Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago Archives - Page 8 of 11

65-Miles Per Gallon from a Cadillac SUV? Seriously?

The diminutive new Cadillac Urban Luxury Concept SUV proves that dynamite can come in small packages! Fashioned with perks and capabilities that appeal to city slickers who are long on cash and short on parking spaces, this little luxury rascal packs a serious punch in many departments! Could this be the future of the exotic SUV rental Miami? I somehow cannot picture such a kitten clawing at the likes of the Escalade rental Miami any time soon, but it is certainly cute!

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Porsche Gets Pouty– A Baby Porsche SUV to Rival the BMW X6 and Range Rover Evoque

It seems that Porsche is following in the steps of Aston Martin and its Cygnet in terms of shrinking, producing a scaled-down luxury SUV, to be dubbed the ‘Cajun’. The name is intended to communicate that this Porsche SUV may be miniscule, but it is spicy and packs some serious specs.

The Porsche Cajun is a sporty little brother for the Cayenne, according to Volkswagen Group chairman Martin Wintercorn. This luxury SUV will be the first model devised by new owners, VW, so the pressure to perform is on. The fact that this teeny luxury SUV will be competing against the likes of the BMW X6 and all new Range Rover Evoque adds a bit more pressure to the tyke like SUV’s maker.

Overall, it seems Volkswagen has anticipated and covered a variety of important areas, as there is chatter of two diesel versions being produced, including a 3-liter TDI with the capacity to rival the performance of petrol variants. For the earthy SUV types, VW may create a petrol electric hybrid model similar to Audi’s Q5. In fact, this seems likely due to the fact that the Cajun drew its inspiration from the Q5 (remember that VW also owns Audi brand, this is one big happy luxury family, sort of like Brangelina).

A variety of specifications will be made available for the Porsche Cajun luxury SUV, including a 2-liter 237 bhp and a 3-liter 328 bhp V6 model rumored to nail the 0-60 mark in 6 seconds…not bad for a tiny SUV with few horses! Closing the hood, the outside will feature two doors, and will be shorter and stockier than the Q5, with a Boxster-inspired dashboard to top it off.

Rumors place the Porsche Cajun’s debut for 2013; we will have to see what develops in the interim! Don’t miss our fleet of luxury rental SUVs, including Porsche rentals, and exotic rental car options on your way out!

Post by Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals

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Porsche Goes Green & Reduces Engine Size, Good or Bad?

Luxury car icon Porsche has revealed the company’s plans to offer a hybrid version of all models. That is right, hybrid Porsches available in every model, from the 918 Porsche Spider to the Cayenne.

We already knew about the Porsche Cayenne hybrid, as it was revealed earlier this year, touted as the exotic carmaker’s first-ever eco-friendly luxury SUV. So what is with the burst of enthusiasm, almost immediately announcing intentions to offer a hybrid version of all Porsche models?

Aside from a desire to preserve the environment, Porsche and other luxury car companies in Europe have been slapped with a fleet emission restriction to reduce target emissions by 2015, from the European Union. The new and stringent emission guidelines have led to both standard and luxury carmakers working overtime to develop environmentally friendly vehicles without sacrificing the heart (engine) of the models.

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Alternative Energy Exploration-Smart Grids and Smart Cars

In Chiba, Japan, the premier electronics show featured an energy efficient city of the future. The futuristic city had a special show floor devoted entirely to it at the Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (Ceatec), amid the electronics, gadgets and robots.

The city of the future is a crack at selling a vision of urban life in 2020 and beyond, a “Smart City” so to speak. The vision is of a post-fossil fuel world, utilizing alternative energies derived from the sun, wind and nuclear power, harnessed in mass quantities. The idea is much the same as the latest hybrid automobile trends, using alternative forms of energy to decrease our dependence on non-renewable resources and be more environmentally friendly in the process. So what is the vision for the future of Japan’s cities?

The power harnessed from various natural sources is distributed to buildings, homes and even electric cars that are connected through “smart grids”, which have the capacity to monitor usage throughout the energy network. Carbon emissions are decreased drastically, which are thought to be one of the causes of global warming.

