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Is this the world’s most extravagant Rolls Royce Phantom?

A Rolls Royce Phantom decked out with £3 million of gold? We’d call that pretty extravagant! Well that’s exactly what one wealthy middle Eastern based businessman has used to customise his top of the range Rolls Royce limo, waiting a whole 18 months for the transformation to be completed.

The anonymous owner commissioned the services of Liverpool based designer, Stuart Hughes, to help realise his dream of owning a car decked inside and out with solid gold trimmings. The British designer is famous for using gold to customise luxury items having used the precious metal to create one-off iPad and iPod covers amongst other things.

120kg of 18 carat solid gold with a total cost of £3 million was used to create moulds of all the interior fixtures and trims, as well as the trimming on the exterior of the luxury limo.

As well as being blinged-up-to-the-max, the highly customised white Roller is also indestructible. The Rolls Royce has been strengthened to withstand hits from no less than two hand grenades and also 570 rounds fired from an AK-47 rifle.

While a regular Rolls Royce Phantom has a price tag in the region of £330,000, after the extra bullet proof additions and gold plating features added to this Roller, the cost of this one-of-a-kind Phantom is thought to be a cool £5.2 million.

The (new) Rolls Royce Phantom Series ll makes debut at 2012 Geneva Motor Show

Rolls Royce has updated their luxury Phantom model. As the renowned car maker’s flagship model, the Phantom is arguable the most sought after vehicle offered by Rolls Royce, and so any changes to this popular model are likely to come under great scrutiny from Phantom fans and motoring experts alike.

The Rolls Royce Phantom Series ll made its official debut at the recent 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The new family of Phantom models will offer a raft of exciting and highly innovative improvements in order to offer a premium vehicle which is as much fun to drive as it is to be chauffeured in.

For the first time on a production car, the Phantom ll models will feature full LED headlights as standard, the new and improved Phantoms also feature a restyled front end and rear bumper. The new Phantoms also offer greater driver assistance with the introduction of all new media controller which boasts an integrated satellite navigation system with 3D topographic mapping.

All information, maps and videos are displayed on the car’s 8.8inch control centre screen display. The Phantom ll series models boast cameras to enable the driver to manoeuvre with ease as the rear view camera automatically flashes up on the screen display when reversing.

A brand new 8-speed automatic gearbox has also been unveiled on the new improved Phantom, designed specifically to complement the V12 direct injection engine which offers an improved fuel consumption of 10% compared to the previous model.

Pricing for the all new Phantom ll series are not yet available.

Classic Rolls Royce limo could fetch £2 million at auction

A rare Rolls Royce limousine, believed to be the only one of its kind left in working order, could fetch as much as £2 million when it goes to auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on June 29^th.

The 1912 double Pullman Rolls Royce Limousine, nicknamed the Corgi after the toy manufacturer copied its design in the 60’s, is thought to be the only vehicle of its kind still in its original condition and the only surviving model of the 7,874 vehicles manufactured between 1906-1926.

During the First World War, many of the Rolls Royce limos were converted into ambulances or used as other types of emergency vehicles. However this particular Roller avoided that fate, and still retains the majority of its original features.

Despite being 100 years old, the Pullman limo can still cruise along at a top speed of 40-50mph with its 7.3 litre, 6 cylinder engine producing a fuel consumption of approximately 15 miles to the gallon.

The first owner of the Rolls Royce Corgi limo is registered as John M Stephens, a well known admirer and collector of the luxury brand. After taking delivery of the limousine, Mr Stephens instructed one of the best coach builders of the day to transform the vehicle’s interior in the style of a Pullman railway carriage. This was not unusual at the time, in fact it was common practice for motorists to purchase a car with the engine and chasis and then to instruct a specialist coach builder to create the finishing touches.

Bonhams auctioneers, who are selling the rare limo, expect the lot to attract attention from bidders around the globe and are anticipating a winning bid in excess of £2 million.

Limo Forum app to be launched in days

While the limousine and luxury transport hire industry is still buzzing following the launch of the exciting new online limo chat website, Limo Forum, the team behind the brand new limo industry forum have announced that the Limo Forum app is currently under construction and will be available to download in just 14 days time.

Following the sudden closure of The National Limousine and Chauffeur Association’s popular industry forum, Limo Chat, a brand new online platform offering a safe and supportive environment in which to communicate with others working in the limousine rental industry was launched. While LimoForum.com is not connected to the now defunct Limo Chat site, the new website has been able to step into the breach by offering a new space for limo professionals to communicate.

