Bentley Mulsanne (Above)
Bentley opened up its first retailer in South America in Sao Paulo, making it the 48th in the Americas and 172nd worldwide.

This new retailer will be owned and operated by British Cars do Brasil Ltda. Joseph Tutundjian has been named Retailer Principal for Bentley Sao Paulo and he, along with his partners Antonio João Abdalla Filho, Carlos Roberto Franco De Mattos Junior, and Mauro Saddi, will be the ambassadors of the Bentley brand in Sao Paulo.

Viewed as having enormous growth potential, the South American market is said to fit Bentley’s goal of producing automobiles that are compatible with renewable fuels by 2012. The luxury car maker has added seven new retailers in the Americas region since 2004.
“My partners and I are truly honored to represent the Bentley brand here in Sao Paulo,” said Tutundjian. “We have long appreciated the craftsmanship, quality and performance that Bentley automobiles have to offer and we are excited about their market potential here in South America.”

Bentley’s Sao Paulo showroom is now open and located on Rua Colombia, with its service facility a few kilometers away on Avendia Ulysses Reis de Mattos.

-Affluent Page

[Bentley-Sao Paulo]

Ferrari tuning-house Novitec Rosso has upgraded the Italian manufacturer’s highly successful 612 Scaglietti.

Adding a higher level of customization to an already extremely exclusive vehicle, Novitec Rosso bolstered the engine up to 565 hp. Thanks to a newly calibrated engine management system and stainless-steel, high-performance exhaust system, Novitec Rosso was able to keep the V12 engine and its 5,748 cm³ displacement unchanged. Because the engine is able to rev up at a faster rate, the top speed was increased to 325 km/h; it only takes 3.9 seconds to blow past the 100 km/h mark.

Instead of the 19-inch wheels that the standard 612 Scaglietti sits on, the Ferrari tuner chose a combination of size 9Jx20 wheels in the front and 12.5Jx21 in the rear. While this imbalance in size emphasizes the wedge-shaped design of the car, it also enhances the driving dynamics. The Pirelli P Zero tires offer the perfect complement, and as expected are also staggered in size: 275/30 ZR 20 on the front for expert grip around fast corners and sudden breaking, while the 355/25 R 21 on the rear axle allows for maximum traction and faster cornering speeds. Further exterior upgrades can be seen with the black Novitec Rosso lamps, as well as the four round taillights, reflectors, and side markers.

Providing a new level of comfort and individuality, the four-seat interior of each Scaglietti is customized to each customer’s preference. Able to request the ergonomically shaped steering wheel in any color, customers also have the option of choosing the material it’s made from and the thickness of the rim. One final touch from Novitec Rosso is personal tailoring of the seat to the driver’s exact body measurements.

Although pricing for Novitec Rosso’s customized 612 Scaglietti has not been announced, the regular model comes in at $313,000.

-Affluent Page

[Novitec Rosso]

With only 300 ever made, the Bugatti Veyron is one of the most exclusive cars on the market. One such example — a 2006 model — is set to be auctioned off on June 5th.

The car is in “almost new” condition, with only 7,400 km on the odometer. Able to reach speeds of more than 400 km/h, a new Veyron retails for around £1 million. Featuring a Quad-Turbocharged W16 engine that pumps out 736 kW of power, the Veyron zooms past 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds.

Lex Autolease and Black Horse have been working in partnership with British Car Auctions — who is conducting the sale — to enter the Bugatti Veyron. The sale will feature 350 cars in what is called the “Fast and Furious” sale by the BCA. While the Bugatti Veyron is the star of the show, other high-profile cars will be available as well, including a Ferrari F430 4.3 F1.

Open to everyone, the sale is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. local time on June 5th, with the Supercar section slated to begin approximately at 1:30 p.m. The sale will take place at BCA’s Blackbushe Auction Centre.

Robert Sturley, Lex Autolease Area Auction Manager (South) said, “We have worked very closely with BCA to bring together a truly exceptional collection of vehicles to feature in the ‘Fast and Furious’ sale.”

-Affluent Page

[British Car Auctions]

An original 1952 Vincent Rapide in Chinese Red leads the list of entries for Bonham’s upcoming auction of motorcycles in January.

Having been untouched for almost fifty years, this famous model comes from Fresno, Calif. where it was originally sold by a local Fresno Indian dealer. Estimated to sell between $85,000 and $100,000, the machine only has 8,500 miles on it, and features matching numbers and the classic black California license plate. Only 11,036 Vincent motorbikes were ever produced, and of those, just 2,758 Rapide’s were made during 1948-1955. Named the “Series C” version, the Rapide has a top speed of 110 to 115 mph, and was considered the standard model of Vincent’s Black Shadow.

Taking place in the Imperial Palace and Hotel on the Las Vegas strip, the “Bonham’s Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction” is expected to showcase more than 200 motorbikes that will span every era. The auction will begin on the 6th in the afternoon.

-Affluent Page

[Bonhams]

A 1930s-era Duesenberg Model J — one of the most filmed Duesenbergs of all time — will go under the mallet this Sunday at Bonham’s sale of classic vintage cars in Greenwich, Conn.

Estimated between $800,000 and $1 million, this car was first unveiled in December 1928 at the New York Auto Salon, by company owner E.L. Cord and chief engineer Fred Duesenberg. At the time, the Model J was know as “The World’s Finest Motor Car.”

Looking to out-do the Chrysler Imperial 80, which had the title of “America’s most powerful car,” the Duesenberg’s race-bred engine was said to develop 265 bhp, compared to the Imperial’s 112 bhp. The engine was a twin-cam straight-eight with a massive crankshaft that was both dynamically and statically balanced. This remarkable power unit endowed the Model J with breathtaking performance; it was possible to achieve 90mph in only second gear, with a maximum speed in the region of 110mph.

