What does suv stand for? What makes it different than a standard truck, car, jeep, station wagon, etc. is the fact it has some features of several ordinary vehicles rather than all the features of one standard vehicle. For example, four-wheel drive as a truck might have, the towing ability of a truck (and sometimes a front-mounted winch); the seating room of a sedan sized car, and of course storage space as you might see in a minivan. Almost every car maker has an SUV model available. Some models include the Hyundai Sante Fe, Ford Escape, and Toyota Rav 4. Mid-size models include the Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, and Dodge Nitro. Larger SUVS models are the Ford Excursion, Chevy Tahoe, Chrysler Aspen, and Cadillac Escalade.

What does SUV mean? An SUV crossover is more of a merge between a standard SUV and a station wagon type of vehicle. Examples of this type can be found in models Mazda CX-7, Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave, and the Ford Edge. What makes a crossover SUV different is that these vehicles will typically have the same features of an off-road vehicle, yet handle the same way a car would. Standard SUVs are built on a light truck platform, and crossover SUVs are built on car platforms. Crossover and standard SUVs both have higher ground clearance than other vehicles and larger seating capacity. The standard version starts at 8,500 pounds weight while the crossover models must be under 8,500 pounds in weight.

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Bubbletops are a fascinating part of the custom-car world. Pioneered by such restyling maestros as Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Darryl Starbird, Bubbletop cars wonderfully combine fascination of 1950s Americana with jet age fighter aircraft, rocketry, space travel and above all, the promise of the future, both real and imagined.

The builder of this amazing car, Gary “Chopit” Fioto, admits that as a kid growing up on Long Island, New York he was fascinated with bubbletops, particularly those of Darryl Starbird. Fioto’s nickname, “Chopit,” craftily describes his central customizing philosophy. After he impressed custom-car traditionalists with his new interpretation on an old theme, a chopped ’50 Merc transformed into the sleek hardtop called “Tuf Enuff,” Gary Fioto performed his unique take on the Bubbletop genre.

As per his style, he executed it’s design and build like no other: Fioto’s resulting effort, dubbed “Beatnik” after his car club, the famed “Beatniks,” is a lavender 1955 Ford-based custom he’s skillfully reworked into a Bubbletop. However, instead of lowering the roof of his donor ’55 Ford, he raised it, handcrafting the largest-ever Bubbletop custom.

In 2006, “Beatnik” won the coveted $20,000 Grand Prize at Darryl Starbird’s National Rod and Custom Car Show, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The win was a poetic one for Fioto, who read Starbird’s magazine feature articles as a youngster and chopped his first top at age 11. “Chopit” used aluminum detailing and a great deal of steel in the “Beatnik’s” construction. He’s immensely skilled in every car construction medium; he uses no written plans, and he thinks in three dimensions.

“I don’t always know what I’ll do when I start,” Fioto says, “but I can see the result as I’m working.” He’s an expert at taking seemingly disparate automotive elements and blending them to a state of perfection.

This one-of-a-kind, award-winning effort is simply stunning with its scooped, full teardrop skirts front and rear, pancaked hood, rolled and pleated pearl white Naugahyde interior and razor-like tailfins. The radical interior, complete with its aircraft control yoke-inspired steering wheel and bulbous dash pod, “Beatnik” is a wheeled tribute to the late 1950s and early 1960s – and it’s truly the work of an artist practicing his developed craft in the medium of metal.

Chris Shelton from Street Rodder magazine spoke to Fioto about the elements he feels are essential for a great chopped car. “It’s gotta have attitude. That’s what I look for when I chop a car,” Fioto said. “I look for coolness,” he added, “whatever makes the car look good is what I go for — it’s just got to say something to me; it’s got to look like it’s moving, even when standing still.”

Look closely at “Beatnik” and you can see that movement – that is, if you can stop admiring the myriad details that make this car so interesting. This success hardly evolved overnight. “Beatnik” was an extensive, four-year project. “Chopit” started by completely removing the roof from a ’55 Ford. There’s not much left of the original Ford now. “Beatnik” rides on a modified ’88 Lincoln Town Car chassis. Fioto likes to replace ‘ancient’ running gear with newer components, reasoning that if there’s a mechanical problem, it’s easier to find late-model, rather than vintage, parts.

For “Beatnik,” Fioto used an eclectic mix of Cadillac, Chrysler and Lincoln components, including the canted quad headlights. The front bumper was adapted from a ’59 Cadillac, while the rear bumper was fashioned from the front bumper of a ’58 Cadillac. The finned taillights are 1960 Chrysler. The front and rear fenders, the door skins and the entire rear section of the car are all steel, hand-formed and oxy-acetylene welded.

The engine, with its period-style six-carb induction system jutting through a large hood opening, is a highly detailed Chevrolet 350 cubic inch small-block V-8 with stainless-steel braided hoses and polished components, plus a serpentine belt system, Hedman Hedders and finned Moon valve covers. And yes, there’s air conditioning for those warm, sunny days under the big, tinted Lexan bubble, which was formed to a pattern and mold created by Fioto himself.

