Aston Martin is out and the Range Rover is in as filming begins for James Bond movie

If the recent photographs taken from the filming of the new James Bond movie, Skyfall, are anything to go by, it seems that even 007 isn’t recession proof as actor Daniel Craig was seen in a Range Rover jeep instead of the Aston Martin sports car usually associated with the English spy character.

Photos published in the press this week show a serious looking Craig, filming scenes for the upcoming movie Skyfall in London. The rugged actor is seen being chauffeured in a black Range Rover jeep, with a stuntman on the roof surrounded by metal apparatus, no doubt to facilitate some type of dramatic getaway.

It’s understood that the new Bond film had singled out a number of exotic filming locations including China and Bali for the shoot, however the movie producers were forced to cut back on the film budget which meant that the shooting locations had to be reined in. It’s now believed that the only foreign location used in filming will be Turkey, while London, Bognor Regis, Wales and Pinewood Studios will be used in the most part for Skyfall filming.

We’ll have to wait until November when the 23rd Bond movie is released to find out why James Bond is being chauffeured in the back seat of a Range Rover, although we’re pretty certain 007 will get behind the wheel of an Aston Martin or similarly glamorous sports car at some point in the movie – it wouldn’t be a Bond movie otherwise!

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 Audi R8 Limo

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

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.

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.

Classic Jaguar sports car converted to transport owner’s dogs

A unique Jaguar sports car which was converted into an estate style vehicle by its owner in the 1970’s to accommodate his two dogs, is due to go under the hammer at the forthcoming Bonhams Goodwood Revival Sale in West Sussex.

The classic Jaguar XK150 was extended by the owner and Jaguar enthusiast, Geoffrey Stevens, sometime in the mid 1970’s in order to accommodate his two Labrador dogs. Mr Stevens needed more room in his sports car to transport his dogs and so obtained a Morris Minor Traveller which he cut in half and attached to the rear of the Jaguar to create extra space for his animals.

The result is a strange hybrid of the two vehicles with the front comprising of the stunning classic Jaguar shape, while the rear morphs into a Morris Minor Foxbat. The sports car boasts the original 3.4 litre Jaguar engine, and yet offers the practicality of a saloon vehicle with the Morris Minor boot.

The vehicle left Britain after it was sold to a car enthusiast in France in the 1980’s, before it made its way back to the UK in 2008.

The unusual vehicle is thought to be the only one of its kind in existence and is expected to fetch between £30,000 and £35,000 when it goes under the hammer later this month.

British car maker to launch super limo at Frankfurt Motor Show

British based car manufacturer, Eterniti, is due to reveal the world’s first super SUV at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The limo style vehicle will be hand made in London, with production on the vehicle due to begin early next year.

Automobile manufacturer, Eterniti, has revealed an image of their prototype limo ahead of the car’s debut at the world renowned motor show. The vehicle, which is known as the Hemera, will feature a limo style cabin with electric reclining seats, iPads and drinks chiller, making it an extremely comfortable chauffeur car option.

The body of the new super limo will be based on the Porsche Cayenne, although the vehicle’s 4×4 dimensions coupled with its dynamic performance makes it a practical alternative to the traditional limousine. Due to the compact dimensions of the new style SUV, the model offers the option to be both a self drive and chauffeur vehicle.

The Hemera SUV more than delivers on performance with a top speed of 180mph and 620bhp (brake horse power). The new model promises to bring a touch of luxury to the SUV market.

The prototype Hemera from UK based car makers Eterniti, will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13th following a press call. The first super SUV limos will go into production at the beginning of next year.

Chauffeur driven cars for animals launched by Pet Airlines in America

A chauffeur driven car hire service designed specifically for pets to travel to the airport in style has been launched by Pet Airways in America.

The airline which specialises in flying cats, dogs and other small animals, was set up in 2009 and has been offering furry friends the chance to fly in luxury to 9 different East Coast destinations across the US including Atlanta, Baltimore, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Chicago.

The pet only airline allows small animals the chance to travel in the main cabin of a range of flights flying from Farmingdale to 9 other destinations within the United States.

All pet passengers, or Pawsengers as they are affectionately known by the airline, must be no younger than 8 weeks of age to travel on the pet chauffeur and airways service. The airline is run by a Long Island based company which has been going strong since launching two years ago.

The new chauffeur driven car hire scheme will offer pampered pets the chance to travel to the airport in Farmingdale in the lap of luxury. The chauffeur driven car hire pet service, known as One Paw at a Time, has just been launched in America. The scheme currently offers chauffeur driven pet collection and delivery throughout the North West region of the US.

Whether the service will catch on remains to be seen, however it proves popular, you could be about to see a chauffeur driven pet car hire services arriving in a city near you.

Jaguar XJ wins big at the Scottish Car of the Year Awards

The accolades are flooding in thick and fast for the Jaguar XJ with the new car model scooping the gong for Best Luxury Car at the Scottish Car of the Year Awards this week beating the BMW 5 series and Audi A8.

This is the second big award the Jaguar XJ has won recently after the Professional Driver Magazine crowned the luxury ride its 2010 Car of the Year at its annual awards ceremony.

The new Jaguar model is available for sale in dealerships across the UK. The award-winning XJ is available in three different engine sizes and four different trim levels, and is also comes with both petrol and diesel engines.

The 3.0 litre V6 petrol engine offers respectable fuel consumption of 40 miles to the gallon which is an important consideration for private hire and chauffeurs to consider.

