Ugo Colombo | Ugo Colombo | The Collection

19 May

Aston Martin CEO, Andy Palmer, Visits with The Collection

On Saturday, March 28th, Aston Martin clients from Ugo Colombo’s The Collection were invited to attend an meet-and-greet dinner with Aston Martin’s newly-appointed CEO, Andy Palmer. The dinner occurred at Jean-George’s Matador Room at The Miami Beach Edition and Palmer mixed and mingled at the 4-course dinner. He later joined guests for cocktails and bowling at the Edition’s Basement.

Dr. “Andy” Palmer, is a seasoned auto exec with 35 years of industry experience. He joins Aston Martin from Nissan Motor Corporation where he served as their Chief Planning Officer. Palmer started his professional career at the ripe age of 16 (he was an apprentice at Automotive Products Limited in the United Kingdom). In 1986, Palmer joined Austin Rover to eventually become Transmissions Chief Engineer of Rover Group. Palmer joined Nissan in 1991 and was based in Japan for the past 13 years. Most recently, he held the position of Executive Vice President of the entire group and Infiniti’s Chairman.

11 May

Ugo Colombo and The Collection Celebrate 2015 Ferrari Challenge

The Ferrari Challenge made its way back to Miami earlier this year – and after a 2 year hiatus. The event was action-packed, from start to finish! THE COLLECTION family and Ferrari enthusiasts came together to enjoy a weekend filled with everything Ferrari.

Ugo Colombo’s THE COLLECTION, and Ferrari North America, co-hosted the annual Ferrari Challenge weekend at Homestead Miami Speedway from Friday, March 6th through Sunday, March 8th. Guests and Ferrari owners that attended the events had the opportunity to drive their Ferraris on the track, enjoy Ferrari’s world-famous hospitality, enjoy an up close and personal look at the paddock and Challenge garages and enjoy the all-new Fan Zone complete with a new winner’s podium, on-site boutique and Ferrari go karts for the kids.

On Saturday, March 7th, THE COLLECTION held their now-famous breakfast and rally. Upon completion of the breakfast, attendees departed on a 70+ Ferrari-only caravan and were escorted by the police. Once the fleet from the rally arrived at the track, the remainder of the day consisted of Dealer Lapping sessions for our devoted clients, as well as the Ferrari Challenge races and unprecedented access to THE COLLECTION’s Ferrari Challenge trailer.

Ferrari North America kicked off the weekend with an invitation-only cocktail event at Cipriani Miami Downtown on Friday night. The event served as a launching pad to the weekend’s Ferrari Challenge races and event. Guests were treated to an unveiling of the all-new Sergio Ferrari, one of only six in the world. Several VIPs, executives, and celebrities were in attendance, including Ferrari North America’s new President and CEO, Edwin Fenech, professional dancer Kym Johnson, and TV star Carson Kressley.

Watch a video about the 2015 Ferrari Challenge event from The Collection below:

05 May

Electric Porsche 717

ugo-colombo-porsche-717-sedan According to CAR Magazine, Porsche is expected to be unveiling a 4-wheel drive electric sedan, which will rival the Tesla Model S. The magazine states that the vehicle will boast the driving experience Porsche owners have come to expect, with four wheel torque vectoring and four wheel steering. The car is expected to look very similar to the Panamera, heavily influenced by the 911.

Porsche is likely to employ a more complicated battery system, which will pack most of the battery cells in the car’s central tunnel, and the vehicle’s bulkheads. There will be more batteries packed into the floor, side sills, and other parts of the body, with 108 battery modules total.

If driven judiciously, the 717 is expected to have a range of about 300 miles, and will accelerate at a rate that will rival the Tesla Model S. With rumored horsepower options of 400, 500, or 600 available, this car is sure to cause concern for those at Tesla!

