised exhaust tips. 

The XJ receives new heated seats with optional air cooling that have been designed to offer both more comfort and support. Air is heated or cooled via a heat exchanger in the seatbacks and directed to the seat surface through channels in the seats. The perforated seat covers allow the cooled or heated air to pass through. Heated seats will be standard but the cooling element is an option. 

All XJ versions will have a new relaxed leather trim and the backs and lower cushions of the front seats have been revised to provide more legroom and foot room for rear-seat passengers. 

Satellite navigation, the latest Bluetooth connectivity and audio entertainment systems are supported and controlled by a 7-inch Touchscreen or JaguarVoice control, which can control many of the car’s features. The latest Bluetooth technology allows up to five approved phones to be paired to the in-car phone system. 

The new XJ offers a broad choice of V6 and V8 engines, including the 2.7-liter twin-turbo diesel and the 400-horsepower 4.2-liter supercharged gasoline V8.

http://autoshow.autos.msn.com/autoshow/geneva2007/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=3861065 

The HUMMER H2’s position as the preferred piñata of alarmist environmentalists will be further solidified next week at the New York International Auto Show when GM’s Jeep-hunting division pulls the wraps off the revised 2008 edition of the big SUV. From the outside, the changes are very subtle. The H2’s grillework now incorporates larger openings for better breathing, and the lower bumpers are now painted silver instead of being left black. To the average person, these changes won’t even be noticed. The major upgrades to the ‘08 H2 are inside and under the skin.

Open the door and one thing is immediately apparent: the cheesy, ridiculous and very dated-looking old interior is history. Good riddance. It’s been replaced by an updated cabin environment that shows that the “new GM’s” attention to vehicles’ interior spaces extends to the gigunda ute. Thank God. Gone are the massive round heating and cooling vents. Ditto for the delivery-truck-grade steering wheel, instrument cluster and super-80s-GM-look center stack. Proper blue backlit gauges dressed up with chrome bezels stare back at the driver, who now grasps a steering wheel out of the GMT900 parts pin, while sitting in a completely redesigned seat. The reorganized center stack incorporates an analog clock, and the available navigation system and new HVAC controls are the same ones we saw in the Cadillac SRX we tested. The heater vents are all square (yay!) and aluminum-look trim adorns the stack and the vent surrounds at either ens of the dashboard. second row occupants get their own climate/audio controls, as well as heated seats. GM also says there’s a proper third row, but we won’t know if it’s suitable for non-amputees or children until we plant our butts in them at the Javits Center. Features like a rearview camera are now optional as well.
The new accommodations are coupled with an increase in underhood grunt. Pop the hood on the new H2 and you’ll be greeted by the same 6.2L all-aluminum V8 used in the Cadillac Escalade and GMC Yukon Denali. In the H2, it’s tuned to dish out 393 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. In terms of power, this slots it above the Denali and below the ‘Slade, and just as with the GMT900s, the H2 now channels that power through GM’s 6L80 six-speed automatic with tapshift. Towing capacity grows from 6,500 to 8,000 pounds, and a new intake and exhaust are said to make the driving experience quieter. Based on our experience with the Escalade, something tells us that the H2’s exhaust will still emit a very satisfying burble at idle, despite the new plumbing.

Safety features include now-standard roof rail curtain airbags for the second and third rows, standard stability control, traction control, panic brake assistance that helps maximize the effect of the stoppers in an emergency situation. The H2’s the first GM truck to get this, and we expect that it’ll ultimately be featured on all the other big vehicles as well. Oh, and everything we just told you applies to the H2 SUT as well.

Whether you love or hate the H2, there’s no denying this: for 2008, it just got a whole lot better.
Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/27/2008-hummer-h2-gets-more-power-interior-refinement/

cnnmoney.com

As a first time visitor to Geneva, I am walking around this city in awe. It a beautiful place nestled against the famous lake and framed by hills that roll into the Alps. The citizens are courteous, quiet, and a pleasure to be with. And today’s spring sunshine has made it that much easier to be away from Los Angeles.

And today, I also found the car that would be the perfect complement to such a wonderful place. The Audi A5.

Seeing photos of an all-new car in a magazine or on-line is important, as the overall styling details can catch your fancy or turn you off. For me, the new A5 looked interesting, but I also knew it was one of those vehicles that needed to be seen in the flesh to really understand it. It is beautiful, and sits with such a purposeful yet balanced stance that I do not even care that the also introduced S5 version sprints to 60 mph in just a bit more than 5 seconds. I just want to sit in it - touch it - and make sure all of my neighbors see me doing just that. This is one of those rare cars that will shake things up when it hits the road - one of those cars that people will remember where they were the first time they saw one.

Audi announced production of around 30,000 per year starting later this year, so these sightings will be always be special. But not as special as when I first came face to face with her this morning.

