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Good Things, Small Package: Rolls-Royce to Outfit Special Edition Minis



Conventional wisdom used to be that bigger cars got bigger luxury, and smaller cars did without. But as premium buyers have been migrating to smaller cars for easier access to city streets and a lower environmental impact, automakers have been learning that they expect their luxuries to come with them, just in a smaller package.

Aston Martin is planning an exclusive city car based on the Toyota iQ, and now, about half a year after rumors first surfaced, BMW has reportedly confirmed that its two British subsidiaries Mini and Rolls-Royce will be collaborating on an exclusive line of luxury hatchbacks.

Starting off with the Mini Cooper, the Rolls-Royce factory in Goodwood would then outfit the retro-hatch with all manner of top-of-the-line leather and wood veneer trim. The premium Minis would be made to order individually according to each customer's specifications, with public confirmation expected to come some time next year.

Porsche Boxster Spyder to Debut at LA Auto Show



In the world of high-performance sportscars, lighter means faster. That's why Porsche is preparing to take the wraps off the new Boxster Spyder.

Based on its entry-level roadster, the Boxster Spyder benefits from an aggressive weigh-reduction program to cut some 176 pounds off the stock model's curb weight, thanks in part to a lighter roof mechanism. The German automaker has also pulled an extra ten horses out of the direct-injection 3.4-liter flat six for a total of 320hp, driving the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to drop the 0-60 time down to 4.6 seconds.

Of course the "less is more" philosophy comes with a commensurately exclusive price tag of $61,200. The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder will make its debut early next month at the LA Auto Show, but we've got a sneak preview for you right here in the high-resolution image gallery below.

Ferrari edition Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar by Blackbird



Ferrari's vast branding division has put the company's name and logo on just about everything by now. But while we've seen Ferrari edition sound systems, this is the first time the Prancing Horse logo has adorned an actual musical instrument. That is, assuming you don't count the sportscar's sonorous exhaust note.

Built by a former Ferrari designer, the Blackbird Rider is a compact, lightweight travel guitar with an innovative design. Now the company that inspired its creation has teamed up with its designer for a special edition. With such unique touches as a red A string and Individually signed by Ferrari F1 drivers Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, the Ferrari edition Blackbird guitar was sold exclusively at the Ferrari Store. Unfortunately they're all sold out by now, but for a hair under $1500 they'll make you a new one.

Autodelta's Supercharged Alfa Romeo Brera S & J4 159



Few cars on the road – at any price – have the presence of an Alfa Romeo. Unfortunately their performance seldom keeps up with their looks. That's where aftermarket modifiers come in.

Last year the Italian automaker contracted British motorsport concern Prodrive to help it out in the performance department. Their answer was the Brera S, removing much of the aggressively-styled coupe's weight and fine-tuning the suspension. Now Autodelta is getting in on the action. The English tuning house has taken Prodrive's Brera S coupe and strapped on a supercharger good for 347 horsepower.

The power upgrades are also available on the Brera's four-door counterpart, the 159, which Autodelta transforms into the J4 3.2 Compressore. The pair were unveiled at London's exciting MPH09, but you can see them for yourself in the gallery below.

Porsche Design revives the iconic Yoko Ono Sunglasses

yoko ono glasses

Back in her heyday, Yoko Ono was almost never seen without her shades on. And these were them: The original sunglasses from Porsche Design. She wore them on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, she wore them at press conferences, she wore them during recording sessions and when she was on vacation. She's still wearing them, even though they haven't been made in years. But now the German automaker's product design studio is bringing them back as the P'8479, complete with visible gold-tone screws and Beta-Titanium frame. Make no mistake about it, the 80s are back.

Bentley Launches New Line of Accessories

bentley

To most Bentley customers, cost is no object. Which is a good thing, because they're pretty darn expensive. And the sticker price isn't the end of it. Case in point the new line of accessories which the luxury automaker has released for its own vehicles.

The Bentley Accessories Collection includes such items as a luxurious child seat, a set of self-leveling wheel hubs, an LED flashlight, a form-fitting car cover for the Continental Supersports, and a set of vented body panels for the entire Continental range. They're all available directly from Bentley; the only catch is that you need to have a Bentley in your driveway first.

Arash AF-10 Supercar Nearing Production



You might have thought the car industry was going for smaller, more fuel-efficient and more affordable cars, but there are still plenty of wealthy customers out there with extra cash to burn. And they're looking for the next most exclusive exotic supercar they can get their hands on. Which is good news for Arash Farboud. The British entrepreneur started his own supercar-maker, then founded another one, and here's its first product: the Arash AF-10.

As we reported around this time last year when the first photos and details began emerging, the Arash AF-10 is made almost entirely of carbon fiber. Its 7-liter, 550hp V8 engine is derived from the track-munching Corvette Z06. And it will cost over half a million dollars when it finally hits the market, target for next year. Arash says they'll only make 70 of them every year, and there's rumored to be an even more powerful 800hp version and a bonkers 1000hp variant on the way. We'd better start saving.

Gallery: Arash AF-10

F1 Champion Kimi Raikkonen Could Be Paid 17 Million Euros Not to Race Next Season



There are few sports figures paid as highly as Formula One drivers...world champions especially. With the 2009 season already wrapped up, teams are preparing for their assault on next year's championship, with an unprecedented game of musical chairs taking place in the off-season.

Among the changes, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is moving, at long last, from Renault to Ferrari. Trouble is, the Italian team already has two world-class drivers on contract. So to make room, Ferrari is willing to pay its 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen not to race.

According to reports, Raikkonen will be paid a whopping 17 million euros next year just to vacate his seat. He's free to move to another team, but if he does, Ferrari will only owe him 10 million euros. For his part, Kimi says he'll only consider McLaren, and knowing full well of the conditions of his contract, the British team (for whom he drove previously) is offering him only 5 million – a fair bit less than he'd be worth on the open market. The bottom line is that Raikkonen stands to make more money if he sits out next season than if he races.

Bentley Art Project Benefits Cancer Research

bentley art

There are few automobiles we could truly consider works of art. And most of them are expensive. Bentley surely ranks among them, but the British luxury automaker has taken things one step further.

In a new project, Bentley invited its designers to create works of art inspired by their work. No fewer than 22 participated, working in every medium from photography and painting to sculpture. The results are truly intriguing, and will be auctioned off on December 1 in a charity auction held by Bonhams to benefit cancer research at Manchester's The Christie Hospital. The event is by invitation only, but you can view the pieces in the gallery below.

Volvo Releases New-For-2010 S60 Sedan



If you're still used to Volvos being boxy, take another look. What you see before you is the new 2010 Volvo S60, Sweden's answer to such venerable German stalwarts as the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

Previewed nearly a year ago by the S60 Concept unveiled in Detroit, the production version of Volvo's latest will be properly unveiled at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show this coming March. But to keep our imaginations soaring, the Swedish automaker has released a pair of images and some initial details.

As could be expected from Volvo, the sedan features the company's latest in safety technology, including a new Pedestrian Detection system capable of stopping the car from low speeds in case someone jumps out in front. And while the panoramic glass roof and rear-hinged "suicide" rear doors from the concept car may have gone, the sedan's surprisingly swoopy styling and coupe-like roof-line remain. Have a look for yourself at the pair of images in the gallery below.

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