The “Beatnik” retains very few elements of the original ’55 Ford; if you look closely, you’ll note the cowl is still there, as are the insides of the doors and their hinges, the hood and its hinges, the trunk lock, and a few of the original trunk elements. The balance of the custom machine is hand-formed and custom-built.

“Beatnik” has received a plethora of top awards wherever it has appeared. It won “Blackie” Gejeian’s 2005 Fresno Autorama Sweepstakes Award and made the “Top 5 Customs” list at Paso Robles in 2005. It was the “Outstanding Custom” at the 2006 Grand National Roadster Show and won the George Barris Kustom d’Elegance Award. All these accolades are in addition to the $20,000 top prize at the Darryl Starbird Show and First Place in the “Fine Nine” competition. “Beatnik” took the “Roth Rageous” trophy and was the First Place winner in the Hand-built Custom category at the Detroit Autorama. Fioto’s “Bubbletop” was also awarded the American Cup, the top award at Carl Casper’s 2006 Custom Car Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

“Beatnik” is a truly exclusive custom and an inspired design statement that stands alone. Admired today, much like its talented builder, this extraordinary car will be even more highly respected in the future. It remains a fitting tribute to a creative era where a few imaginative builders tried to envision the future and succeeded in their own unique way.

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A car as massive as the Series 62 is never going to handle very sweetly, but this wasn’t a slow car; with its 325bhp V8. the king-sized Caddy could top UOmph.

The Series 62 was offered with a choice ofbodystyles. including lour-door saloon, two-door coupOanda convertible too.

The latter is the only one to have.

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CTS-V Wagons notwithstanding, high-performance station wagons were perfected in Europe, where all the cool kids drive “estates.” BMW makes bustle-back versions of its M cars, and Mercedes-Benz does the same when it comes to AMG. So it’s a little painful to see a C63 AMG Wagon announced as an official safety car for the Formula 1 World Championship.

We just got the C63 AMG Coupe, after all. And it’ll be good, if the sedan is any indication. But what if you need to get your Afghan to the kennel club show 60 miles away, but you only have 30 minutes to get there? Even perfectly pedicured paws will scuff the leather on your C63 AMG Sedan’s rear seat.

If speed-hungry dog breeders isn’t a big enough market then what about national pride, Mercedes-Benz? Are you going to let Cadillac parade around in its CTS-V Wagon, proclaiming itself the biggest, baddest kid on the block?

Well probably. Despite the fact that a select few gearheads have a wagon fetish, the honest truth is that they generally are poor sellers, and it’s a tough business case to put all that expensive high-tech performance hardware into a vehicle that nobody will buy. For now, the closest Americans will get to the C63 AMG Estate is watching — and hopefully hearing — it at the Montreal Grand Prix in June.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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The Benchmark Of Luxury

New benchmarks of quality have been set by the current generation, especially by the young. Apart from performance, the interior, as well as the exterior decors have also become vital factors of consideration. Changing times have ushered in interesting technological trends, with connectivity being the standard. Producers of the best known luxury cars such as Chevrolet, Infinitti and Land-rover, among others, have chosen to focus on this aspect of the ever evolving technology to boost their sales. These expensive car interiors feature state of the art luxurious infotainment and audio systems which encompass elements of navigation, the internet and entertainment. These elements come as a single package and deliver high performance as well as a wonderful driving experience.

The Rich And Famous

Apart from the features mentioned above, the rich and famous have set the highest standards of opulence. Technology notwithstanding, the affluent also look for high end features that speak of bespoke luxury. These discerning class of customers look for such features as exotic trims, exquisite leather upholstery and uber gorgeous finishes in their preferred luxury cars.

The 2015 Lexus LX Interior

The 2015 Lexus LX is among the latest cars with some of the most advanced interiors. The LX is supremely powerful and surprisingly innovative. It excels in the category of (expensive luxury car interiors for passenger). The seats are impeccably designed with personalized space for optimum comfort. Application of the latest technology is in no doubt, with all rear passenger seats provided with a super class entertainment system that enables each passenger to personalize what to watch or play. The Lexus enform app suite ensures you enjoy peace of mind, entertainment as well as convenience. Safety features include innovative visibility, a host of standard safety equipment as well as the pre-collision system. In a nutshell, this car is an embodiment of the application of the latest technology in the automobile industry.

The 2015 Lexus LX is not the only one with a very luxurious and expensive interior. Competition is very tight in the industry, with all producers striving to remain relevant in the market. The other vehicles with stylish and luxurious interiors include the 2015 BMW 3-series interior and the Audi A4. The next generation 2015 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, as well as the 2015 Land Rover Range Rover sport and the 2015 Acura MDX cannot go unmentioned.

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