Month: March 2018

The Rolls-Royce brand is one synonymous with perfection, ever since it first came into existence in 1904. These cars have been identified with luxury, power and success, not only because they are of the most expensive cars in the world, but because of what they represent. A brand founded upon the pursuit of perfection, Rolls-Royce’s sterling reputation has withstood the test of time, and continues to be one of, if not the most sought after brand in the world.

One would have to be pretty confident in their ability to achieve perfection to take on the responsibility of continuing the legacy Rolls-Royce left behind to the same caliber. Over the course of its existence, Rolls-Royce has undergone quite a few ownership changes. In 1904, Henry Royce and William Rolls founded Rolls-Royce Limited, and it was then sold to Volkswagen where it was renamed Rolls-Royce Motors.  Ultimately they sold it to BMW in 1998, establishing Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited. It has remained a BMW subsidiary ever since.

A common question, or concern is: Could the Rolls-Royce brand be diminished by being owned by BMW? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

The issue with luxury cars is that sometimes, they compromise function for beauty, paying more attention to the elegance of the vehicle rather than its functionality. The manufacturers go out of their way to make the car so exquisite and spectacular that they sometimes sacrifice usability. The benefit of the Rolls-Royce/BMW merger is that you get all of the luxury and excellence of Rolls-Royce, as well as the benefit of BMW’s drivability, forward-thinking, and service-ability, making the car far more practical and resilient. In addition, because of efficiency of BMW technology, they are able to produce more cars, and it has opened up the market to other people who will buy them. From a driver’s perspective, one of the best things is BMW put its 4-year bumper to bumper 50k warranty on all Rolls-Royce cars, making the service aspect less daunting for the buyer.

Exclusivity of the brand has proven to be crucial to its success, so what does more production mean for sales and collectability?

This will probably hurt collectibility on current cars, but makes pre-BMW-ownership cars even more collectable. As for sales, in 2014 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited announced the highest annual sales in its history, selling 4,063 cars, a 12% increase from 2013. They recently announced their second highest every annual sales result in 2016, selling a total of 4,011 cars worldwide.

Torsten Muller-Otvos, chief executive of Rolls-Royce, said: The result confirms that our strategy of balanced, sustainable and profitable growth is delivering and that Rolls-Royce remains the worlds leading luxury goods brand.

So, could some of the integrity of the brand be lost with ownership change? Possibly, but we have yet to be convinced of that.

A Collector, by definition, is a person who collects things of a specified type, professionally as a hobby. A Collection, by definition, is a group of objects or an amount of material accumulated in one location, especially for some purpose or because of some process. When it comes to a collection, what usually comes to mind are stamps, coins, porcelain dolls, crystal figurines, things of that nature. You know, small stuff. Rarely do we think immediately of automobiles as a collector’s item–almost never do we dream of a garage filled with rows and rows of exotic luxury vehicles and classic cars, all lined up one after the other. Or do we?

More and more, car collections have become a popular hobby among the elite. Some of us can’t even imagine owning one of these magnificent cars, let alone collecting them, and as a hobby no less. There are a rare few, however, who have that very privilege and desire. It requires more than just a lot of money to become a car collector. It requires passion, patience, love and determination. What originated in the late 1800’s as a means of practical transportation, the development of the automobile has transcended the hopes and plans of anyone responsible for its conception. Cars are not just transportation anymore; they are history, they are works of art, they are dreams.

A question that may come to mind is, why do these people spend so much time and money on something as trivial as a hobby? The truth is, for many who collect automobiles, the value of their collections rarely has anything to do with money. It’s deeper than that, it’s emotional. Furthermore, these collections are often not for sale. Some collect to preserve the past. Some collect for the thrill, the hunt, the quest. Some collect to prove their wealth. Some simply collect for fun, truly as a hobby–cars have always been a passion of theirs and owning a lot of them brings about pure joy and excitement. Whatever the reason, cars from all over the world, all makes and models, have been preserved, loved and appreciated, from the time the automobile was first developed to now.

We took a moment to pay homage to some of the most famous garages out there.

Jay Leno
“I was buying the story more than I bought the actual car.”
After his 20 year run as late night talk show host, Jay Leno now invests his time in his NBC-produced series, “Jay Leno’s Garage.” Leno owns approximately 286 vehicles (169 cars, 117 motorcycles).

Jerry Seinfeld
“For me, one of the most exciting things about a car is I don’t know what’s around the next bend, and this car will help me find it…You dont feel separated from the feeling that you had as a child when you got a toy that you loved, you know, that was a simple connection.”
One of the top-grossing comedians ever, Seinfeld is primarily a Porsche collector who continues to show his love for classic cars on his hit series, “Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee.”
Ralph Lauren
“I don’t ever think of myself as a collector, in my mind they are like parts of me. Cars are fun and toys and they all offer you a different experience…cars have always inspired me…I believe in cars in being works of art…it’s technology, it’s mechanics, it’s details, and to me that’s a special kind of art.”
The fashion mogul’s collection is now more than 70 cars, estimated to be worth at least $300 million, which he began shortly after his empire took off.

