Dealership News
First Look at The All-New Maserati Ghibli
Apr 9th
The official debut of Maserati’s four-door sports sedan, the 2014 Ghibli will take place at the Shanghai Motor Show later on this month, but Maserati has just released a few official images to the press. This vehicle will be available with two turbocharged 3.0 liter v6 engines, an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear wheel drive along with the new Q4 all-wheel drive system. For more information check out the official Press Release below:
Mazda2 B-Spec Racecar Build
Dec 5th
With America’s B-Segment booming, subcompact cars are becoming the fastest growing market in the United States today. Some attribute this to rising fuel costs or a down economy, but maybe today’s American car buyer is realizing Europe’s little secret: You don’t have to drive an SUV to haul your family of three.
One possibility may be more and more manufactures are going with the “less is more” motto. Today’s subcompact cars are safer, roomier, and offer the same technological capabilities as their bigger brothers. They have twice as much horsepower as their 1980′s counterparts, while still providing outstanding fuel economy. And lets not forget how devilishly handsome they have become. However, not everyone shares this perspective. If you strip down most subcompacts, they’re small, cheap, and underpowered. Sounds a bit degrading, unless you’re building a racecar. In that case, it actually sounds a bit enticing.
A few years ago, the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) developed a B Spec (subcompact) class that falls within the showroom stock category. Technical jargon aside, it was developed to create a class possessing the smallest, cheapest cars in a manufacturer’s line-up, while restricting engine modifications creating an even playing field. It seems they’ve created a class which caters to small, inexpensive, underpowered cars. Perfect for those on a tight budget or those looking for a new challenge. You could say SCCA took the “less is more” motto and ran with it.
Earlier this year, Twin Cities Luxury Auto was approached by a loyal client who was interested in building a new racecar. The client, a motorsports enthusiast, was drawn in by the principles of the B-Spec class: challenging, affordable and fun. So we sat down with the client and TCLA’s Michael Ashby, an experienced motorsports driver with Mazda, to discuss the ins and outs. After months of collaboration, the idea of building a spec series racecar became a reality.
With joint efforts of both Morrie’s Minnetonka Mazda and Twin Cities Luxury Auto, our Mazda 2 B-spec racecar build is underway. Please follow us on this journey and continue to check our progress here on the blog.
The 2013 Maserati GranTurismo has arrived at TCLA!
Nov 28th
This brand new 2013 Maserati GranTurismo Sport is not just a sight to behold. It also emanates an intoxicating exhaust note.
Finally on the ground, this Maserati won’t disappoint in all manners of driving.
Our Sales Manager, Q Ballard, goes over the pre-delivery inspection form making sure the vehicle is ready to sell.
These ‘Hot Wheels’ are truly beautiful and add so much to this 2013 Maserati GranTurismo Sport. Visit us at Twin Cities Luxury Auto and see for yourself.
Revealed: Bentley EXP 9 F
Mar 6th
Have you outgrown your Continental GT? Do you find the Range Rover too common? The Cayenne Turbo too slow? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, Bentley has your answer. Welcome, everyone, to the Bentley EXP 9 F concept.
Destined to be the most powerful and most luxurious SUV ever built, the EXP 9 F will be the third model in Bentley’s lineup, alongside the Mulsanne and Continental ranges. Revealed the night before the start of the Geneva Auto Show, the EXP 9 F is very elegantly styled, featuring a prominent hood, flat beltline, a generous grennhouse and Bentley’s hallmark matrix grille. You’ll also recognize the well-defined power line that runs over the front fenders and through the door handles towards the prominent rear “haunch,” just as you’ll find on the Continental GT.
The interior is as opulent as one would expect from the folks in Crewe, with leather, wood and chrome everywhere. The “T” shaped dashboard echoes the design found in the Mulsanne, and Bentley expects the EXP 9 F’s interior to set new benchmarks for luxury in the SUV segment.
They also expect the performance to set new benchmarks for the SUV sector. Motiviation will likely come from the venerable 6.0L W12 found in the Continental Range with the power being sent through an advanced all-wheel drive system. Power and torque figures haven’t yet been released, but expect to see north of 600 horsepower and more than 590 pound-feet of torque.
Pricing hasn’t yet been released, but stay tuned to the Twin Cities Luxury Auto blog for updates as we get them. For those of you anxious to get line for the EXP 9 F, we expect it to be in our showroom by sometime in 2015-16. We’re now taking pre-orders.
Head on over to Bentley Motors’ website for more information about the EXP 9 F, or over to Autoweek for their write-up on the EXP 9 F.