Posted by James Bell, Intellichoice.com

Though it had been expressed that the days of motor cars of the like of the Phantom V were undoubtedly numbered in 1968 Rolls-Royce launched the Phantom VI as a logical progression keeping up the luxurious and high standards set in the past. The Phantom VI had a re-styled facia and was powered by an engine developed from that of the current Silver Shadow. An increase in capacity to 6,750 cc in 1979 was coupled with the introduction of a 3-speed automatic gearbox instead of the previously employed 4-speed automatic gearbox. This last specimen of a passenger motor car with separate chassis produced by Rolls-Royce was offered until 1991. The Mulliner Park Ward factory at Willesden, where with but very few exceptions all Phantom VIs had been fitted with handcrafted bodies, was closed in 1991 after a few additional sets of panels had been shaped for storage to be available in case of accident.

Excerpt from rrb.com              

Drive one of these luxurious items of history. Check out www.driveyourdream.com

One of Ferrari’s suttle cars is the 360 spider. This car is very quick and nimble. With a V8 pushing around 400 horsepower and 275 foot pounds of torque it can really put some power to the ground. It’s not as quick as the F430 but it tends to get about the same amount of attention. This is one car that you would want to be seen driving down by the beach or on a nice sunny day with the top down. You can rent this car for $1,475 from DFW Elite Auto Rental and really lay some power down while still being suttle.

Always burning rubber

Vehicle Overview
For 2007, Lamborghini will offer the special-edition Gallardo Nera in limited production — just 185 cars. The Nera comes with custom exterior colors and exclusive interior materials.

After decades of offering only a single model, Lamborghini added a second sports car for the 2004 model year. Priced lower than the Murciélago, the Gallardo was a product of the relationship between Lamborghini and its parent company, Audi AG. Audi itself is a division of Volkswagen.

Built with an aluminum body and space frame, the Gallardo has a V-10 engine and all-wheel drive. Its six-speed gearbox is located behind the midmounted engine. Engine output rose from 493 horsepower to 520 hp for 2006, and the gearbox received lower ratios.

Though it’s a true sports car, the Gallardo is intended for everyday driving as well as racing. The model name is taken from a breed of 18th-century fighting bulls.

A Gallardo Spyder convertible with a fabric roof is also available. The roof stows in the Gallardo’s engine compartment.

Exterior
Unlike the Murciélago’s scissors-style doors, the Gallardo has conventional front-hinged doors. The body sits low to the ground and has big side scoops, sharp edges and curves. The cab-forward cockpit is integrated into the body, which features a sharply slanted windshield and what Lamborghini calls “tensed pillars.” Cooling inlets dominate the front end, and foldaway mirrors slant forward.

Built with a relatively long, 100.8-inch wheelbase, the Gallardo is 169.3 inches long overall. Its height is just 45.9 inches. An electronically controlled spoiler is fitted at the rear.

Weight distribution is 42 percent in the front and 58 percent at the rear, which Lamborghini says is optimal for traction, braking and handling. Pirelli PZero tires are mounted on 19-inch wheels. Brembo brakes have eight-piston front calipers and four-piston rear calipers.

The Gallardo Nera includes black-painted exterior sections, as well as exclusive wheels with silver brake calipers. Lamborghini says the Nera is intended to have a “martial” look.

Interior
Two occupants fit inside the Gallardo. Electrically folding outside mirrors and an automatically dimming inside mirror are standard. A multimedia system includes a CD changer.

In the Gallardo Nera, exclusive materials include an Alcantara leather headliner and custom leather seats with white piping. In case your thirst for cowhide remains unquenched, the climate controls, door handles and more can also be leather-trimmed. Other Nera standards include a navigation system and a rearview camera.

Under the Hood
Gallardos are powered by a 90-degree, 5.0-liter V-10 that has four valves per cylinder. The V-10 generates 520 hp and 376 pounds-feet of torque. The six-speed gearbox can operate with “E-gear” paddle shifters. According to Lamborghini, the coupe can accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 4 seconds. The all-wheel-drive system normally operates with 30 percent of output at the front and 70 percent at the rear, but it can adjust the distribution as needed.

Safety
Antilock brakes incorporate electronic brake-force distribution, and side-impact airbags are installed. An electronic stability system is standard.

Did we need an SUV that will go zero-to-60-mph in less than 5-seconds, handle like a sports car and pamper occupants with the finest in Teutonic luxury? Of course we did. We just didn’t know it. Well really, I already knew that niche was a fun one having made an intense road trip to the South Carolina coast in a BMW 4.8is last year. Unlike lots of SUVs that have no “sport” element to brag about, these high-performance versions justify the name - lots of sport and plenty of utility. Mercedes has filled this niche with the ML63 AMG, introduced to the world at the Frankfort Motor Show in Sept of ’05, and introduced to the US spring of ’06.