This model boasts an extremely prestigious history of ownership, including the likes of William Randolph Hearst, Howard Hughes, and such royalty as King Alfonso XIII of Spain, Queen Marie of Yugoslavia, the King Vittorio Emmanuel III of Italy and Prince Nicholas of Romania (who bought three and raced one at Le Mans).

Bonhams “Greenwich Concours d’Elegance Collectors’ Motorcars and Automobilia, Including the Italian Vintage Cars Collection” auction will be held on June 6th, with the motorcars portion starting at 12:30 p.m.

-Affluent Page

[Bonhams]

Estimated between $800,000 and $1 million, this car was first unveiled in December 1928 at the New York Auto Salon, by company owner E.L. Cord and chief engineer Fred Duesenberg. At the time, the Model J was know as “The World’s Finest Motor Car.”

Looking to out-do the Chrysler Imperial 80, which had the title of “America’s most powerful car,” the Duesenberg’s race-bred engine was said to develop 265 bhp, compared to the Imperial’s 112 bhp. The engine was a twin-cam straight-eight with a massive crankshaft that was both dynamically and statically balanced. This remarkable power unit endowed the Model J with breathtaking performance; it was possible to achieve 90mph in only second gear, with a maximum speed in the region of 110mph.

This model boasts an extremely prestigious history of ownership, including the likes of William Randolph Hearst, Howard Hughes, and such royalty as King Alfonso XIII of Spain, Queen Marie of Yugoslavia, the King Vittorio Emmanuel III of Italy and Prince Nicholas of Romania (who bought three and raced one at Le Mans).

Bonhams “Greenwich Concours d’Elegance Collectors’ Motorcars and Automobilia, Including the Italian Vintage Cars Collection” auction will be held on June 6th, with the motorcars portion starting at 12:30 p.m.

~Affluent Page

[Bonhams]

Known as the German Lamborghini, Audi saw what the Italian company did to their Gallardo series and followed suit, giving the Supperleggera treatment to their R8. Named the R8 GT, Audi was able to shed a whopping 220 pounds, more than Lamborghini shed for their Gallardo Supperleggera.

Without removing any of the GT’s amenities or options, it was refitted with lighter parts, such as the bucket seats which by itself shed almost 70 pounds. Thinner windshield glass, higher-grade steel exhaust, and the lightweight carbon fiber are also examples of how Audi was able to reduce weight; the battery, carpet, brake hats, insulation, and air intake are all lighter as well. Keeping the same 0.36 coefficient of drag and 12.42 square-foot frontal area, Audi was able to improve its downforce, and replace the movable aerodynamic flap with a fixed carbon wing.

Increasing the output capacity of the 5.2-liter V10 engine up to 560 hp (35 more hp than the original), Audi enabled the R8 GT to get up to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds. It boasts a top speed of 320 km/h (198 mph). Also new for the GT is the Quattro all-wheel drive that is controlled by R tronic single-clutch automated manual transmission.

Highlights of the R8 GT include improved handling due to higher front and rear wheel camber rates. A manually adjustable coilover suspension also lowers the entire body by as much as 10 millimeters. The LED headlights that are optional on the original R8 come standard with the GT, as does the automatic climate control system, power windows, and navigation system with MMI operating logic. Although a powerful sound system is provided, it can be upgraded to a 465-watt, ten-channel Bang & Olufsen system.

Furthermore, Audi created a race package that includes a bolt-in roll bar in red or black as well as road-approved four-point belts in red or black, a fire extinguisher and a kill switch for the battery.

A limited edition of only 333 units, each R8 GT comes with a badge that has the production number engraved on the shift lever.  The “R8 GT” logo decorate the matt aluminum trims on the door sills.

Available in four color choices – Samoa Orange metallic, Suzuka Gray metallic, Ice Silver metallic and Phantom Black pearl – the Audi R8 GT is priced at €193,000 ($255,000).

~Affluent Page

Brough Superior, one of the most popular British-made motorcycles from the early 20th century will come out with its first new model since 1940.

Bought from British-born Mark Upham in 2008, the new bikes will be true to the original, and be entirely hand-made replicas. While a few modern materials have been incorporated, the new models will feature the same 60-cubic-inch V-twin engine and will not have any electronics on board. Able to get 55 miles to the gallon, this updated classic boasts a top speed of 100 mph.

Brough Superior is perhaps best known as the motorcycle of choice for T.E. Lawarence a.k.a. Lawrence of Arabia. He owned seven of them in his lifetime, even nicknaming one of them “Boa.” Lawrence said of Boa, “It is better than all the riding animals on Earth. Because Boa loves me, he gives me five more miles of speed than a stranger would get from him.” He is said to have reached 120 mph on the bike that would eventually break several records while eventually getting to 170 mph.

Dubbed the “Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles” by H.D. Teague of The Motorcycle Newspaper, the Brough’s height of production was in the 1920s, when roughly 150 models were build per year (226 in 1927). Made by George Brough in his Nottingham factory, these bikes were entirely custom built. Each was assembled twice: the first time was to ensure proper fitting, and the second time was after the bike was taken apart for painting and plating.

Close to 1,000 original Brough Superior’s still exist today and remain one of the most sought after models in existence. In the Superior’s era, the price of one was £150; today, one can range anywhere from $40,000 (£26,051) to $3 million (£1.96 million). The four most common models of the brand are the SS100 (pictured), SS80, SS680, and the 11.50.

Upham has only commissioned five models to be made each year, keeping the exclusivity of the brand intact. Price has been announced as “more than more than £120,000 ($184,000).”

-Affluent Page

[Brough Superior]