The In Crowd

Jaguar's always been the quintessential 4-wheel mode of tranportation for mods making enough paper to transcend the scooter-buying stereotype. So a revamped new model with lines reminiscent of a Bentley Continental GT or Ferrari 612 backed by a TV spot using Deep Purple's "Hush" (or is that The Prisoners' or Kula Shaker version?) is a pretty much a no-brainer to post here at The In Crowd.

Online:

Jaguar XF - website

This is another car I've been seeing ads on for a minute now that I'm still kind of diggin'.

Online: Infiniti EX - website

I don't know how long these cars have been out but I just saw one for the first time this evening and was really diggin' it. If I was gonna get a car, this would definitely be one of the models under consideration!

Online: Volvo C30 - website 

The Times REALLY likes the newly-made over BMW Z4 coupe and I can see why:

"In its original incarnation as a convertible, the Z4 looked, if not ugly, then certainly awkward and fussed-over.

Yet somehow, sticking a fixed roof on top has turned this stylistic pumpkin into a magic coach, creating one of the most lovely and distinctive sports cars of recent years. And from the roadster’s somewhat lifeless personality, engineers have coaxed vivid performance with a serious mean streak.

These coupes look hot from every angle. Details that seem extraneous on the roadster, including BMW’s signature “flame surfaced” body panels, suddenly come together under that sleek fastback roof. The cabin, drawn sharply back as if by the wind, plays up the classically stretched hood. And the so-called “Bangle butt” — a derisive reference to the bulging trunk lid of some current BMWs, a signature touch from BMW’s top designer, Chris Bangle — is beautifully integrated with the new hatchback tail." (click here to read more)

On the net:

The BMW - Z4 official site 

Long time readers know I love Aston Martins. So does everyone else:

"LIKE an old-money family living beyond its means, Ford Motor has decided it must sell the automotive equivalent of the manor house that it can no longer afford to keep. The company announced last summer that it wants to sell Aston Martin, the British sports car maker it acquired in 1987 and the crown jewel of its luxury division, the Premier Automotive Group.

The consensus among enthusiasts is that Ford’s reign over Aston Martin has been largely benevolent. Still, the question among collectors is how a change of ownership may affect the value of older Aston Martins.

Just as Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters made before the company’s takeover by CBS are the only instruments that matter for collectors, most of the collecting activity in Aston Martins is with cars produced during the marque’s golden era of 1947 to 1972, when it was owned by David Brown, a British industrialist." (Click here to read more.) 

ON THE WEB:

Click here for the official Aston Martin website.

From the auto section of tomorrow's NY Times:

"A Lamborghini isn’t just a car, it’s an event. The Murciélago, named for a famous Spanish fighting bull, has been out since 2001 with a 580-horsepower V-12 engine, and more than 2,000 have been sold — a huge number for a supercar. The LP640 is a new variant that is more powerful and more user-friendly.

For Lamborghinis in general, and past Murciélagos in particular, the company’s raging-bull emblem has seemed apt. The cars have had a reputation as being tough to tame." (click here to read more)

Click for more:

- Lamborghini's official website.

My first video embed! I told y'all this site was a "Guide to Style and Culture for Young Modernists." So if you happen to own a super-luxury car like the many I have talked about on this site, you better make sure you're cleaning it properly! Click n learn:

(Spotted via Attu)

For those of us who can't afford the X5 (or even the lowlier X3), Cayenne, Touareg, XC90 or FX45 comes the new Caliber "car-styled" SUV by Dodge of all brands.

I saw an ad for it a couple weeks ago and thought it looked good but was skeptical because many a car has been styled to look great in their advertising but disappointed upon real world veiwing. But I just saw one of these for real last week and can't front, it looked just as good on the road.

Starting at $14,000 and still well under $30K nicely equipped, this might be worth getting for those can still afford the gas for an SUV.

More:

Dodge Caliber official website. 

Vespa-Riding Gandolfini Collides With Taxi

 

He might call the shots in New Jersey, but "Sopranos" tough guy James Gandolfini was no match Wednesday for the dangerous streets of New York.

 

TV's favorite mob boss was whacked in broad daylight on a SoHo street -- by a taxi.

 

The actor was motoring through Manhattan on his Vespa scooter at about 10 a.m. when he collided with a cab on Hudson Street, where he lay for a few minutes as dazed and confused as his alter ego was after being shot in the season opener.

 

According to witnesses, Gandolfini was traveling north when he was clipped by a cab turning east on Clarkson Street. The crash knocked the burly TV mobster off his bike.

 

"He was shaken up," said Jason O'Malley, who works in a building across the street from the accident. "A couple of guys helped him off the ground and picked up his bike."

 

Gandolfini later borrowed a cellphone to call his assistant and make arrangements for someone to pick up the damaged scooter.

 

"I'm all right," Gandolfini reportedly told a person in the crowd that gathered. "I'm going to be f---ing sore tomorrow."

(Click here to read more)

And even more:

- Vespa USA official website

With gas prices going through the roof, considering buying an SUV right now is probably not one of the smarter options for spending your money but I can't front: the new Jeep Compass is a pretty fly-looking new model from a brand name that hasn't been cool since, at best, the early 90's. Read on to learn more:

"Sleek and sophisticated with a rally car toughness, the Jeep Compass Rallye concept would deliver Jeep fun, freedom and capability, broadening the global appeal of Jeep and attracting new buyers that might not have previously considered the brand.

"The Jeep Compass concept is an all-new kind of Jeep," Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President-Chrysler Group Design said. "Compact and nimble, the Jeep Compass concept is the right size for world markets and would offer performance, fuel economy and value in the highly competitive compact SUV segment."

True to Jeep's signature design cues, the Jeep Compass concept features the brand's signature seven-slot grille, round headlamps and driving lamps, and trapezoidal wheel openings.

A steeply raked windshield, an expressive hood, low-to-the ground stance, deep fascia, wire mesh grille texture and prominent lower intake give the Jeep Compass concept a powerful and capable appearance. Nineteen-inch wheels and red-line tires add to the concept's performance appearance.

Jeep designers created a very distinctive and expressive design concept. The side profile is highly sculptured with unique fender forms, color-accented wheels and red line tires.

From the rear, a roof-mounted spoiler completes the Jeep Compass performance message. The fascia is uniquely styled to accommodate a large chrome dual exhaust system, which also conveys an aggressive, performance-oriented character." (click here to read more)

More:

- Click here for the Jeep Compass official website.

- Jeep Compass official specs and photos here.