BESPOKE TENDERS FOR SUPER-YACHT OWNERS

Now, super-yacht owners don't have to make do with just any old Land Rover as their shore tender. A fleet of bespoke Land Rovers is available to order as the result of a challenge issued by top yacht name, Edmiston, and taken up by seven of the world’s leading yacht designers.

The brief was to customise a Range Rover using the influence of cutting-edge superyacht design to create a must-have land tender for the super yacht class.
And at the Monaco Car Show this autumn, the winning designer was announced and all seven models shown.
Winner was Andrew Winch, his design shown here.  Others who contributed designs were Bannenberg, Tim Heywood, Terrence Disdale, Ken Freivokh, Redman Whiteley Dixon and Martin Francis. Terence Disdale’s convertible is also shown below.

"All of the designers have created vehicles that are sure to become must-have Land Rover tenders for superyacht owners," said Jamie Edmiston.
They are available to order through rangerover@edmistoncompany.com. Delivery time will be between three and six months with prices ranging from € 200,000 to € 800,000.

UP-MARKET MODEL COMING FROM JAPAN

Here's a preview glimpse of the new convertible from luxury Japanese car maker, Infiniti. We previously showed their FX50, launched at the Geneva Car Show earlier this year, and now this G37 is the latest addition to the range.
It won't arrive in the UK until early in 2009, when Infiniti open their first UK centre in the Spring. The brand is already well established in the US and throughout Asia and is now to be promoted across Europe, with centres opening in Paris, Milan, Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, Warsaw and Zurich, as well as London. Prices for these up-market cars range from £30,000 to £50,000. Hardly the best of times to be launching a new car name but prestige models still hold appeal - see below.

SECOND-HAND LUXURY PREFERRED TO NEW STANDARDS

For those who appreciate it, style extends to all aspects of life, just as important in choice of cars as in clothes.

So it isn’t surprising to find that a recent survey indicates 12 million people would rather buy a used prestige marque than a brand new run-of-the-mill model. Over half of those drivers surveyed, (54 per cent) think their choice of car affects their image and how others perceive them. Celebrities and sport stars help set this trend for prestige, with over a fifth of drivers questioned (22 per cent) admitting they are inspired by what their icons are driving.

More men admitted to being interested in the cars of the rich and famous than women, with over a quarter of men (27 per cent) making note of stars’ cars compared to only 17 per cent of women. Respondents in the North West and Northern Ireland are most influenced by celebrities’ and sport stars’ vehicles. Women are more likely to opt for new bog-standard vehicles (36 per cent).The main reason that one in six people (15 per cent) chose their current vehicle was because of the way it looks.

The survey was conducted for BMW Financial Services, who report that despite the credit crunch, sales of used BMW have risen by 10 per cent on last year, and the Mini by 15 per cent.