If you’ve dreamed about leaving your mark on the design of one of the most sought-after 4×4′s on the market, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, here’s your chance: Jeep is looking for a name for their new Stealth edition due out in late Spring 2012. Making its debut at the Houston Auto Show, Jeep made the announcement that they will be looking to the public to name its new blacked-out concept SUV through an online contest with a free one going to the winner, which will be selected in May. Aside from a few chromed accents, the exterior of this Stealth Edition gives it a dark and edgy personality, especially with its black 2o-inch wheels, headlamp bezels, and lower trim. This limited edition Jeep is based on the popular Grand Cherokee Laredo X model with all of its customizations coming directly from their factory, making this model production ready. On inside, however, the perks are plain to see: heated leather seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shifter, a nine-speaker 506-watt audio system with built-in subwoofer, MP3 connectivity, rear back-up camera and rear park assist, keyless entry, and Uconnect hands-free communication. Creative readers should head over to Jeep’s Name My Ride page to toss their hat in the ring.

With the 50th running of 24 Hours at Daytona less than a day away, timepiece maker TSOVET honors one of the most successful American racing team, Chip Ganassi Racing, with the TSOVET SVT-GR44 Automatic Chronograph. Machined out of aerospace-grade 316L stainless steel, the 44mm gun metal encasement housed the Valjoux 7750 mechanical calibre movement with 42 hours of power reserve. Application of sapphire crystal in front and back ensures obstruction-free visibility to time and functions. And the watch’s unique screw-down crowns, in matte gun metal, as well as Chip Ganassi Racing team colorway, makes it all the more eye-catching. Celebrating Chip Ganassi Racing’s 145 wins, including 14 championships, from 1994 to 2011, each of the TSOVET SVT-GR44 Automatic Chronograph comes with a commemorative book and packaging. Each watch will also be individually numbered from 01 to 51. Set for a May 2012 delivery date, the timepiece is currently available for pre-order via TSOVET online store.

Setting up shop in the third largest city in Germany means its going to be tough for a brand to differentiate themselves from the competition. That is, unless you’re as bold as creative agency Full Contact, who facilitated a cross-industry collaboration between sneaker retailer AMEN Store, Nike Sportswear, and artist Paul Snowden to showcase their new office in Munich, Germany complete with  a custom Lotus Evora sitting in their front window. Unlike most artist-car collaborations that remain in the virtual world, Full Contact’s Lotus is road-ready and, thanks to Snowden, its shell has evolved into a highspeed projection of AMEN’s logo simulating the effect of driving under a swarm of their signs along with red hot flames flying from the front fenders. In return, AMEN has re-tuned the Nike iD Lunar Glide+ 3 to match the clean lines of the car, with the main influence being on its red, black and white colorway. Lucky guests who attended Full Contact’s launch event in Munich received the only 25 pairs created, but you can still catch a glimpse at this unique collaboration after the jump.

The Land Rover Defender lives for the great outdoors and it has built a strong following of hunters and outdoorsmen who share the same passion. So it comes as no surprise that Land Rover has teamed up with the German hunting rifle company, Blaser, to craft a limited edition Defender to fit this niche. Slated to include only 60 units, this special edition vehicle is based on the Defender 110 SE double-cab painted in a nature-neutral Keswick Green. It comes outfitted with an expedition roof rack, trailer hitch, electric front winch, grille gaurd,  and rear spot light. The insides of this Land Rover also received some upgrades with the addition of the snorkel air intake, black leather seats outlined with green stitching topped off with Argali branding on the headrest. The Blaser logo is also prominently featured on the spare tire cover and on the front doors. The icing on this mud cake is obvious: the custom fitted gun case placed just behind the front seats, built to hold 5 rifles as well as their ammo and gear. Expect to hear more about this limited edition Land Rover when it hits the showroom floor at Europe’s largest hunting and fishing trade fair on January 31st.

Do you want the good news or the bad news first? I’ll start with the good: Rumors that BMW M was going to offer a diesel model are true and those who have been patiently waiting have been nicely rewarded with four M Series autos. The four models, the M550d xDrive sedan, the M550d xDrive Touring, the X5 M50d, and the X6 M50d, each are all-wheel drive and are powered by the tri-turbocharged 3.0 liter inline six. Each also comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and the ability to hit 60mph in as little as 4.6 seconds for the M550d sedan and up to 5.4 for the X6. Now to the bad news: due to the selective catalytic reduction system built into each of these cars and the current U.S. emissions standards, these cars won’t be hitting the States anytime soon. At the very least, you can get a first look of these pretty oil-burners after the jump.

Though the color has a certain exactness to the iconic Pink Cadillac, its silvery sparkles, pearlescent coating, and Spirit of Ecstasy made it quite obvious that this is a Rolls-Royce instead. Not just any Rolls however, but one that gone through the company’s bespoke personalization program. In fact, according to its latest estimation, around 56% of Ghost and Ghost Extended Wheelbase, Rolls-Royce’s smallest and newest model, were personalized in some ways. Clients asked for everything and anything, from custom paint colors, like the pink-grey combination and matte black colorways seen here, to matching picnic cabinets, champagne sets, and more. Demands are such that Rolls is planning to expand its manufacturing facility in Goodwood, England, just to accommodate all the bespoke orders. Indeed, the rich do live differently.

