BMW quickly sold out of the 1,000 M4 CSL coupes offered last year, but as consolation, it is offering 2,000 of the M4 CS, a slightly tamer rendition of the road/track coupe. It’s got the same 543-hp turbo inline-six engine and eight-speed transmission, but it’s latched to all-wheel drive in this version. The interior is a bit more civilized than the CSL’s but might still not be ideal for some daily commutes. No one should doubt, however, BMW’s claims for a 3.2-second 0-60 time and 188-mph top track speed. This very special M4 starts at about $125,000.
Aston Martin bills its new DB12 grand tourer as a “super tourer” because, the British automaker says, “grand is not enough” to describe the DB11’s successor. Marketing fluff aside, the new DB12 appears to be a super new entry into a segment where its closest rival is the Ferrari Roma. The overall look will be familiar to Aston fans, and the interior steps up to a “super” level of grand touring luxury and tech. The Mercedes-AMG twin-turbo V8 gets a boost to a very super 671 horsepower, easily exceeding the DB11’s V8 and V12. Customer deliveries start in fall.
It’s good to be king, because then you can order yourself a custom-built car like the Maserati made for the Shah of Iran in 1959. The monarch and budding car collector requested that Maserati build a special car by installing the V-8 engine from its 450S racecar into the 3500 GT production coupe. The result was the 170-mph 5000 GT. Maserati made 34 with bodies by various coachbuilders. At its Amelia Island auction, Bonhams is offering one of the 22 with bodies by Allemano, a restoration candidate with a pre-sale estimate of $500K-$800K
Auto Finance News reports on overall demand and average price for luxury and exotic vehicles have continued to increase since 2012. Over that five-year period, Ferraris, Porsches, McLarens, Aston Martins, and Lamborghinis have continued as the most popular exotic marques.
Check out the most highly anticipated cars at the RM Sotheby’s Auction this year, hand-picked for you by industry professionals. Includes Modern, Classic, and even Prewar cars.