Any manufacturer wanting to be world-class has to have a high-performance line these days. Cadillac has the V-Series. BMW has the M cars. Now Lexus has the L. Audi has the L-Line, Chevy has SS, Mitsubishi has Ralliart and Dodge has SRT. Some are better, and more legitimately high-performance, than others. AMG is just about the strongest of all.

Mercedes needs just these three letters for their tuning division. AMG was created in 1967 by a couple of former Mercedes engineers Hans Werner Aufrecht, the “A” and Eberhard Melcher, the “M” in a little town near Stuttgart, Aufrecht’s birthplace Großaspach, the “G.” Does that all make sense? Mercedes-Benz bought out the company in 1999. Production for the AMG division has climbed from 500 cars a year in ’99 to 20,000 AMG vehicles in ‘05, half of which were delivered to the United States.

This meaty SUV looks and feels aggressive and intense. Little rudders stick up from the cowl vents giving the driver an other-worldly, Mad Max sort of effect. Huge wheels and tires fill the generous wheel wells making for a solid, athletic stance. The ML63 looks big and heavy but in a solid, agile, running-back sort of way. Design reflects Mercedes ongoing fresh look of fluidity.

With the seat pumped up high I feel like I’m ready for a Baja run in my fine “nappa leather” seats - a soft, full-grain leather made from unsplit sheepskin. Seats are heated, cooled, generous and well-bolstered. All the controls are well thought out and just challenging enough to add some interest to the interior. Some German cars, I’ve found, seem to take pride in making the controls obscure but the folks at Mercedes just want them to be a bit different, classy and functional. Dual climate controls not only include temperature but distribution of the moving air as well. The only thing that we could not figure out was how to reset the clock. It is daylight savings time change weekend. We couldn’t even find instructions in the inch-thick, three-pound manual.

Under the hood is a 6.3-liter V8 rated at more than 500 horsepower with 32 valves breathing naturally without the assistance of turbo-chargers or kompressors. What’s more amazing is that it revs to 7200 RPM. That’s a lot of revs for a big V8. Maximum horsepower comes at an amazing 6,800 rpm and maximum torque (465 lb.-ft.) comes at about 5,200 rpm. Two spark plugs per cylinder, 100,000-mile tune-up interval, two high-energy coils, electronic throttle, integrated sequential multipoint fuel injection and phased twin-spark ignition including individual cylinder control of fuel spray characterize this uber-content engine. The AMG engine is so state-of-the-art that when setting up the small plant that would build the high-tech, high-performance engine to power the Z06 Corvette GM engineers visited the AMG facility to learn how best to make such a hand-built engine.

Let me just say simply that the thrust from this engine, pushing this large, heavy SUV is amazing. To those who say all that horsepower is superfluous I say “bunk!” There is no such thing as too much horsepower.

Passing the power along is Mercedes’ Speedshift™ transmission with electric column-mounted shifter just like the Rolls Royce. This 7-speed automatic with a manual shift mode featurs shift buttons on the back of the steering wheel at 3 O’clock and 9 O’clock positions. Not exactly paddles, rather just large metal tabs. Pinch the one on the left for downshifts and the right for upshifts. VW and Audi have spoiled us with the quick-shifting DSG transmissions, so even this slick Mercedes unit feels like it shifts to slowly. It is gratifying to trigger manual mode, just by engaging either of the tabs and moving through the gears according to one’s own agenda. Shifts are so smooth we can barely feel them at higher speeds.

Chassis and body are one, unlike the previous M-Class. We have here a unibody rather than a body-on-frame like the original. Towing capacity is still 5,000 pounds. It still feels way more truck-like than car-like. Perhaps that’s a result of the stiff, suspension. Front suspension is independent with double wishbones. The upper arms are high-strength forged aluminum alloy and lower arms are cast-iron. Integrated into the design are antidive geometry and a good solid stabilizer bar. Rear suspension is independent as well - a 4-arm multilink system featuring high-strength forged aluminum-alloy upper arms, antisquat geometry and alignment control.

With some nice fresh snow this week we had an opportunity to check out the permanent 4-wheel drive system. With a 40/60 front/rear torque split maintained via a single speed transfer case and center differential we kept pretty straight even on brisk acceleration although the huge tires made for a little squirm both on slippery surfaces and on groved, worn pavement. It would get just a few degrees off straight on the show before correcting. Downhill Speed Regulation is driver-activated and modulates the throttle, brakes and ABS to maintain a straight line when descending a slippery hill. We didn’t test that. Hill Assist prevents roll-back when parked on a steep hill. Both 4-wheel Electronic Taction System (4-ETS) and Electronnic Stability Program (ESP®) assist with extreme handling situations so even the silliest driver stays out of trouble.