Buying a car is stressful, or rather, it can be a stressful process. There’s a lot to consider when buying a car. Year, make, model, et cetera. Buying a used car unveils a whole ‘nother level of stress because not only do you have the actual car to consider, you now have to take into account the car’s history. Where has the car lived? How many miles are on it? How many owners has it had? What service has been done to the car? Are service records available? And then, of course, has it been in any accidents?

More often than not, the first move people make is checking out the car’s Carfax report. No one can deny the relief upon seeing that the car has no accident history reported. The operative word being, “reported.” One may wonder, How reliable are these reports? Maybe you don’t wonder at all, and swear by what you see in front of you.

We asked Adam Merlin, the owner at Merlin Auto Group, his take on Carfax reports and what he looks for. “Carfax is a resource and a tool that gives information, but like anything else, it needs to be verified. The car needs to be inspected by somebody who knows what they are looking for.”

It is always good to consider the information offered by these reports, but what is reported is not always accurate. What do we mean by that? Well, the reports can sometimes be incorrect in terms of the severity of a certain accident–in other words, the extent of the accident can sometimes be inaccurately reported. “Buying a car is a big deal, so people want to make sure they’re getting exactly what they’re paying for. Often what we see is people rely too heavily on the Carfax, instead of investigating further and looking at the car as a separate entity. We believe people need to let the car stand on its own two feet (or four wheels…you get the idea). It could turn out to be a fantastic car that gets overlooked because it was either incorrectly reported and unjustifiably passed over.”

What’s the most important thing Adam looks for in any vehicle’s history report? “Any valuable information as far as the story of the car goes. That usually consists of service history, where the car lived for most of its life (climates/areas of the country), so I can positively or negatively vet the car.” The Carfax, along with any other report on a car’s history is valuable and, of course, essential to the car-buying process. It is important, however, to investigate the car’s life beyond what you see on the Carfax. To use it as a guide, but not necessarily the Gospel.

So what exactly is the Concours d’Elegance?

The Concours d’Elegance is a car show unlike any other, considered to be of the most prestigious events in the automotive world. French for ‘competition of excellence,’ the Concours d’Elegance features the rarest and most beautiful automobiles from all over the world, all competing to be recognized and awarded for their beauty and restoration. These kinds of events date all the way back to the 17th-century, starting with horse-drawn carriages in France, gradually turning into a competition among automobile owners to be judged on the appearance of their respective vehicles. The oldest Concours still in existence today is the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Cernobbio, Italy, first held in September 1929. The first Concours held in North America however, was in 1950 at the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California, with just 30 cars exhibited in its first year. Trained judges examine the vehicles thoroughly, which all must be presented in flawless condition…so flawless, that the cars qualified to be featured are often not even driven…except, of course, from their trailer to the show field. People travel from all over to, not only participate in, but to attend these events, from the high brow car collector to the neophyte car fanatic.

With around sixty Concours d’Elegance shows per year in the US, car enthusiasts all over the country will be pleased to find, if they have not already, that their state is home to a classic automobile show of its very own, and if not, there is certainly one close by. The most recent addition to the Concours d’Elegance circuit in the US is the Atlanta Concours, which held its first show last fall at the Chateau Elan Winery and Resort, and is gearing up for their second show this coming September 30-October 1st. It is not uncommon for those who want to, and are able to, attend more than one of these events a year. Between the weekly Cars & Coffee events to spectacular shows such as the Concours d’Elegance, some may even find themselves traveling many weekends out of the year, and that’s just how they like it.

Whatever stage you are in in terms of automobile-enthusiasm, the Concours d’Elegance promises to entertain with “an exciting, unique, high-end classic automobile exposition that dazzles your senses and surpasses your expectations.”.

Bentley Motorcars is a brand associated with timeless luxury and everlasting elegance, so it should come as no surprise that the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, prefers to be chariot-ed around in none other than a Bentley. Founded in 1919 by W.O. Bentley, this British manufacturer committed from the start to produce the absolute best–hand-built and crafted with the finest materials and brightest minds. Such a standard of craftsmanship would suggest that it qualifies as suitable for one of the most royal bums in the world to nest in when traveling. We agree…and so does the Queen. The Bentley State Limousine was created on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, and is an official state car used primarily for official engagements, surrounded, of course, by her Royal Protection Squad. The Limousine is also used by the Queen to go to and from church when at Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House.

The State Limousines twin-turbocharged 6.75L V8 engine produces 400 horsepower and 616 lb-ft of torque, with a maximum speed of 130 miles per hour. The vehicle is longer than the Bentley Arnage, equipped with vast coach doors opening to almost a 90-degree angle, and opaque panels optional for more privacy, or removed for visibility of the passengers. The body work and glass is bullet-resistant and the cabin can be sealed in case of any sort of gas attack for the protection and safety of the passengers as well. Like all British State cars, the limousine has a mount for a crest and pennant, which either feature the British Standard or visiting States; and when Her Majesty is on board, her personal mascot of Saint George replaces the typical Bentley Flying B. The bodywork was built by Bentley’s Mulliner coachbuilding division; and British textile manufacturer, Hield Brothers, produced the lambswool sateen cloth used for the upholstery of the rear seats.