A test city will be set up in Yokohama, just southwest of Tokyo, where the social and infrastructure of a smart city can be tried for the rest of the world to emulate. This will be a five-year experiment, and is titled “Yokohama Smart City Project”. Seven Japanese companies are participating in the smart city experiment, including Nissan Motor Co., Panasonic Corp., Toshiba Corp., Tokyo Electric Power Co., Tokyo Gas Co., Meidensha Corp., and Accenture’s Japan unit. The end result hoped for is a social model to sell to the rest of the world.

But Japan is not the only country creating smart grids; Australia has invested around $100 million into developing a commercial-scale smart grid in Newcastle. South Korea is also going green, embarking on a smart city project on Jeju Island and aims to slice national energy consumption 3 percent by 2030. China is also jumping on the green wagon, investing a cool $7.3 billion toward the technologies.

Toyota will launch its own home smart grid system called the Toyota Smart Center in Japan while simultaneously releasing its plug-in hybrid cars in 2012.

For more on hybrid cars and green luxury, follow links. Don’t miss our fleet of luxury rental cars, including Hybrid SUV rentals.

Post by Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals

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Aston Martin Cygnet to Hit Production

Luxury carmaker Aston Martin has confirmed that its highly controversial and less conspicuous “Cygnet” model will be produced. This super-compact luxury car is a small city car based on Toyota’s iQ. When I look at it, I think of Alice in Wonderland trying to squeeze through the smallest door.

The Aston Martin Cygnet is the brand’s attempt to comply with demanding emissions regulations that will be rolling out in the near future. Especially in Europe, it has become necessary for even luxury brands to comply with stringent fuel economy and emissions standards. It will likely have a 97bph four-cylinder 1.33-liter petrol engine. My mechanical heart just came to a screeching halt.

I certainly hope Aston continues to focus on its usual fare of fast luxury cars, while still offering up the Cygnet. Green technology is making its way, but still has a bit of tweaking to endure; it is a delicate balance to maintain the integrity of the exotic automobile world while taking strides to ensure a clean and sustainable future. Straddle that fence, Aston!

According to reports, the Cygnet will essentially be an imported Toyota iQ from Japan, fitted with the appropriate Aston Martin signature pieces like the bonnet and DB9 rear lights. The iQ models will be shipped to the Aston Martin factory in the UK, where customers can choose from an unlimited palette of colors and materials to customize their Cygnet. So it is a re-branded Toyota smart car at three times the price? That means that you can expect to pay around $60,000 for the diminutive luxury car, which measures in at just 117.5 inches long, 66.1 inches wide and 58.3 inches tall. That means the Cygnet may be nearly as easy to park as a luxury motorcycle!

When the Aston Martin Cygnet launches, current Aston owners get top priority in the ordering process. Further details on the Aston Martin Cygnet including pricing and specification will be announced as they become available.

*The Aston Martin Cygnet is pictured in the top photo, and the Toyota iQ in the lower

Follow links to view our Aston Martin rentals, luxury car rentals and more automotive entertainment!

Post by Imagine Lifestyles Luxury Rentals

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2013 Lotus Esprit Debuts at Paris Motor Show

A plethora of new luxury car models were unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, and many of them have proven to be memorable, like the new Lotus Esprit. Complete with backing by a new management team, Lotus Cars is unveiling much more than new models, but an aggressive plan for the company’s future.

So what makes the plan so aggressive? There will be a total of 5 new Lotus models, including a sedan. It seems that even supercar brands are coming out with sedan options to cover more market niches.

I must be honest, however, and let you know that the 2013 Lotus Esprit stole the show. Not that stealing the show is anything new for this supercar, which has graced the big screen in the likes of James Bond, Basic Instinct and Pretty Woman. So which car do you think would be best to add to a fleet of Miami luxury rental cars?

The new Esprit Lotus packs a 5.0-liter V8 under its pretty little hood, capable of pushing out 620 horsepower via your gas pedal. The Esprit supercar nails the 0-60 marker in under 3.4 seconds, with top speeds of around 205 miles per hour, placing it right up there with most of the sport car ‘big boys’.

