A 22-year-old engineering graduate, Dhiaa Al-Essa, became the first person in Saudi Arabia to take delivery of the new 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4. To bypass the car’s 18-month waiting list, the youth reportedly paid an additional $71,000 on top of the car’s $387,000 base price. Obviously, Al-Essa is not tight on cash, which may have a lot to do with the £1.5-billion estimated worth of his family.

The Lamborghini is just one of many exotic supercars that Al-Essa owns, which looks like a laundry list of the latest and greatest and includes a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, Koenigsegg Agera, Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe, Rolls-Royce Phantom sedan, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, Ferrari F430, Ferrari 599 GTO, Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari California, Porsche 997 GT3 RS, Porsche 997 Turbo Spyder, Bentley Continental GT, Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG, Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG, BMW M5, BMW X6M, BMW X5M, Audi R8, and Maybach 62. His collection has an estimated value of $12 million.

Which car does Al-Essa like the most? According to an article posted on Metro.co.uk in 2010 before he acquired at least the Koenigsegg and the Aventador, his favorite ride was the Mercedes SLR McLaren because of the way it looks and drives and its reliability.

[via SWNS.com]

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BMW has posted a video of the new BMW M5 concept car, which should make an unaltered conversion to production car for 2012. BMW has not released any of the car’s exact specifications but power will most likely come from the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 found in the X5 M and X6 M. We should know more in the very near future.

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Sure, your BMW is fast, but is it G-Power fast? If you cannot blast through the 200-mph mark while planted firmly in your seat, your BMW is not G-Power fast! Thanks to the engineers over at G-Power, they have developed a performance package called the "Hurricane" which makes use of a twin-supercharged forced-induction system to create over 700 hp. Watch the video after the jump and check out a ride on the wild side as the G-Power M5 tempts fate through the peril straights of a dark Autobahn.

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Ferrari and, of course, Toyota have been garnishing a lot of attention lately with some major recalls making big headlines. Now it is time for Aston Martin, Tesla, Rolls-Royce, and BMW to steal some of the spotlight with a round of their own recalls hitting the auto blogs.

Aston Martin is recalling its entire 2007–2008 lineup due to a suspension malfunction that could result in a crash. Affecting the 2007–2008 V-8 Vantage, DB9, and DBS, a cam bolt in the front bottom suspension arm could crack and allow the lower control arm to move. Movement of the lower control arm could result in a crash due to the influence it has on the driver’s control of the steering wheel.

Tesla is recalling its new 2.0 and 2.5 Roadster models due to a possible fire hazard. Behind the front headlamp is a low-voltage cable that could short circuit and ignite a carbon fiber panel nearby. In total, 439 Roadsters are affected by the recall.

BMW is recalling some recently manufactured V-8 and V-12 powered sedans and coupes due to a leak that could develop in the hydraulic braking system and lead to a loss of braking power. The defective brakes affect 198,000 5-, 6-, and 7-Series models and all 2003–2010 Rolls-Royce Phantoms and 2007–2008 BMW Alpina B7 sedans.

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What’s hotter than an iPhone 4G? The BMW 5-Series (okay, maybe not. The iPhone 4G cleared 600,000 in sales its first day and is expected to hit one million in its first week). BMW announced two days ago that it is completely sold out of its new-for-2011 5-Series sedan and not just in the United States but in the whole world. Demand is high enough that a three-to-four-month wait period is expected for all future deliveries of the BMW 5-Series, which only hit dealer lots over in Europe in January and here in the United States in June.

News of the BMW 5-Series being completely sold out comes hot on the heels of news that the BMW M3 Frozen Gray Coupe sold its 30-unit run in 12 minutes.

[via Bloomberg]

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According to Insure.com, sports cars, as one would expect, dominate the list of most expensive cars to insure. At the top is the new Nissan GT-R with an average yearly premium of $2,533 for a 40-year old male with a 12-mile commute; the Nissan is followed closely by the Dodge Viper. 

Also on the list are the BMW M6 and M5 (but not the M3) and the Audi S8 (but neither the S5 nor the RS4). SUVs normally fare well in these comparions, with the exception of the Hummer H1 and Mercedes-Benz G-class, which have an average yearly premium of $1,912 and $2,088, respectfully.

