InsideLine says that Sony’s carbon-fiber-wrapped Audi R8 V-10 is the second best car featured at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. Boulevard Customs, which is owned by duPont REGISTRY, modified this ride to the extreme, including some of Sony’s—the car’s major sponsor—latest technology: an XDP-PK1000 Digital Link Sound System that interfaces between the stock OEM system and the Sony audio upgrades, XS-PK120LC subwoofer, 1,000-watt XM-PK100K Class D amplifier, and RM-X251 remote bass control. The Digital Link system provides an easy way to upgrade a factory system, adding amplification, time alignment, iPod integration, and pre-amp outputs, too.

The car was also sponsored by 3M and Forgiato. 3M provided the vinyl carbon-fiber wrap for the car while Forgiato provided the rims. Pictures do not do this car enough justice, and its beauty must be seen in person to be truly appreciated. Boulevard Customs took two full weeks to finish the car, completing it just in time for the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. The cars next stop will be Barrett-Jackson’s Scottdale auction!

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Your chance to own the only red 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder in the country is via the upcoming sixth-annual Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance auction being held on Saturday, February 25, 2012. Only 50 of the 333 R8 GT Spyders will make it stateside, and, of those 50, only one has been secured in the color red.

Offering rare or first-production Audi automobiles is nothing new for the Florida event. In 2011, the Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance auctioned off the first R8 GT coupe in the country (as well as the first Mercedes-Benz SLS Roadster, which now sits in the duPont REGISTRY showroom). In 2010, one of the first 2011 Audi R8 V-10 Spyders was auctioned off, and, in 2009, the first two Audi R8 V-10s were auctioned. The latter two brought in $500,000 and $350,000, respectively.

Also going to auction are some amazing one-off Shelbys to celebrate 50 years of the Shelby Cobra. The two limited-edition commemorative 2012 models going under the hammer are an 800-hp 2012 Shelby GT500 Super Snake and a 2012 Shelby GT350. Shelby built each of these cars specifically for the Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance. Bidders will also have the chance to own the first authentic recreations being offered by Shelby: a 50th-anniversary 1962 Shelby Cobra 289 CSX8992 and two 1965 Shelby Cobra 427s (CSX6063 and CSX6100).

(Yes, the artist representation is in gold.)

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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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The subtle tweaks that appeared on the 2012 Audi A5 and S5 in the European markets (2013 Audi A5 and S5 for the U.S.) will appear on the RS5 when it goes on sale in Europe for 2012 and stateside in the summer of 2012 as a 2013. Unfortunately, Audi is silent on the exact price.

Audi announced the RS5 for the European markets in early 2010 and followed it up a few months later with distant plans for the U.S, but the RS5 never even made it into a U.S. showroom before it underwent a mild redesign. The biggest change is the redesigned light fixtures with standard xenon headlights framed by a strip of LEDs.

Follow the jump to read more about the 2012 2013 Audi RS5.

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Thirteen youths racing a dream list of exotics cars on public roads outside of Vancouver, Canada, had their vehicles confiscated by police and were ticketed for Driving without Reasonable Consideration, a $196 fine. At approximately 3:30 in the afternoon on August 31, the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) received multiple calls about a convey of high-end vehicles driving at extremely high rates of speed. Witnesses reported that vehicles were traveling at speeds up to 124 mph and were slowing traffic to allow room to race.

The cars include an Aston Martin DB9, Ferrari 599, Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG, Audi R8, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, three Lamborghini Gallardos, three Nissan GT-Rs, and two Maserati GranTurismos. The collection of cars has an estimated worth of more than $2-million dollars.

All the persons ticketed were under 21 years of age; six still had their N, or novice, license. The youths had their cars impounded for seven days as RCMP pursues further charges. The most significant charge under the Civil Forfeiture Act would allow the province to seize the vehicles and sell them as profit, but it is doubtful there is enough evidence. The ticket will cost $196 and the accompanying six penalty points trigger a $300 premium. The young adults are also responsible for the towing and storage costs, which are estimated at $350 each.