Needless to say, if there was any brand capable of producing a coach of such magnificence fit for royalty, Bentley Motorcars shoots straight to the top of the list.

Rolls-Royce, a name synonymous with elegance and power, is perhaps the most well-known luxury brand of all time, coming into existence just over a century ago. Nothing makes the statement, “I have arrived,” more than pulling up in a Rolls-Royce, especially when you’re not the one driving it, you’re the one riding in it.

So what makes a Rolls-Royce so special, anyway? What makes this brand not only the most luxurious, but also the most expensive? These are common questions asked when talking about this British manufacturer, especially when you’re considering the amount of money you’re about to spend, even if you are considering used Rolls-Royces. The answer is simply this: Perfection ain’t cheap. When it comes to design and performance, these automobiles outshine their competitors by producing cars that define power and luxury, always going the extra mile to achieve absolute perfection. In the words of Sir Henry Royce himself:  “Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it doesn’t exist, design it.” Oh, he designed it alright.

Of course perfection has its price, but why so expensive? After all, it’s just a car, right? Wrong. The why and how of it is also quite simple: These cars are completely and totally made by hand, down to the very last stitch. Not only that, Rolls-Royce only uses the finest materials offered anywhere in the world, hiring only the most gifted people to work with such materials.

For example, you’ll notice every material that makes up the interior of the car is completely blemish-free. That’s because there is someone designated to inspect every piece of cowhide to ensure there are no impurities or imperfections. There is then someone to stitch it all together over the course of several weeks. And then someone to weld the spaceframe together by hand…you catch my drift. There are a lot of really talented people behind producing just one Rolls-Royce, and they are compensated accordingly. To put it simply, Rolls-Royce will stop at nothing to achieve perfection, no matter the cost.

Final question: Is it really worth all that money? Well, that all depends on the buyer. If it’s important to them to have such a rare item, one that symbolizes luxury, power and success, then of course it’s worth the money. Also, bear in mind that when you buy a Rolls-Royce, you are not just buying a mode of transportation, you are buying an experience, you are buying excellence. So, yes, these cars are ridiculously expensive, but when you’re buying perfection, what wouldn’t you pay?

When designing the first ever Rolls-Royce, a friend advised [Henry Royce] to ‘turn out a reliable car at a low price.’ Instead, ‘he sought to turn out ‘the best motor car in the world regardless of cost.’ More than 100 years later, that same desire for perfection is the driving force behind Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.”
–Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

When it comes to luxury in the automotive industry, there are certain manufacturers that come to mind. Only a handful of these companies, however, are known for setting the standard of excellence and opulence. The Bentley Motor Company is one of these prestigious brands that is now associated with the likes of Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Ferrari. The historic British car company was founded by W.O. Bentley in 1919, when the first Bentley car was created. The Bentley designs dominated the Le Mans races from 1927-1930, proving to be quite successful in terms of performance and speed, and has preserved that reputable standing even today. Over time, Bentley has often been compared to Rolls-Royce, both due to it’s long-standing rivalry, as well as their partnership for a period of time. The difference between these two manufacturers early on, however, was Rolls-Royce was known for luxury and sophistication, while Bentley’s reputation was for performance and speed. Little did they know the partnership that was to come. During the Great Depression, Bentley became financially unstable, and Rolls-Royce Limited purchased the company in 1931. Gradually, Bentley automobiles began to resemble the Rolls-Royce style, while maintaining the emphasis on performance, until ultimately, they became one of the most desired luxury cars available anywhere in the world.

So, aside from opulence and speed, what makes a Bentley so desirable? One word: Exclusivity. Chairman of Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, once said, “The exclusivity of Ferrari is fundamental for the value of our products; we don’t sell a normal product. We sell a dream.” Verrissimo, Senor Montezemolo. When it comes to luxury vehicles of this caliber, that is exactly right. These are not just cars anymore, they are dreams. Some ranging in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, only the wealthy can afford a Bentley, narrowing down the clientele tremendously. So, we’re left with the rich (and famous). As of late, more and more celebrities are stepping out in their Bentleys, associating them with the most elite class of people in the world. Another appealing attribute of the Bentley line is their ability to customize any car, catering to each customer’s wants or needs. And we mean anything. Bentley refers to this as a “bespoke” model. With bespoke models, you can individualize your Bentley as much or as little as you desire. Don’t want to customize? No problem, Bentley has packages that will make you feel like it was made just for you. Take this 2013 Bentley Continental GTC with the Mulliner Driving Specification, it has everything from diamond quilted hides and custom wheels to a jewel fuel cap… Bentley considers every detail. So, whether you want everyone to know just how accomplished you are, or you simply want to reward yourself, a Bentley can be anything you want it to be, and more.

As Valentine O’Conner, Bentley spokeswoman, once said in reference to the Arnage T, it is “the perfect mix of British refinement and amazing performance.” We believe this to be true of all Bentleys, and we believe that the sophistication of a Bentley is never overstated or undervalued.