Car Throttle

Looks like another high-end sports car manufacturer had a good year in 2008, despite the strong headwinds. Lamborghini has come out of 2008 in excellent shape considering. There was a similar situation with Rolls-Royce and it's 2008 report. Surprising, but true!

Overall sales, profits, etc are all up. The United States saw a drop of 20.3% to 741 units, from 930 the year before (2007). Given the U.S is Lamborghini's largest market and that is a significant hit to global numbers, you would think overall sales would be down. Not so though; traditional markets Germany and the United Kingdom saw small increases while emerging markets like Asia and the Middle East saw strong growth. In addition, Lamborghini saw growth in it's home market of Italy, with sales

"The car has become the carapace, the protective and aggressive shell, of urban and suburban man" ~ Marshall McLuhan Listen to the radio, preferably a station which broadcasts RnB, Hippedy-Hop-Hop or standard Pop, and I can guarantee that you will hear a brand name mentioned in the lyrics within 5 minutes. It's become a well known fact that singers are some of the best marketers around, capable of bringing even the most bizarre of products into the limelight and onto the tips of teenagers' tongues across the globe. Rappers are no different and the "best in the business" have lavish sponsorship deals and manage to rival earnings to those of A-list fame. How rappers and mere celebrités do differ however is in the way they spend their bucks,

For $6 million you can join an super-exclusive club of just yourself in owning this custom one-off Pininfarina Rolls-Royce Hyperion. I think Rolls-Royce would be smart to take some cues from this car in it's next-generation of high-end models. What a beauty! The Rolls-Royce Hyperion is a coachbuilt car built off the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe. While being unmistakably Rolls-Royce, the Hyperion transforms the car from it's basis to be an entirely different take on the classic Rolls-Royce tradition. Flowing and elegant; Hyperion clearly takes a different tack then the Phantom. There are more then aesthetic differences as well. The Hyperion does away with the Phantom's rear seats and moves the windshield back by 15 inches. That's a big undertaking and does much for the car in

Traditions are meant to be broken I guess, and Rolls-Royce is setting out to do that with the new RR4/200EX/Silver Ghost (?). On the basis that it's cars were immune from traditional measurements like engine HP, they weren't supplied in years prior. The sheer audacity to even care about pesky numbers like that! It's a Rolls-Royce, after all. Right? I didn't think so! Rolls-Royce has offered a change from the usual with a press release offering details about the upcoming small sedan. Besides, what should I refer to it as? So far we've got RR4, 200EX and possibly Silver Ghost for the production model. We know Rolls-Royce doesn't name it's vehicles with names like 200EX (now THAT would be a huge break in tradition!) so it's safe to assume Silver Ghost. So

First there was an just a small official teaser of the front end on the 200EX released by Rolls-Royce. Now The Daily Telegraph has broken the embargo entirely, opening up the floodgates of information on Rolls-Royce's newest model. Say hello to the 4th and newest model in the Rolls-Royce range, dubbed the 200EX . As expected, it's style hews close to the Phantom. It was never intended to break new styling ground. For all intents and purposes, it's mission is is to serve as a less excessive, mini-Phantom. In comparison with the Phantom, the 200EX's design is less upright, with a more sweptback look from front to back. Viewed from the front espessially, the car is a bit sleeker and more dynamic. I like the area sunken in for the headlights; it looks

Rolls-Royce today has announced an update to the original Phantom that debuted in 2003. Per usual at Rolls-Royce for an update to a fairly recent model, the changes are minimal. Inside, is where they've changed the most. The door skins have been redesigned with integrated grab handles and new switches. They also accompany relocated rear climate control, volume control and electric window switches, that are now housed in a wood veener panel in the door. Also new is a RCA component input that provides auxilary audio and visual connectivity to the 12 inch rear screens. For good measure, they threw in new bi-directional reading lights in the C-pillar. That rounds out the changes in the interior! Updates to the exterior are minor and they include a new bumper and a shallower, stainless steel grille that helps bring