Follow the jump for more pictures.

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Audi says the A7 combines the functionality of a sedan with the look of a coupe and the space of a wagon. Before driving the car, we thought Audi was making a mistake by not offering a V-8. However, we found the supercharged V-6 to offer ample power and peppy performance. The 3.0-liter engine offers a maximum of 310 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque and is connected to an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. Like other Audis we have tested, performance is better than the engine stats imply. Audi quotes a zero-to-60 time of 5.4 seconds, which confirms our in-seat impressions. Despite Audi’s trademark (literally) Quattro all-wheel-drive system being standard, the A7 keeps its weight low thanks to aluminum and other lightweight materials. Audi says a number of mechanical components and more than 20 percent of the A7’s body panels are made of aluminum.



Speaking of body panels, the A7 is eye-catching. It features short overhangs, a long wheelbase, and a sloping rear roofline. Audi added other design elements to better accentuate the coupe-like roof taper, including frameless door windows and side mirrors mounted on the front doors. Out back is an integrated spoiler that can be adjusted manually at the touch of a button; otherwise, it automatically extends at 80 mph and retracts at 50 mph. The Audi A7 boasts of a 0.30 coefficient of drag, which aids fuel economy and reduces wind noise.

Follow the jump for the entire 2012 Audi A7 review.

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Toyota sold 327,804 Camrys in America in 2010, the most of any single car model. More than 250,000 Honda Civics and nearly 220,000 Ford Fusions were sold in the same period. The most prolific exotic cars pale in comparison with these numbers and this was a good year for many. In fact, most mainstream manufacturers sell more of a single model than any single exotic-car range. Exceptions are the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, which sold 919 units; Mazda RX-8 with 1,134 cars; Audi TT, which sold 1,531 vehicles; and Toyota Land Cruiser with 1,807 autos. Here is the list of the top exotic car manufacturers in terms of cars sold in America in 2010:

1. Maserati (1,987)
2. Ferrari (1,440)
3. Bentley (1,430)
4. Aston Martin (1,104)
5. Lotus (660)
6. Lamborghini (324)
7. Rolls-Royce (312)
8. Maybach (63)

Are the manufacturers faring better this year? Yes. As of May, the year-to-date sales figures are up from 2010 by 24% for Maserati, 22.4% for Ferrari, 16.3% for Bentley, 16.5% for Lamborghini, and 31.8% for Rolls-Royce. Maybach is the only one that is hurting with a drop of 34.5% to just 19 vehicles sold so far in 2011.

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A flash flood in a major shopping district of Mount Elizabeth, Singapore, not only left the local mall engulfed in water but also an exotic-car collection worth millions of dollars submerged in a parking garage. The estimated value of the damage is especially high considering the cost of car ownership for Singaporeans. The cause behind the flooding is not known but this is not the first time the area has become flooded following heavy rainstorms.

[via The New Paper]

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One year after the more track-focused R8 GT premiered, Audi has taken the wraps off an open-top version of the limited-production sports car. Lighter and more powerful and with a more eye-captivating design, the 2012 R8 GT Spyder is the new top-dog Audi.

The R8 GT and its new topless counterpart looked to its parent company’s high-performance brand, Lamborghini, as the source for a new level of motivation.

Follow the jump for more details and pictures of the 2012 Audi R8 GT Spyder.

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Maybe it shows my age (lack of memory, not years’ worth of experience), but as I approached the 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet in our parking lot, I immediately thought, “Oh, we got the new A4 Cabriolet.” The Audi A5 Cabriolet looks, feels, and even drives like an updated two-door A4 Cabriolet, a car axed in 2009.

...

Everything about the A5 Cabriolet felt spot on; it felt right. Like a conversation with an old friend, where no matter how much time has passed, you can pick up where you left off. The ride felt balanced, offering a handling-luxury ratio that seemed both comfortable and capable. The one chink in the armor...follow the jump to read more about the 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet.

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