The sophistication of this chassis is mind-boggling. This is the third paragraph needed to describe it all. Airmatic Semi-Active Suspension with Adaptive Damping System (ADSII) continually optimizes ride and handling by automatically selecting one of four damping profiles for each spring-strut every time a wheel changes its direction of up-down travel. Electronically controlled pneumatic spring-struts integrate variable-rate shock absorbers and coil springs. ADSII Driver-selectable Auto, Comfort, and Sport modes change the thresholds of wheel/body movement at which the damping profiles are changed. I played with these settings all week and could barely tell the difference from one to another. It just seemed mighty stiff and jumpy all the time. It would be great on a race track with very little lean or sway. Automatic 4-wheel level control includes driver-selectable ride height, which can raise the vehicle by up to 3.1 inches with the touch of a button, and automatic vehicle-speed-sensitive lowering, which can reduce the ride height by 0.6 inches at higher speeds.

Steering feel adds to the sportiness of this ML63. It pulls hard back to center in any situation and as we pushed it hard through our local cloverleaf it felt gratifyingly tight. The speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion with integrated hydraulic damper boasts a turning radius of 37.9-feet. For a vehicle its size that’s remarkable.

When you can go so fast you sometimes need to stop as efficiently. Four-channel ABS is standard, of course, as are the big ventilated discs front and rear – 15.4-inches in front and 14.4-inches in the rear. Brake Assist for emergency stopping and Electronic Brake Force Distribution for balance in stopping, stability in braking in a curve and brake pad wear are standard as well. Lots of rubber contacts the road to help with the going and the stopping. The brake calipers are visible through the classy five-spoke alloy wheels and have the AMG emblem. Tires are high-performance 295/40 ZR20s.

Fuel mileage is rated at 12-mpg in the city and 16 on the highway. Not great, but for someone paying 90-grand for a rip-snortin’daily-use SUV that’s probably not an issue. I was averaging 14.5 early in the week as I was exploring this hot SUV’s limits. Later in the week we had a couple of trips into the city involving some freeway cruising and we got it up to 16.5. The fuel tank holds 25.1 gallons and MB recommends at least 91-octane fuel.

Under the floor panel in the rear cargo area we find a collapsible spare tire mounted to a conspicuously ugly wheel. I haven’t seen one of these before. It comes with an electric air pump that plugs into the 12-volt receptacle. Looks like it would be a big job to change a flat on this thing.

A few other things to like about the ML are the thoughtful accessories and ergonomics. This is the best keyless entry system I’ve encountered. Just keep the fob in your pocket. Touch the door handle button to lock as we leave the vehicle. Then upon our return it unlocks the instant our finger touches the handle. The rear window wiper starts to swipe automatically whenever you have the front wipers on and you put the transmission in reverse. The center console is bounded by a sturdy grab bar on each side, not only good for grabbing but for keeping stuff from sliding off the console. The interior lighting controls are on a series of overhead buttons and include indirect, soft lighting as well as a rear cargo area light control.

If I were a fellow of means in the market for a luxury SUV and I appreciated all this high-tech stuff plus I liked to go fast . . . really fast . . . this would be the SUV for me.

The ML63 AMG we’re playing with this week has a base sticker price of $85,500. With a few extras it’s just about $90,000.

Source: http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/03/26/041341.html

Presented publicly for the first time in the flesh at Geneva is the sports car that enthusiasts have been anticipating for months — the new M3.

Although officially called a concept, we expect that we’ll see an almost identical production M3 at the Frankfurt Auto Show this September.

The M3 Concept proudly wears a bulge in its hood to help contain its V-8 engine, which will be the first ever in a production 3-series. With more than 400 horsepower, the M3 will be a seriously quick car, especially since BMW has gone to great lengths to keep weight down. The M3 Concept sports a carbon-fiber roof to save a few pounds, and shares only a few body panels with the regular 3-series coupe upon which it’s based.

Enjoy the photos, because the M3 concept won’t be making it to the New York Auto Show next month.

Of course, it will be sold in the U.S., but likely not until 2008.

cnnmoney.com  by Jason Cammisa, Automobile Magazine

A flat-6 twin turbo pushing around 480 horsepower with 457 ft. lb. of torque. I say that is enough to lay some G’s on your body. Well you can have that experience with our new 2007 Porsche 911 Twin Turbo. This car red lines at almost 7000 RPM, which means this car can get going with how light it is. If this is what makes you have the adrenaline pumping through your system then rent this Porsche from DFW Elite Auto Rental. For $1100 a day you can show up to your different occasions in style or for $1400 you can have a weekend of just pure adrenaline rushes.

Always burning rubber