20 Apr

Maserati and Aston Martin Headlining 2016 Auto Expo

Italian carmaker Maserati, and its British competitor Aston Martin, are expected to headline the 2016 Auto Expo next year. The expo is to take place February 5-9^th, and according to many industry sources, this is the first time either brands have approached expo organizers about participating. Sources at India’s flagship automobile show say “Aston Martin, Maserati and Bentley have shown interest to take part in the Auto Expo and if they do it will be the first time that they will be taking part.”

The luxury vehicle market in India has been growing substantially over the last few years, with an estimated 30,000 units a year. German automakers like Audi and Mercedes-Benz hold most units, with a respectable 10,000 units each. Companies like BMW are also looking to expand their presence, as the sports luxury segment has grown rapidly in the last year.

The expo is held by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), CII and the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), and it will be a 2 day event, as it was in 2014. The motor portion of the show will be held at India Expo Mart at Greater Noida, and the component portion will be held at Pragati Maidan in the Capital.

02 Apr

Whispers of the Audi RS Q7

Audi has released its plans for the 2016 Q7 for the North American Market, and it is exciting news! A substantial weight cut of 716lbs, 156.5lb from the body alone; makes the 2016 Q7 poised for speed. There have also been whispers that sources at Audi confirmed: the new SUV will get a wild RS version.

ugo-colombo-2016-audi-q7

The source was reported by TopGear, and although they did not specifically name where the information came from, it is believed to be coming from a trusted place. TopGear asked its Audi source about a performance-based version of the SUV, the source responded that the “upgraded Q7 will be built in traditional “Audi style.” TopGear read this as the source saying there will be an RS version.

According to the publication, the source went on to discuss different drivetrains, and briefly mentioned the chances of a high-output TDI engine. If Audi did release a diesel Q7, it would most likely take years for the vehicle to be released in the United States, and the US has shown little interest in diesel vehicles. The source also said that if the RS were to be diesel, that it would not be using the V-12 TDI, as that engine would be too heavy for a small vehicle like the Q7. The best candidate would be the current 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, which creates 560 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque in the existing RS 7. The current engine allows the RS 7 to go from 0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds, and would most likely get the SUV to the same speed in about 4 seconds. If Audi wanted to compete with its competitor, the Porsche Cayenne, it would need to get that time to less than 4 seconds, which would mean they would need to up their game a bit!

The source sounded confident that the RS Q7 was coming, but it would be a while before we would see it hit the US market.

15 Mar

THE COLLECTION Celebrates Achievements with The Voice’s Damien Lawson

ugo-colombo-the-collection-2014-managers-dinner-01

Photography by Tyler Loy

THE COLLECTION held their annual manager’s dinner earlier this year to toast the previous year’s success. THE COLLECTION, which is owned by Ugo Colombo, held this extra special event that celebrated Ken’s 20 years at the helm as President of THE COLLECTION.

The celebratory night took place at The Thompson and Seagrape, with a custom-created menu by Michelle Bernstein. Following the lavish dinner party, guests enjoyed The Voice’s Damien Lawson during an incredible, surprise post-dinner concert.

ugo-colombo-the-collection-2014-managers-dinner-02

Photography by Tyler Loy

Read more about this exciting celebration for Ugo Colombo, Ken Gorin, and THE COLLECTION team – and view more spectacular photos from World Redeye at
http://worldredeye.com/2015/01/the-collections-annual-managers-dinner-at-thompson-miami-beach/

19 Feb

Jack – The Self Driving Audi

Last year Audi attempted a ride along a freeway in Las Vegas. The system failed during that attempt, and the driver had to take over. Audi must feel as though they have made great improvement in the last year, because they are doing it again! An A7 has been fitted with self-driving gear, and will be attempting to make a 550-mile round trip journey from San Francisco to Las Vegas. Audi has been making significant advances in recent years with their “Piloted Driving” technology, and claims that the sensors being used in test car, “Jack,” are ready for immediate production.

ugo-colombo-the-collection-jack-self-driving-audi

“Jack” is equipped with Audi’s standard long-range forward radar, as well as two rear-facing and side-facing radar sensors. A laser scanner behind the grille of the car helps with solid object detection, and several cameras have been placed on the front of the vehicle, as well as the front and rear corners. These sensors in combination with a GPS locator feed to an onboard computer, which controls the car’s steering, acceleration, and braking.