Billed as the world’s first Sports Activity Coupe, many critics predicted the model’s early demise when it first appeared in 2008. Some critiqued its distinctive silhouette as odd. Others characterized it as “jack of all trades, master of none” because of its claims to all and more. But now, some three years after its initial launch, BMW reports a sale of 150,000 X6, a number far exceeded the company’s original forecast. Thus, it leads us to this, the new 2013 BMW X6.

Aside from the minor cosmetic alterations, the new BMW X6 will include the new adaptive LED headlights, with the rear lights receiving similar switch as well. One other change is its powertrain, now with two options of a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six or a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. An slight improvement over the previous model, the X6 xDrive35i’s 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six gets an increase of around 15-horsepower at 315 and 330 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, the V8 is able to generate 440-horsepower, an increase of 40, with 480 pound-feet of torque. Of course, both are not counting the X6 M, which revs out more than 500-horsepower through its modified V8.

While certainly not the prettiest cross-over design out there, the BMW engineered the X6 for one goal and one goal only – to get the job done no matter what the task might be. The 2013 BMW X6 will arrive at BMW showrooms around the world in the coming months.

While we don’t have our jet packs, time machines, or robot butlers, I suppose we can all agree that the announcement of a production model of an all-electric DeLorean DMC-12 set for 2013 is a big step forward for mankind. In this latest video from Translogic, we get another look into the type of power this EV has — its expected to pack 260 horsepower and hit a top speed of 125 mph. Unfortunately, there’s no flux capacitor, but you do get a leather interior, built-in GPS, an iPhone dock, and those iconic gull-wing doors. And while this might not be the most affordable car on the market coming in around $100,000, it will no doubt outperform its gas-powered predecessor with a 0-60 time of just 4.9 seconds. Ready for an inside look? Hit the video and pictures after the jump and make sure to buckle up. via: Autoblog

French automaker Citroen has gotten together with Lacoste on a concept car that takes its main inspiration from the French clothier’s origins as a sportswear label. Consequently, wheels are built to resemble tennis balls, the dashboard fascia is reminiscent of a tennis net, and the upholstery fabric is the same type of pique cotton used on Lacoste tennis shirts. The sporty outdoors aesthetic is reinforced by the subtraction of doors and a roof (though there’s an inflatable cover in the event of rain) and the addition of a retractable rear bench. Power comes courtesy of a 3-cylinder gasoline engine, though the point is somewhat academic as the vehicle isn’t expected to enter production. Rather, the enterprise is about the expression of fun and an adventurous spirit. Click through for more looks, as well as a video interview with car designer Celine Venet. via: Pocket-Lint

Such is the circle of fortune. Just days after Peugeot‘s announcement of its exit from the Le Mans racing circuit, citing the racing program’ financial constraints as the cause, Toyota made a public statement today about the company’s entry to this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. To take part in the Le Mans Prototype 1 class will be two Toyota TS030 HYBRID. Developed by Toyota Racing, the TS030 will be the Japanese car maker’s third entry into the grueling endurance race, after its appearances with TS010 and TS020 back in the 1990s. But what will make the TS030 unique is its hybrid powerplant, the first in Le Mans. Featuring a new V8 3.4-litre engine pairing off with a “recovery system” capable of reclaiming energy when the vehicle brakes. Both TS030 HYBRID will debut on May 5th as Toyota participate in the 6-Hour of Spa-Francorchamps

If the BUGATTI Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport didn’t turn enough heads for you, the Grand Sport Special Edition should definitely do the trick, especially in the bumble bee colorway shown at this year’s Dubai International Motor Show. The loudest of the three colors brought to the show, which also included a blue carbon and green/silver, the yellow and black carbon fiber Veyron’s colorway continues on the interior with seats finished in yellow leather with black stitching and a middle console, dashboard, and steering wheel all decked out in black. While there were no changes to the drivetrain, which makes this car the fastest street legal convertible on the market, the Grand Sport still is capable of hitting 1,001-hp through its 8.0-liter W-16 engine and hitting 60mph in less than 2.5 seconds. With only a 150 units being produced, make sure to maintain a steady hand while you’re writing a check for the base model price of 1.58 million euros. Or you can just enjoy the snapshots after the jump. via: Carscoop

The world’s largest Porsche Design store has opened in New York’s SoHo district, a giant step for a luxury brand whose target audience was formerly confined to the European market. Located on West Broadway, the 250-square meter retail space carries the full range of product offerings from Porsche Design, including luggage, eyewear, watches, jewelry, mobile phones and writing implements, as well as both men’s and women’s fashion collections. Shoppers can take in a special wall chronicling the brand’s 40-year history, while big spenders have the run of their own dedicated 50-square meter VIP section. Click through for additional looks of the unique retail experience. via: Autoblog

Porsche Design SoHo
465 West Broadway | Map
(& Houston Street)
New York, NY 10012
TEL #: 212-475-0747