Details on Rolls-Royce Phantom Dragon Edition

We know Rolls-Royce motor cars are expensive, but over a million? Well, that's how much you'll have to put on your American Express black card if you want the Phantom Dragon edition over in China.

Bespoke from the trim to the rims, the Year of the Dragon Phantom features a gold dragon hand-painted on the side of each front fender, with the mythical creature also embroidered on the headrests. Hand-stitched cushions for rear seat passengers also complement the lush interior, and the luxury car wears red on the inside and out, since red is the color of good luck in Chinese culture.

The British automaker hoped to attract more buyers with the special edition car by giving the Chinese people exactly what they want. Rolls-Royce CEO, Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, told Bloomberg that buyers in China want “marvelous embroidery work,” and it’s apparent the Phantom Dragon was dead on, as the luxury car sold out within two months.

China became Rolls-Royce’s biggest market in 2011, trading places with the U.S. The flip-flopping continues across the board, as the Asian country surpassed the U.K. as Bentley’s second largest market, while also becoming Maserati’s second-biggest.

via Rolls-Royce, Bloomberg courtesy of Motor Trend Staff

Toyota Details Lexus New Models

Boy, Toyota is in a mad way to remind folks that its not resting on its laurels especially when its luxury Lexus brand is concerned.

According to Automotive News, Lexus is looking to increase its sales by 21 percent for 2012, to around 240,000 units in the U.S. Helping the brand to make those numbers are – count ‘em – nine new products rolling out for 2012: first up are two new rear-wheel drive GS models, the GS 350 and hybrid GS 450h, followed closely by a facelifted LX 570 SUV. Next up is an all-new ES 350 due this spring with a new hybrid variant, as well as new versions of the IS 250 and IS 350 sport sedans. Rounding out the year will be the next-generation LS 460 and LS 600h flagship sedans to do battle with the recently revised flagships from Audi and BMW.

While speaking at the reveal of the 2013 GS 350 during the Pebble Beach Concours last year, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda referenced the fact that Lexus has far to come in order to truly compete in the global market.

Last week at the Detroit auto show, Lexus pulled the wraps off of the LF-LC Concept – a stunning two-seater coupe that could potentially preview a new halo coupe for the brand in the low-$100,000 range; that would also leave room to slot in a coupe around $70,000. Lexus is also looking to move away from its GX and LX truck-based SUVs and to add the long-rumored seven-seat crossover, which dealers and customers alike have been clamoring for. The three-row luxury crossover market has rapidly expanded in the past few years with the addition of the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Audi Q7, BMW X5,Acura MDX, Buick Enclave, and Infiniti JX. If Lexus can work the same kind of sales magic it has with the segment-creating RX midsize crossover, it could potentially have another hit on its hands. The RX currently makes up about 45 percent of the brand’s sales, says AN.

However, AN reports that Lexus has no plans to expand into markets lower than its CT 200h hatchback. While there is the potential for further CT variants, there will not be a less expensive model.

via Automotive News (Subscription required) courtesy of Automobile Magazine Staff

Buick Regal a Surprise Entry for Future Classic Car

Want to know which of today's cars will be a classic in the future (ala worth money)? Well, Classic car insurance company Hagerty released its annual “Hot List,” a top-ten list assembled by the company’s valuations experts that predicts which current vehicles will the collector cars of the future.

To qualify for the list, vehicles must be mass-produced, sold currently, and have an MSRP under $100,000. Hagerty tasked its team of experts, which also maintains the largest database of classic cars and closely monitors car-collecting trends, with selecting ten cars with the best projected future collectability.

Buick Regal GS – Hagerty singles out the Regal GS as an unexpected car to come out of the Buick brand. With a 270-hp turbocharged engine and a six-speed manual transmission, Hagerty says the Regal GS “isn’t your Grandpa’s Buick.”

Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca Edition – With its revived “Boss 302” branding, Ford’s new Boss Mustang was bound to be a hit with nostalgic baby boomers looking to relive their muscle car days. But with the track-ready Laguna Seca Edition, Hagerty believes the Boss will achieve collectible status for more reasons than just being a tribute to the original.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 – SRT’s track-capable Grand Cherokee SRT8 surprised even us, and Hagerty believes the Chrysler performance wing’s oxymoronic mission of turning the rugged off-road specialist into a pavement-bound track terror earns this SUV a spot on this list.