Prices for the diesel engine Jaguar XJ with a basic luxury specification start at £52,500. The next step up is the Premium Luxury specification, followed by the top of the range Portfolio boasting a 5.0 litre engine. Jaguar also offers a supercharged version of the XJ which comes with in sports trim only, and offers an impressive 470 brake horse power.

The Volvo S60 Saloon and the Kia Sportage Joined the Jaguar XJ as the biggest winners at this year’s Scottish Car of the Year Awards.

The bulletproof Jaguar XJ is unveiled

The bulletproof Jaguar XJ has been officially unveiled at the 2010 Moscow Motor Show. The luxury saloon features the very highest level of protection without compromising performance or style.

Each armoured Jaguar is made to order so no official price has been announced, although the vehicles are thought to start from £250,000.

The custom made armour which envelopes the new Jaguar is undetectable from the outside. Made from high strength steel with Kevlar backing, the armour even boasts under floor grenade protection as well.

The Jaguar Sentinel design is based on the long-wheel base XJ model and is powered by a 5.0 litre engine. The vehicle’s chassis has been specially designed to cope with the increased weight of the bodywork due to the bulletproof armour. A state of the art braking system has also been developed for use of the new Jag top cope with the vehicle’s powerful performance.

Each customer who opts for the armoured Jaguar will be assigned their own personal security consultant who will work with the client to assist and advise in the bespoke design of their Jaguar XJ. Each vehicle is also fully covered by a 3-year or 50,000 mile warranty, and comes with a driver training service as standard. For the convenience of the client, the armoured Jaguar can be serviced at any Jaguar dealership.

The armoured Jaguar Sentinel is expected to be popular with heads of states, royalty, politicians and even celebrities.

‘Chauffeur Car of the Year’ to be revealed in September

Leading industry magazine online, the chauffeur is set to reveal its Chauffeur Car of the Year in September, it has been announced.

The prestigious line-up of chauffeur cars have been categorised into four separate sections according to price, with six different vehicles battling it out to be the best in the under £50,000 category, seven contenders in the £50,000 – £100,000 group, and just three in contention for the over £100,000 category, plus there are four cars being judged under the MPV section.

The award has been running since 2007 with Lexus, Jaguar and Bentley all triumphing in the past. The cars are put through a series of rigorous tests by a panel of expert judges as they seek to discover the best overall performer.

Each chauffeur car is taken on a 300-mile test drive so as to allow the judges the opportunity to thoroughly test each facet of the vehicle. The judges will assess the car’s performance, its comfort on long journeys, boot and luggage space, and running costs during their test drive.

More than half of the shortlisted vehicles have already undergone testing at the hands of the judging panel, with just a handful awaiting review before the winner can be revealed.

Cars being considered for The Chauffeur Car of the Year:

£50,000 and Under:

  • Skoda Superb – Not Yet Tested
  • Chrysler 300 – Not Yet Tested
  • Mercedes-Benz E220 Cdi – Test Completed
  • BMW 530d Gran Turismo – Test Completed
  • BMW 530d Saloon – Test Completed
  • Jaguar XF S – Test Completed

£50,000 to £100,000:

  • Mercedes-Benz S350 CDi – Not Yet Tested
  • Lexus LS600hL – Test Completed
  • BMW 730Ld – Test Completed
  • Volkswagen Phaeton – Pending
  • Jaguar XJ – Not Yet Tested
  • Audi A8 3.0 L – Not Yet Tested
  • Porsche Panamera – Test Completed

£100,000 and Above:

  • Rolls-Royce Ghost – Not Yet Tested
  • Bentley Flying Spur – Test Completed
  • Maybach 62 – Not Yet Tested

MPV Category:

  • Volkswagen Caravelle – Test Completed
  • Hyundai i800 – Pending
  • Mercedes-Benz Viano – Not Yet Tested
  • Chrysler Grand Voyager – Not Yet Tested

Judges:

  • Paul Gibson
  • Paul Rowlands
  • John Wilce
  • Andrew Thomson

Rolls Royce Ghost fast becoming the most sought after wedding car in the UK

The Rolls Royce Ghost was launched last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show to great fanfare, and promised to offer a luxury vehicle featuring the latest technology and cutting edge design.

A selected number of Rolls Royce Ghost models are available for wedding car hire in the UK through leading luxury transport provider Cars for Stars. According to reports from Cars for Stars, demand for the Rolls Royce Ghost for wedding day hire far outstrips supply, which is testament to the growing popularity of the latest addition to the Rolls Royce portfolio.

For the most important day of your lives, only the very best will do. As the epitome of glamour, opulence, and luxury, the Rolls Royce Ghost more than fits the bill for wedding day transport. The extra quiet engine means passengers won’t be interrupted by the sound of the car accelerating, and the soft full grain leather upholstery makes for a sumptuous ride.

The Rolls Royce Ghost also boasts rear coach doors which open to a 38 degree angle, plus the low sill height enables passengers to step into the vehicle gracefully, which is good news for brides boarding the exquisite limo in their princess wedding gowns.

The sleek uncluttered design of the Ghost means it makes the perfect addition to any wedding snaps and will ensure brides and grooms make an impressive entrance on their special day. However with Cars for Stars reporting a huge number of enquiries for wedding car hire bookings for the Rolls Royce Ghost for dates as far in advance as 2012, you’ll need to act fast to make the Ghost yours for your wedding day.

The demand for Rolls Royce Phantom wedding cars is currently the most popular in UK but the new Rolls Royce Ghost may take over soon.

For more information on how to hire the Rolls Royce Ghost for your wedding day, please see the following link http://www.carsforstars.net/