As an online website dedicated to industry chat from the limo hire business, many of the Limo Forum users find themselves constantly on the move as part of their work. Thanks to the new app, which will be available to download from iTunes onto Apple iPhone and Android devices, Limo Forum subscribers will be able to stay up to date on the latest news and contribute to discussions while out and about so they’re never left out of the loop.

The Limo Forum is in the process of being completed and expected to hit the iTunes market by mid March. The new limo app will be available to users worldwide, helping to build a global community linking limo hire professionals. The easy to use app will allow members to view current discussions, post their own questions, browse archived and ongoing threads and launch their own topics for chat, all from their mobile devices.

The new Limo Forum app is due for release in just two weeks, so in the mean time head onto the main Limo Forum website and sign up. Membership is free and you can start communicating with other limo professionals the world over instantly.

Whitney’s chauffeur reveals his story of driving the tragic star

Whitney Houston’s chauffeur of 20 years, Al Bowman, has spoken out in the wake of the 48-year-old star’s death about how he witnessed firsthand the star’s path of self destruction.

The chauffeur who drove Whitney Houston for two decades revealed how he has driven many famous faces during his career as a chauffeur, including both Janet and Michael Jackson and Ozzy Osborne, but out of all of the celebrity names, Whitney’s behaviour was by far the most extreme and worrying, Mr Bowman revealed in an interview with The Mirror newspaper.

In his interview, the chauffeur described how he had wanted desperately to help the Bodyguard star, but Whitney was beyond to help and hopelessly addicted to drugs, with the chauffeur describing in the singer as “tragic.”

Al Bowman retold a story of how Whitney and her former husband Bobbi Brown set the limo he was driving on fire as they smoked crack in the back of the luxury car. In a separate incident, the celebrity chauffeur revealed he even saw the troubled star smoking crack in the back of his limo, while her daughter Bobbi Kristina, who was aged 6 or 7 years at the time, sat next to her, with Al branding the incident “heartbreaking.”

Sources close to the singer say she managed to kick her drug taking habit and was sober throughout much of 2011. However Whitney is believed to have fallen back into her old ways in the months leading up to her death. The singer was found dead in the bath tub of her hotel room at The Beverley Hilton Hotel at the age of 48.

Chauffeurs in Oxford could be exempt from new in-car camera rule

Private hire chauffeurs are likely to be made exempt from the new rules being brought in by Oxford Council which will make it compulsory for all taxis to have in-car CCTV cameras installed to record all journeys to ensure the safety of passengers and drivers alike.

However the council is set to decide in the coming week whether private hire chauffeurs are to be made an exception to the rule as the private hire industry argues that all of their clients are known to them, pre-book their cars, and all hold accounts with their company so the inclusion of CCTV cameras in chauffeur cars would be unnecessary.

One chauffeur company owner added that his clients would be unhappy travelling in a car which was recording their every move on camera, and that many would flatly refuse to get in a car with cameras.

The Oxford council decided to implement the new rule after noting an increase in the number of complaints it received regarding sexual assaults and attacks on drivers in taxis. However some civil liberties groups are against the move to install cameras in every taxi in the city and are calling it a major invasion of privacy.

While the council is considering allowing private hire chauffeurs to be exempt from the new rule, the CCTV camera legislation will still apply to the 521 private hire vehicles and 107 hackney carriages operating in the city.

YouTube video of the Audi R8 Limo receives almost 5k hits in two days

The YouTube video giving the first look at the prototype for the world’s first Audi R8 limo has received almost 5,000 hits just two days after being posted on the video sharing site.

Limo Broker first unveiled plans to create the world’s fastest limousine last weekend at the Transport Broker Awards hosted at the home of the Ryder Cup golf tournament 2012, the Celtic Manor Resort. Chris Wright from Carbonyte UK, the creator of the world’s only Ferrari Limo, introduced the rendered video of the Audi R8 limo and outlined plans for the project to an invited audience of 250 guests, including business leaders from the luxury transport industry from across the country.

This year’s Transport Broker Awards also hosted the final of the Miss Limo beauty pageant for the very first time. The winner, Gemma Roberts, was crowned Miss Limo 2012 by the reigning Miss Universe Great Britain, Chloe-Beth Morgan. As part of Gemma’s prize for winning the title of Miss Limo 2012, she will become the face of the brand new stretch Audi R8 Limo once it’s complete.