Fiat 500 Abarth – Hagerty says the in-house-tuned, 160-hp turbocharged performance version of the Fiat 500 recalls Abarth models of the past, a fact that’s likely to excite both collectors and driving enthusiasts alike.

Volkswagen Golf R – Hagerty says the original GTI is now a legitimate collectible, and predicts the all-wheel-drive Golf R32 will soon become one as well. With that in mind, Hagerty expects Volkswagen’s latest high-performance Golf to someday join its predecessors’ ranks on the collector car market.

Porsche 911 – The 911 is a staple of lists like this. Enjoying a fan base that crosses generation gaps, the 911 is instantly cool in the eyes of many enthusiasts. Regarding the car’s status as a collectible, Hagerty says, “If you are most concerned about a car holding its value over the long term, then this is the car on this list to buy now and lovingly keep.”

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 – Chevy’s latest attempt at the Shelby GT500’s pony car throne has captured the attention of many in the automotive world, including Hagerty. Win or lose, the ZL1 will be long remembered by car collectors, according to Hagerty.

Nissan GT-R Black Edition – Hagerty says the GT-R is popular with the young kids today, which means it’ll be the car they’ll be shopping for when they can actually afford one later in life. With 530 hp and more-exclusive equipment, the Black Edition will be the one to watch, according to Hagerty.

Dodge Charger SRT8 – Though Chrysler changed the Charger formula when it revived the nameplate back in 2006, Hagerty believes the latest Charger SRT8 will be remembered by enthusiasts for its performance and tech features. We think the retro-themed styling also can’t hurt its chances.

Audi TT RS – Hagerty names the TT RS on this list not only for its performance and Audi heritage, but also for its global appeal, which could translate to global demand in the coming decades.

Not a bad list, if you ask us. Do you agree with Hagerty’s picks? Tell us which cars you think will be future collectibles in the comments section below.


Via Hagerty courtesy of Motor Trend Staff

Lexus Bypasses Lincoln as Top Car Brand in Latest JD Power Study

Car owners are a fickle lot and that's never more clear than the latest reliability study by JD Power and Associates. The top ten, no, top five brands have undergone yet another shuffle, and an old favorite has come back on top.

Lexus is back on top of the Dependability Study. Leading the charge was the Lexus LS, which reported the fewest problems in the industry. Outside of Lexus, Toyota dominated the top five, with Porsche in second, Cadillac tying with Toyota for third, Scion in fourth, and Mercedes-Benz in fifth.

J.D. Power’s 2012 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study is based on 31,000 original owners of 2009 model year vehicles after three years of ownership, with the rating of Problems per 100 Vehicles (PP100) behind based on issues experienced in the past year.

2011 saw an overall reliability improvement across the board, with J.D. Power reporting that 25 of 32 brands saw an increase in reliability compared to last year. Six brands dropped in the rankings, while one saw no change. J.D. Power noted that a strong initial vehicle quality in 2009 translated directly to the historical high dependability of 132 PP100 we have now in 2012. The Lexus LS led the industry with just 72 PP100.

J.D. Power also pointed out that domestic automakers rose slightly faster than their imported counterparts, and that some automakers (particularly domestic), face unfounded questions about overall reliability from customers. During the last four years Buick, Cadillac, Ford, Hyundai, and Lincoln all faced a high proportion of new-vehicle buyers expressing reliability concerns, when all five brands have consistently reported strong levels of dependability in J.D. Power’s research.

Of the 14 different segments that J.D. Power and Associates break vehicles down into, Toyota products topped eight. Ford products took three segments, GM and Nissan products captured two each, and Hyundai won one segment. J.D. Power also noted that the Ford Mustang, GMC Yukon, and Porsche 911 all performed especially well – though they didn’t receive awards due to either an insufficient number of award-eligible vehicles, or insufficient market share of award-eligible vehicles.