The only real challenge the system may face is the condition of the lane lines, which the car uses to stay on course.

06 Jan

Exploring the McLaren 650S

ugo-colombo-mclaren-650S The McLaren 650S is distancing itself from its forerunner, the MP4-12C. This car is streets ahead in design, power and technology. Some would suggest there is no other car on the market quite like it. While the brand-new Lamborghini Gallardo has a top speed of 202mph, the 650S tops out at 207mph. While the Ferrari 458 has 562bhp, the 650S has 641bhp. This stat alone sets the McLaren way apart from its rivals. The McLaren 650S can do 0-60mph in 2.9 seconds and a scorching 0-100mph in 5.8 seconds.

All of this performance is experienced in amazing comfort. Previous supercars of this size eventually begin to make the driver’s body ache where the 650S’s suspension works in such a way that, if one wheel hits a bump, the other three wheels have the ability to cover for their mate and you end up not noticing. The headroom in the 650S is immense and the touchscreen control system is quite superior. The 650S is aesthetically pleasing to look at. The car is drop dead gorgeous with the roof down.

08 Dec

The Jaguar Performance Driving Academy Comes to Miami

ugo-colombo-jaguar-performance-academy The Jaguar Performance Driving Academy will be at the Homestead-Miami Speedway between December 10th and December 14th. All current Jaguar owners are invited to participate in this event where drivers can expect to tap into the full performance potential of a Jaguar in a controlled, yet thrilling, track environment.

Three course levels will be offered. Level 1 is complimentary to U.S. Jaguar owners who have purchased a new XFR, XFR-S, XKR (Coupe or Convertible), XKR-S (Coupe or Convertible), XKR-S GT, XJR, XJ Supersport, XJL Supersport, XJL Ultimate or F-TYPE R Coupe within the past 12 months. Level 1 is also available on a fee basis to all U.S. or Canadian licensed drivers age 21 and over who want to experience the exhilaration of Jaguar performance.

Participation in Levels 2 and 3 are designed for those who have already completed Level 1. Your spot in Levels 2 and 3 can also be secured for a fee. Jaguar includes the cars, instructors, track amenities and safety equipment (including helmets), and an evening reception in return for this fee.

Below are the dates and levels for the Jaguar Performance Driving Academy at Homestead Miami Speedway:

Level 1: December 10th and 12th
Level 2: December 11th and 13th
Level 3: December 14th

Aside from sheer pleasure, the Jaguar Performance Driving Academy sets its sights to transform Jaguar owners into more confident drivers. Those in attendance will learn the skills to respond more appropriately to unexpected real-world driving situations. This event is equally enjoyable and educational.

To RSVP for the Jaguar Performance Academy, visit https://www.rsvpjaguar.com/academy/welcome.aspx?_ga=1.121521160.1206232113.1418056100. For further assistance, call the Jaguar Performance Driving Academy Concierge at (866) 513-7200 or visit http://www.jaguarusa.com/news-and-events/jaguar-performance-driving-academy/overview.html

THE COLLECTION encourages all of our Jaguar owners to attend this enlightening and exciting affair available in our very own backyard!

10 Oct

Ugo Colombo and The Collection Welcomes the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C

ugo-colombo-the-collection-2015-alfa-romeo-4c-ocean-magazine

THE COLLECTION proudly welcomes Alfa Romeo and the all-new 2015 4C. The Alfa Romeo 4C is an Italian two-seat sports car, and it features a hand-crafted carbon fiber monocoque chassis weighing only 143 pounds. Sporting a 1.7-litre 4-cyclinder engine, the 4C boasts 237 horsepower and can travel from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The starting price is $68.000 for the “launch edition,” which is limited to 500 total units.

The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C is available at THE COLLECTION

Read the coverage of the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C and The Collection from Ocean Magazine