Elite Traveler November-December 2015

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elite traveler NOV/DEC 2015 ISSUE 6

We love… BMWGTS M6

Is this the ultimate track-day car? BMW has pulled the covers from its first new GT3 racer in five years. With a 4.4-liter M TwinPower turbo V8 and a price tag of $430,000, only serious drivers need apply.

SETTLE DOWN IN THE BACK In the back of Lincoln’s Continental concept car, the seats can be adjusted 30 ways. Those in the BMW 7 Series offer something called a “massage with a Vitality Programme”. In the Mercedes Maybach S-Class, you can almost lie flat with an adjustable pillow, while in the Range Rover SVAutobiography the seats recline 17 degrees and come with competition for most comfortable rear of the year. As the differences between the mechanics and aerodynamics of cars reduce, carmakers are focusing on beating their rivals when it comes to interiors. At the executive chauffeur wagon end of the market, this means looking after passengers. BMW’s flagship 7 Series offers passengers an experience the German firm likens to being in an “executive lounge”. At Lincoln meanwhile, designers are confident its 30-way seats (as well as keeping passengers occupied) will make it into production soon and “can create a feeling of wellness through improved support of the body, massage features and more adjustability, leaving passengers feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, even after a long trip”. Much of the press coverage for these cars is focused on how they drive, but for those driving from the back seat, life just keeps getting better. calf rests and electronic tables. Welcome to the unstoppable

BMW 7 Series sets a standard with an interior it likens to an executive lounge

In the back of the Mercedes Maybach S-Class there’s an almost flat bed

Lincoln’s Continental concept seats that are adjustable in 30 ways

Range Rover offers electronically deployed tables and calf rests

3 ROLLS-ROYCE DAWN One of the best-looking Rolls for ages. It plays to tradition (plenty of wood paneling), in a high-tech package. At launch the roof (the quietest on the road), got engineers so excited they dubbed its workings “the silent ballet”. A 563bhp, 6.6-liter engine hits 60mph in 4.9 seconds. Price to be confirmed.

1 FERRARI 488 GTB SPIDER The 488 replaces the popular 458 Spider and (as with the coupe) brings with it the controversy of turbo charging. Ferrari has also stuck with the retractable hard roof from the 458. With minimal extra weight on the coupe, and power still at 660bhp, 0 to 62mph takes three seconds. Price to be confirmed.

2 LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN SPYDER Lamborghini’s Huracán Spyder comes with a soft top, but like the 488 it offers a rear “window” that can be up when the roof is down (to reduce noise), or down when the roof is up (to get more engine noise). The naturally aspirated, 5.2-liter, V10 delivers 610bhp and gets from 0 to 62mph in 3.4 seconds. On sale in spring for $320,000.

TAKE THREE///

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