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Top 8 Strange Alternative Fuels

In today’s automotive market, being green is not only trendy, it is becoming increasingly integrated by way of tighter rules and regulations on fuel economy and emissions. It is also necessary to decrease our dependence on oil, a nonrenewable resource. Because of this, scientists and engineers are becoming quite creative in their efforts to develop alternate fuel forms, some that are awesomely atypical!

As we explore bio-materials for possible fuel sources, here are the top 8 atypical alternative fuel sources being scrutinized:

•    Chocolate
•    Styrofoam
•    Coffee grounds
•    Fat
•    Turkey
•    Sawdust, woodchips, nuts
•    Cow
•    Diapers

Chocolate. This delicious theory sounds outlandish, because when I stop at a fuel station, I can’t picture a chocolate bar replacing the pump. Strange or not, a team from the University of Warwick in Britain has constructed and track-tested a Formula 3 racecar that runs on 30% biodiesel derived from chocolate waste. The underlying theory is anything with fat can be turned into diesel. So what is chocolate ‘waste’? The bad batches from nearby Cadbury chocolate plant in Birmingham arrive by the vat, and sweet success seems to be lurking just around the corner. Nothing better than a Ferrari running on chocolate. That should increase sales of the cars and maybe even the exotic rental car industry.

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The Most Expensive: Priciest Porsches

We all know that exotic cars come with the corresponding price tags, and Porsche is no exception. Big brands such as Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche seem to set the precedent in terms of pricing and standards. So what are some of the most expensive Porsche models?

•   Porsche Carrera GT
•    Porsche 918 Spyder
•    Porsche 917 031/026

The Porsche Carrera GT is a list topper, coming in around $440,000. So for nearly half a million, you get a luxury car capable of reaching speeds of 205 miles per hour and faster, hitting the 0-60 clincher in just 3.9 seconds. Yes please.

Up next is the sultry Porsche 918 Spyder, a concept that debuted at the Geneva Auto Show and has since been confirmed for production. In fact, it is going to be the most expensive production car for the elite company ever, surpassing the half million marker to a staggering $650,000.

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What the Hell? A Four-Door Ferrari?

As outlandish at it seems, four-door luxury coupes are timidly emerging as an increasing market niche. Previously a miniscule sector of the automotive market, luxury cars like the Mercedes CLS were among the pioneers that began pushing the four-door sedan to the forefront. So who is following suit? Ferrari? Really?

Yes, in the wake of commercial success by the Mercedes CLS and a few brave souls, indications show that the Prancing Horses are prepping to add additional entrances and exits. Previously ruled out in the past, rumors are running wild that the luxury carmaker is having a change of heart.

Plans for the four-door Ferrari are based on the replacement for the 612 Scaglietti, which is scheduled to emerge onto the market in 2012. The 2012 Scaglietti will boast the company’s first hybrid system, but will feature only two doors. Imagine a Ferrari that features both four doors and a hybrid powertrain, a first for both endeavors. The future looks green and roomy for this luxe car company. This is a perfect vehicle to add to a fleet of Miami exotic rental cars.

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Steam Powered Cars, That’s Hot

Steam powered engines were quite popular for a brief time around 1900, but lost its grip to the internal combustion engine. External combustion engines are nothing new, and if Cyclone Power Technologies have their way, the steam-powered car will once again be as popular as gasoline-powered vehicles.

The gas powered cars eventually won the contest, as they were more convenient, with low maintenance and boasted better performance than the steam powered variety. Prior to the electric starter, however, steam power was the champ.

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Category: Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago

65-Miles Per Gallon from a Cadillac SUV? Seriously?

Porsche Gets Pouty– A Baby Porsche SUV to Rival the BMW X6 and Range Rover Evoque

Porsche Goes Green & Reduces Engine Size, Good or Bad?

Alternative Energy Exploration-Smart Grids and Smart Cars

Aston Martin Cygnet to Hit Production

2013 Lotus Esprit Debuts at Paris Motor Show

Top 8 Strange Alternative Fuels

The Most Expensive: Priciest Porsches

What the Hell? A Four-Door Ferrari?

Steam Powered Cars, That’s Hot

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