Limo Broker Audi R8 Superlimo

Plans for the Audi R8 Limo had been kept tightly under wraps until the big announcement last weekend. Once complete, the stretch Audi R8 limousine will be the only vehicle of its kind in existence, and also the fastest limo in the world.

The YouTube video gives a 3D impression of how the finished limousine will look and is proving a big hit online having already received 4,856 hits less than 48 hours after being posted on the internet. If you’ve not checked out the video of the exclusive ne supercar yet, take a look at it right now and prepare to be blown away.

Due to high demand, a new facebook page for the Audi R8 Limo has been launched.

Rolls Royce smashes sales records in 2011

Rolls Royce posted record breaking sales figures for the previous year this week, with demand for the luxury car maker’s flagship model, the Rolls Royce Phantom, and the Ghost, helping to drive sales throughout 2011.

In the official figures Rolls Royce revealed they’d sold 3,538 luxury cars over the course of 2011 which is the most it’s ever sold in the space of 12 months in the company’s entire 107 year history.

Rolls Royce found that China overtook America as its biggest market in 2011. Since 2003, the US has been the biggest consumer of Rolls Royce cars, however the Asian and Pacific market grew by a massive 47% throughout the 12 months of 2011, helping China into the top spot as the biggest buyers of Rolls Royce products for the year.

The UK rolled into third place behind China and the States as the biggest market for Rolls Royce in 2011, with business in Britain rising by 30% throughout the year for the luxury car brand.

Not ones to rest on their laurels, Rolls Royce are already hatching plans to build on the success of 2011 by branching into as yet untapped markets for the renowned car manufacturer, including South America, and also the development of new product lines and its dealer network, and there are also plans to expand the Rolls Royce manufacturing plant, Goodwood in Sussex.

The Cars for Stars finalists for the Transport Broker Awards 2011/12 are announced

The waiting is over and the Cars for Stars finalists for this year’s annual Transport Broker Awards ceremony due to take place on January 7^th 2012 at the Celtic Manor Resort and Spa, South Wales, have been named.

As with every year, the awards are split into regional and national categories, with the finalists for Agent of the Year in each region for companies working under the Cars for Stars banner revealed as the following –

Agent of the Year – Scotland

Pink Limo Co and LA Limos

Agent of the Year – North East

Elite Limos and Millennium

Agent of the Year – North West

Star Limos, Melrose, Lady Jayne

Agent of the Year – Midlands

Manns Limos, SV Limos, Midlands

Agent of the Year – South West and London

Limo World, Finishing Touch Cars, City Chauffeur Services

Agent of the Year – South East and London

Wild Stretch, Essex Limos, Absolute Style

Agent of the Year – Wales and West Country

Swansea Limos, All Stretched Out, Just Exclusive

There are seven national awards in total which will see Limo Broker agents and Cars for Stars agents and Coach Broker agents battle it out head to head for these coveted trophies. The finalists for the national awards for Best Fleet, Best Customer Services, Best Wedding Car Company, Best Limousine, Best Wedding Car, Best Coach and Agent of the Year will all be revealed on the night along with the winners.

For a full rundown of all of the transport providers nominated across all three companies which make up the Transport Broker Group, namely Limo Broker, Cars for Stars and Coach Broker, please see the main Transport Broker Awards website.

Cadillac to release new chauffeur car next year

General Motors have revealed plans to unveil their latest Cadillac chauffeur car midway through 2012, with the Cadillac XTS sedan due to receive its debut at Detroit Motor Show next spring.

According to the luxury car makers, the new Cadillac XTS offers customers the best there is in terms of onboard equipment and the latest technology. Where previously, the Cadillac has lagged behind other brands in terms of its in-car computer systems, the latest XTS model looks set to more than rectify this issue as General Motors has pulled out all of the stops to create a car which is way ahead of the crowd.

The complete onboard computer system runs on ARM 11 3Core Processor making it three and half times more powerful than the system in current Cadillac models.

The main interface is an 8 inch LCD touch screen which features proximity sensing technology which means it senses when your hand gets closer, and reacts by displaying icons on screen. The screen will then react to your hand when you touch it as the icon you choose will pulse back against you to confirm this is the choice you have made. In addition, the new Cadillac also features voice recognition technology and the ability to read text messages aloud, amongst other helpful features.

The Lincoln Town Car is still the most popular model from General Motors, however the car manufacturer hopes to win over customers from the chauffeur and private hire sector with the updated and high tech model, the Cadillac XTS, when it finally goes on sale in 2012.