Sitting at the bottom five of the nameplate rankings were all Chrysler nameplates. Chrysler was last, with Dodge, Jeep and Ram following closely behind. The bottom five was rounded out by Jaguar and Infiniti in a fifth place tie. You can check out the full list of the rankings below.

2012 Nameplate Ranking

Brand, Problems per 100 Vehicles – Industry average 132 PP100

1. Lexus, 86

2. Porsche, 98

3. Cadillac, 104

3. Toyota, 104

4. Scion, 111

5. Mercedes-Benz, 112

6. Lincoln, 116

7. Ford, 124

8. Buick, 125

8. Hyundai, 125

9. Acura, 129

10. Honda, 131

11. Chevrolet, 135

12. Volvo, 143

13. Audi, 148

13. Audi, 148

13. Smart, 148

14. Subaru, 149

15. Nissan, 152

16. Mitsubishi, 153

17. BMW, 154

18. GMC, 158

19. Mini, 161

20. Mazda, 163

21. Suzuki, 167

22. Kia, 169

22. Volkswagen, 169

23. Infiniti, 172

23. Jaguar, 172

24. Ram, 174

25. Jeep, 179

26. Dodge, 183

27. Chrysler, 192

Top Three Models per Segment

Sub-Compact Car

1. Toyota Yaris

2. Scion xD

3. Honda Fit

Compact Car

1. Toyota Prius

2. Toyota Corolla

3. Hyundai Elantra

Compact Sporty Car

1. Scion tC

Midsize Car

1. Ford Fusion

2. Mitsubishi Galant

3. Toyota Camry

Large Car

1. Buick Lucerne

2. Toyota Avalon

3. Ford Taurus

Entry Premium Car

1. Lexus ES 350 (tie)

1. Lincoln MKZ (tie)

2. Acura TL

Midsize Premium Car

1. Hyundai Genesis

2. Mercedes-Benz E-Class

3. Volvo S80

Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle

1. Scion xB

Compact Crossover/SUV

1. Chevrolet Equinox

2. Honda CR-V

3. Toyota RAV4

Midsize Crossover/SUV

1. Ford Explorer (tie)

1. Nissan Murano (tie)

2. Toyota Highlander

Midsize Premium Crossover/SUV

1. Lexus RX 350

2. Lincoln MKX

Midsize Pickup

1. Nissan Frontier

2. Ford Ranger

3. Honda Ridgeline

Minivan

1. Toyota Sienna

2. Honda Odyssey

Large Pickup

1. Toyota Tundra

2. GMC Sierra HD

3. Chevrolet Silverado

China, GM Investigate Hot Chevrolet Cruze Sedans

Seriously?

Both the China Car Times and Auto Sina report that consumers were concerned the automatic transmission in Chevrolet Cruze 1.6 models produced dangerous levels of electromagnetic radiation.

Shanghai General Motors division subsequently asked China’s Physical and Chemical Research Center of Science and Environmental Analysis to test the cars, and the results found the cars pose no unusual risk. The tests reportedly found that the Cruze’s automatic transmission emitted just 0.4µT (less than one-millionth of one Tesla, a measure of magnetic energy) while Chinese and international standards say that up to 100µT of electromagnetic radiation is safe for humans.

For comparison purposes, a cassette tape registers about 24µT and the Earth’s magnetic field at the equator measures approximately 31µT.

Shanghai GM reiterated to the Chinese press that it builds cars in accordance with all international safety laws, and that GM conducts an array of testing to ensure its cars don’t produce adverse or unhealthy levels of radiation.

It’s unclear how the concerns over radiation in the Chevrolet Cruze began, but such rumors likely panicked plenty of consumers given how popular the Cruze is in China: the car sold 22,711 units there in January 2012, and 221,196 examples during all of 2011.

The Cruze sedan is sold in China with three different engines, a 1.6-liter inline-four with 115 to 119 hp; a 1.8-liter inline-four with 145 hp; and a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four with 181 hp. The base engine is offered with either five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions, while the 1.8 and turbo engines are mated exclusively to a six-speed automatic.


via China Car Times, Auto Sina courtesy of Automobile Magazine Staff