Knight Luxury Maybach 57S

TOM ANDERSON

Silly Mercedes-Benz. It thought it could just resurrect a nameplate that had been dead for decades – Maybach – with a line of enlarged, restyled super S-Classes and the world’s über-rich would suddenly ditch their Rolls-Royces and Bentleys en masse and buy these newGerman limos in droves. As we all know, the grand plan worked a lot better on paper than it did in practice: Other than the scrumptiously-sinister Excelero concept, the most noteworthy thing to come out of the decade-long Maybach revival was the video for Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “Otis,” which depicted the pair slicing up a German-plate 57 and transforming it into a brain-cramping big-buck buggy. Yeah, definitely not how Dr. Z drew it up on the chalkboard (or how Coach Z would have drawn it up on the chorkberd).

However, rare is the case that the automotive aftermarket as a whole has been intimidated by a vehicle that saw limited showroom success. No, late model Maybachs will never enjoy the same kind of popularity as, say, an E46 M3 or a Mustang, but you will see one treated to a cosmetic and/or mechanical makeover every now and then. Today, it’s the turn of Knight

Starting with a 57S (the sporty version of the short-wheelbase Maybach), Miami-based Knight Luxury has added a bunch of custom carbon fiber pieces, including new front and rear fascias, rear diffuser, hood and trunk lid. The center part of the body (which was painted in contrasting colors on non-S models) is wrapped in carbon-fiber-look vinyl, as is the roof and each of the four 24” wheels. Finally, the beltline area of the car (i.e. the tops of the fenders and the parts of the doors immediately under the windows) is finished in white, and extends into masks on the top sections of the taillight lenses. This thing may be a super-luxury sedan, but it now looks much less stately than it does sinister.Inside, the changes are at least as dramatic, maybe even more dramatic. The seats, dashboard, door panels and center consoles are trimmed in white and black leather with red accents. There are also carbon fiber pieces on the dash, door panels and consoles, and embroidered red Knight Luxury logos on the seatbacks, center console and even the door lock knobs. The trunk is also appointed in the same rich materials. And as far as on-board tech goes, the folks at Knight Luxury installed an LTE mobile data hotspot, an Apple TV module, a pair of iPads that live in the front seatbacks, an Apple keyboard, a rearview camera, and an even more potent sound system.

Smart Fourjoy

The Smart Fourjoy concept car that makes its debut at the Frankfurt motor show previews the new Smart range.

By Leo Wilkinson


Smart has given the best idea yet of how its new range of cars will look, in the shape of the Smart Fourjoy concept car that will make its official debut at the Frankfurt motor show next week.

With doors and window added to the Fourjoy's body, and with some of the wilder concept car details toned down, this is how the new Smart Forfour will look when it goes on sale in 2014.

Whereas the previous Forfour model was based on the Mitsubishi Colt, the next model is part of a joint development programme between Renault and Smart's parent company Mercedes-Benz that will also result in a new Smart Fortwo and Renault Twingo.

All three models will share the same rear-wheel drive, rear-engined platform, although the Fortwo is expected to use a shorter version.

Renault has hinted at the look of the next Twingo with the Twin'Z and Twin'Run concept cars, which were both revealed earlier this year.

Smart has created a number of concept cars that hint at the look of the next Fortwo and Forfour models, but the Fourjoy appears to be the most representative yet.

The Fourjoy incorporates many familiar Smart design cues, such as short overhangs and a "tridion" central cell with contrasting panels at either end. In this case the central section is in polished aluminium, while the rest of the car has a pearlescent white finish.

Although the Fourjoy's one-piece front seats and unusual colours and materials won't make it to the production Forfour, the overall shape of the dashboard is likely to be retained.

A version of the current Smart Fortwo Electric Drive's electric motor is used for the Fourjoy – it develops 74bhp and is powered by a lithium-ion battery.

BMW i8 2015

The last time BMW built a dedicated sports car positioned above the Z4 (and before that, theZ3), it built the Z8. With power from the E39 M5’s V8 and styling heavily inspired by the classic 507 of the 1950s, the limited production Z8 was – and is, if the way they’ve held their value is any indication – highly coveted. Of course, that’s the whole idea behind a “halo car.”

However, the world has changed since production of the Z8 (and the automatic-transmission-equipped Alpina V8 Roadster that was based on it) ended about a decade ago. Retro styling and throaty naturally-aspirated engines are out; forward-looking design and smaller forced-induction engines and/or hybrid drive are in. So BMW, never one to like appearing to be behind the times, has incorporated all of those en vogue features in its new technological (if not performance and price) flagship, the 2015 i8.

Yes, we’ve been seeing the i8 making the rounds on the auto show circuit for a few years now, but that was just in concept form. Surely there was no way the production version would look as radical…was there? Well it turns out that’s pretty much exactly the case. The snout, with the brand’s iconic twin-nostril grille, is unmistakably BMW, but with some twists, like bright blue accents and a black band atop the hood that extends over the roof and onto the rear fascia. The black and blue extends onto the rocker panels, which each lie below a crypto-gullwing door. The flanks feature “floating” C-pillars, U-shaped taillights and, again, black and light blue trim. The basic shape doesn’t break much new ground, but the details are a significant departure from the norm.

Toyota Corolla 2014

2013 has only seen the end of its second quarter, but the world is already talking about the new look of Toyota Corolla 2014. The upcoming vehicle is the most revolutionary model of Toyota Corolla which the world has ever seen. From the external shape to the interior, everything has been redesigned.

This is the 11th generation of Toyota Corolla automobiles in the world. The new design is more dynamic and stylish than the preceding ones. Corolla has always been a practical car, but in 2014, it will also be more stylish with its new magnificent exterior. Instead of Corolla’s conventional design which the world has been seeing for generations, the new look will be rather sportier.

Starting from the front, there are slimmer headlights with LED beams. Plastic has been replaced with glass owing to the comparatively cooler temperature of LED. So, the 2014 model has a front which looks lighter and sleeker. The same old boring design has been replaced by this new, slightly sporty look.

Toyota Furia Concept revealed a compact car for 2014. Despite being compact, the new Corolla is more spacious than its predecessors. It is a little longer as well as wider than the preceding generations. The wheelbase is approximately 3.93 inches longer.

The car has a gracefully designed interior, lavished with comfort of the users, making it a perfect ride for long drives with the folks. It has a 40L fuel tank, which is big enough to take your family long distances. It has an overall length of 3845mm, a 170mm ground clearance, 4 cylinders, bore x stroke of 72.0 x 61.0 mm, sun visor on both sides, colored bumpers and blue tinted head lamps, creating a modest blend of quality and necessary features. It has been gifted with the new G10B EFi engine, and its transmission is 5-speed all synchromesh. All these features make it flexible, extremely cost efficient and also highly enjoyable; also making it the car that everyone in the family will love.

This car is the perfect example of how you do not have to spend out of your range to avail good features in a car; at an affordable price, it offers you so much more. The Suzuki Cultus VXRi 2013 price in Pakistan places this car right in the middle of low cost 4-wheelers like Suzuki Mehran and luxury cars like Toyota Corolla. It is a perfectly designed vehicle with all the features of this small fit wonder car for a happy family. The fact still stands strong that this car is affordable and flexible for all families. The Suzuki Cultus has received positive views and reviews from people and is a successful car without any flaws. This is the one addition your perfectly small family needs.