Surprisingly, the Smart ForTwo sits on the least expensive list, despite its we-may-die size; I guess the car’s crash box really does work. See the top ten most expensive and top ten least expensive below.

Ten Most Expensive Cars to Insure:

$2,533   Nissan GT-R
$2,446   Dodge Viper
$2,236   BMW M6
$2,186   Ford Shelby GT500
$2,088   Mercedes-Benz G-class
$2,071   Audi S8
$2,020  BMW M5
$1,912   Hummer H2
$1,881   Lexus IS-F
$1,819   Porsche 911

Ten Least Expensive Cars to Insure:

$832   Hyundai Santa Fe
$840   Kia Sportage
$848   Hyundai Entourage
$857   Kia Sedona
$870   Kia Reo
$871   Honda Odyssey
$881   Smart ForTwo
$911   Saturn Vue
$913   Mazda Tribute
$915   Chrysler Town & Country

[via U.S. News and World Report]

Pictures of BMW's 5-series Gran Turismo concept were leaked today before its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show. Dubbed the Progressive Activity Sedan or PAS for short, its design is inspired by BMW’s X6 Sport Activity Coupe—later renamed the Sport Activity Vehicle, most likely due to the acronym the other formed. No specs have been released at this time but hopefully BMW will drop the 4.4-liter 400-hp twin-turbocharged V-8, found in the X6 and 750i, into its engine bay.

The concept was shown with an interior that looks gaudy at first glance. It is actually a new interior design language that BMW is testing out. It is marked by dramatic differences in color choices for the seats and dashboard.

Unlike the BMW X6, which was at first admired for its looks then later scorned by the automotive public due to its cost and uselessness, the Gran Turismo Concept looks not only sexy but also practical.  The big question is what category this vehicle will fall in. It’s too close to the ground to be an SUV. It does have four-doors and a coupe like profile, which would put it in the same class as the Mercedes-Benz CLS or Volkswagen CC; however, those have normal trunks and not a hatch at the back. It could be considered a station wagon, but those normally are more elongated in the stowage compartment and have roofs that don’t taper at the end.

Whatever classification this vehicle fits, this should have been the X6 that is now on showroom floors.

[via eGMCarTech.com]

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Chris Bangle has announced his resignation as BMW’s chief of design. In a statement, Bangle said that he was resigning to “pursue his own design-related endeavors beyond the auto industry”. Adrian van Hooydonk will be replacing him.

Bangle was scrutinized for his controversial flame surface design ideology. Chris Bangle and his team are behind the styling of the current 3-series, 5-series, 7-series, Z3, X6, X5, and X3. Speculation is that some of his team will be following him when he leaves BMW.  Chris has been with BMW since 1992.

[via eGMCarTech]

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G-Power’s M5 Hurricane RS, a 750-hp twin-supercharged version of the BMW M5 sedan, has just dethroned the Brabus Rocket as the fastest sedan in the world with a run of 228.4 mph. Formally, the bi-turbo V12 Brabus Rocket, which is based off of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, held the title with a 227.2 mph record.

[via BMW Blog]

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Right now a heavy-weight bout is forming; a match that won’t take place until 2011 and will be fought on the mean streets that surround every Mercedes-Benz and BMW dealership. The winner will capture the mid-size luxury sedan market, while the loser will likely still do very well. The fight is between the upcoming 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-class and the new-for-2011 BMW 5-series.

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-class—like almost every new car these days—will grow in both length and width. As a buyer, you will find a host of old and new technologies to make your driving experience increasingly complicated. If you can get past all the unnecessary electronic gizmos, you can bask in the car’s variety of old and new engines—including a 600-hp AMG engine—and sexy sheet metal. Expect the 2010 E-class to officially debut at the upcoming 2009 Detroit International Auto Show.

An all-new BMW 5-series is expected to be on the market a year after the Mercedes. Like the upcoming E-class, the BMW will grow in size but will keep weight down through extensive use of aluminum. The 2011 5-series engines will take full advantage of turbocharging to reduce consumption and emissions but keep performance high; the engines will include the twin-turbo 3.0-liter I-6, twin-turbo V-8, and a turbo V-8 instead of the large V-10 for the M5.

[via Motor Trend and Left Lane News]

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