Source: Bentley Motors
Via: Autoweek
Riding Shotgun with Juha Kankkunen, World Champion Rally Driver
Feb 14th
The name Juha Kankkunen should immediately resonate with all you rally fans out there. Just in case you’re not a rally fan and you’ve never heard of Kankkunen before, here’s the skinny. He’s a former rally driver for Toyota, Peugeot and Lancia and has won 23 individual rallies and has earned four world driver’s champion titles. Needless to say, the man can drive.
What you may not know is that Kankkunen is a big fan of Bentley. Such a big fan, in fact, that he set the world speed record on ice in 2007 with his own Bentley Continental GT. You read that right – he drove his own car at nearly 200 miles per hour on ice. In 2011, Kankkunen beat his own record in a factory-provided Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible averaging 205.48 miles per hour (one run in each direction on the track). Both records were set in largely stock vehicles, save minor aerodynamic improvements, the addition of roll cages, studded Nokian tires designed specifically for the task, and that’s it.
To see what it’s like to drive a 5000-plus pound car at insane speeds on a frozen fjord, Bentley invited some of its best-performing dealers to attend a driving event in Finland. Our General Manager was the fortunate one from Bentley Minneapolis to make the trip. Bentley provided lots of seat time for Matt and the other folks who were there, but the best part may have been the ride along with Juha himself.
Luckily for us, Matt brought a camera with him to capture the experience. Check out the video below to see what it’s like to ride with a world-champion rally driver in a 621 horsepower Bentley on nothing but ice and snow.
Note: the car in the video is the very same Continental Supersports Convertible that set the 205-MPH record in 2011 (shown in the photo above).
Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale – making music
May 17th
The only thing that makes this better, is knowing I’ll get to hear it in person. We just ordered our only allotted MC Stradale.
Two Fantastic New Arrivals
Feb 15th
Maybe you’re looking for a new performance car for yourself, maybe you know someone else who’s looking, or maybe you just love cars. In any case, I thought you all might like to know about two fantastic cars we just received as trade-ins. They both come from one of our very best clients. He’s an excellent steward of his car collection, and these cars are proof of just how meticulous he is.
First up is a beautifully clean 2002 Ferrari 360 Spider F1. It’s the right color combination in Grigio Titanio over Nero leather, and it has the right options. Electric Daytona-style seats, “Scuderia Ferrari” fender shields, aluminum-color brake calipers, contrast stitching in Grigio Scuro, and the pre-wiring and battery charger kit complete the package. This one also has fully current service WITH records, plus all of the original manuals and their leather portfolio, three keys and full clearshield already installed. Check it out here.
Second, but by no means least, is a 2001 Dodge Viper GTS in Viper Race Yellow. This one isn’t for the faint of heart; it comes equipped with Dodge’s ACR Competition Group (competition-tuned suspension, 5-point race harnesses, high-flow air cleaner, unique painted alloy wheels, “ACR” badging to the interior and exterior). It does also have the Comfort Group (A/C, Alpine stereo system w/CD player), so you could easily drive this car every day. Check out the Viper here.
Our inventory is constantly changing, so visit our website at www.twincitiesluxuryauto.com often, but these two are definitely the most exciting of our new arrivals. If you don’t see the car you’re looking for, let us know. We always want to hear your input.
~Aaron
Our New Website is Live!
Feb 24th
Over a year in the making – our brand new website is now live!
Maserati of Minneapolis and Bentley Minneapolis have been combined under the parent brand of Twin Cities Luxury Auto, creating a store that will fill the exotic, luxury, and unique vehicle demand in the Twin Cities area, and across the country.
We strive to carry the finest and most unique vehicles on the market. Whether it’s an uniquely optioned Audi A4 Ultrasport, or a Ferrari 599, or your Bentley Continental Supersports dream car – you’ll find it at TwinCitiesLuxuryAuto.com. If we don’t have the perfect car for you – let us know – we can put our national network of car buyers to work finding just what you’re looking for.
Upcoming Events
Apr 20th
Sunday April 23rd, from 1pm – 4pm at the Landmark Center in St Paul is Urban Expedition: Italy! We will have a few Maseratis on display, and it promises to be an educational and fun time.
http://www.landmarkcenter.org/ for more information
Wednesday June 14th, is the 24th annual wine tasting charity event, hosted by Campiello. This is a great event that has raised about $200,000 for the 8 neighborhoods of uptown. There will be some cars on display, plenty of wine and appetizers, and its for a great cause. More information coming soon.
Sunday June 18th, is the 3rd Annual Grille and Shine Car Show at Hazeltine National Golf Club. There will be a variety of vehicles on display, including some Maseratis, with Top 10, Peoples’ Choice, and Best of Show prizes to be given away. This event is open to the public, with a portion of fees donated to the CAP agency food shelf.
http://www.hngc.com/ for more information