Latest news with #BMWs
The Citizen
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Mkhize's luxury cars to go under the hammer
Mkhize's luxury cars to go under the hammer A TOTAL of 13 luxury cars and a tour bus belonging to Shauwn Mkhize will go on auction next week from June 27 to July 2. Mkhize, who was the owner of Royal AM Football Club, was investigated by SARS. Her La Lucia home was searched in August last year, after SARS was granted a preservation order by the Durban High Court. She allegedly owes the revenue services R37m in taxes. Related story: SARS confirms raid of La Lucia businesswoman's home Among the vehicles set to go under the hammer on Bidder's Choice are a 2020 Bentley Continental GTC, five BMWs, four Mercedes-Benz, two Toyota Hilux, a Nissan Hardbody and a Volkswagen Crafter. One of the Mercedes-Benz is a Maybach S680 limited edition – only 100 were made in the world – retailing at about R5m according to The football club is also back on the market after a deal between Global Investments and SARS fell through after the company failed to meet the three-day payment deadline. The reserve is R50 000 and the vehicles can be viewed in Johannesburg. For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Straits Times
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Fast Lane: BMW, Bentley, Peugeot, Rolls-Royce
Special wishes: Invited clients can co-create their dream Rolls-Royce at special creative hubs in cities such as Dubai, Shanghai and Seoul. PHOTO: ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS Unique Rose Rolls-Royce is keen to show how far it can go to cater to the special requests of clients. The Rolls-Royce Spectre Rose is a customised creation featuring rose motifs on the upholstery and a unique exterior. The company says the car was commissioned by a prominent client in the Middle East for her daughter. To achieve the desired effect, the craftsmen at Rolls-Royce created a new embroidery technique. Two shades of pink threads are blended, using a satin stitch to create a subtle gradient such that the embroidered roses have a three-dimensional look. A single hand-painted pink coach line runs along the flank of the Spectre. Around the world, Rolls-Royce has set up special creative hubs in places such as Dubai, Shanghai and Seoul, where invited clients can work with a designer to create their dream car. More efficient SUV Upgraded: The BMW iX now has more power and a longer operating range. PHOTO: BMW The BMW iX has been subtly updated for more power and higher efficiency. Along with these changes under its skin, it wears a new face – starting with the redesigned front grille with diagonal stripes – similar to the new X3. As with some of the newer BMWs, the border of the grille is now illuminated. The refreshed iX's daytime running lights in the headlamps are set at an angle, also taking reference from the newer generation of BMWs. The updated electric sport utility vehicle has 300kW, which is 60kW more than its previous rendition. This cuts the 0-100kmh sprint time to 5.1 seconds, an improvement of 1 second. In terms of operating range, the iX xDrive45 claims to be able to travel 602km before needing a recharge. This is up from 425km on the pre-updated iX xDrive40 model. Charging speed has also been upgraded from 150kW to 175kW. Hot voltage hatchback Performance EV: The Peugeot E-208 GTi is the brand's first electric hot hatchback. PHOTO: STELLANTIS French brand Peugeot is betting that it can transfer the appeal and character of the GTi badge from its combustion-engine models to the electric age with its new E-208 GTi. The five-door hatchback is one size smaller than the Volkswagen Golf GTI , but quicker. The Peugeot's 209kW front-mounted motor gives the car a 0-100kmh sprint time of 5.7 seconds, versus 6.6 seconds for the petrol-powered Volkswagen. The front axle has a limited-slip differential to enhance handling. The car's wheel tracks are wider than the standard E-208 hatchback. Both the suspension set-up and electronic stability program have been tuned to suit the GTi's more aggressive brief. The E-208 GTi is the first model to be fully designed by Peugeot Sport, the performance arm of Peugeot. The car has big shoes to fill, considering the high bar set by the Peugeot 205 GTi from the 1980s, long regarded as among the best hot hatchbacks in automotive history. Six-seater Bentley on auction MPV of sorts: Special Bentley Mulsanne is a six-seater limousine. PHOTO: COLLECTING CARS The Bentley Mulsanne Grand Limousine is an official model from the British luxury car brand and not an aftermarket conversion . The wheelbase has been stretched by 1,000mm and the height raised by 79mm. One of supposedly 12 units made , it has been listed in June on Collecting Cars, an online auction site. It has six individual seats; the two in the middle row are rear-facing. A privacy partition with adjustable opacity separates the front seats from the rest of the cabin. An intercom system and a quilted headliner split by a wood-veneered central spine, which houses the lighting and controls, are among other features that set the car apart from the regular Mulsanne. Mechanically, the Grand Limousine is identical to the standard Mulsanne, with a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V8 engine powering the rear wheels. For details, go to Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
The Design That Will Change BMW's Future
BMW's upcoming Neue Klasse lineup manages to be both completely new and utterly distinctive at the same time. The cars look characteristically "BMW" while also carrying a cyberpunk-like, futuristic aesthetic. They're polarizing designs to be sure, but one can't argue that they look like nothing else currently on the road. Whether that's a good or bad thing is entirely subjective. The upcoming BMW i3, or Vision Neue Klasse, is nothing like the small, Aston Martin Cygnet-like hatchback it replaced, to say the least. The concept sedan that BMW has been showing off highlights bold, sharp lines, without a single curve in sight. The front end has a slight, shark-nose tilt to it, reminiscent of the BMWs of the 1970s, such as the 2002. The distinct kidney grille now lights up and is integrated with the slim, angled LED headlights. Out back, the taillights nearly span the length of the trunk lid but are split in the middle by a small panel with the BMW logo. These design elements seem to have persisted based on the test mule we've spied driving around. We haven't seen much of the interior, but the concept shots featured little more than an infotainment screen in the middle of the dashboard and a skyroof spanning the headliner. We can only hope that the screen situation will change for the production version, although we're fans of the skyroof. The upcoming BMW X5 Neue Klasse, or Neue Klasse X, carries most of the i3's design elements but supersizes them in SUV form. The front and rear are largely the same, although the front further embodies the BMWs of the 1970s with a thin, vertical kidney grille. The upcoming X5 also sports a few aerodynamic elements, like large openings in both bumpers, side skirts, and a small spoiler above the rear hatch. The cabin is also largely the same, right down to the skyroof, although the X5 concept images carry a more playful white and orange color scheme that reminds me of some 1960s automotive designs. From what we can gather in the spy shots above, most of these design elements will make it into production. BMW's upcoming lineup is certainly polarizing, but unapologetically new. With sharp lines, modern technology, and futuristic aesthetics, BMW is really looking to shake things up when these models are set to hit the scene in 2026. What will be interesting is not just seeing how its domestic competitors, such as Mercedes-Benz and Audi, respond, but also how international competitors from Asia and the U.S. will respond. Looking at BMW's concepts and comparing them to other offerings from makes like Hyundai and Kia, one thing is certain: we are entering a new (or Neue) era of automotive design. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
'Not good enough for CRED': Zerodha billionaire Nithin Kamath's credit score triggers viral banter, Kunal Shah chimes in
Who would have thought that one of India's richest entrepreneurs , with a net worth of $2.6 billion, would be 'not eligible' for an elite credit rewards platform? But that's exactly what happened when Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath revealed that his credit score—while good—wasn't good enough for CRED. Kamath, in a tongue-in-cheek post on X (formerly Twitter), shared a screenshot of his 747 credit score while playfully tagging CRED and its founder Kunal Shah. 'I did a credit check on @zerodhacapital to check out the flow, and my score is 747. So I am not good enough for CRED,' Kamath wrote. — Nithin0dha (@Nithin0dha) According to CRED's standard, users generally need a credit score of 750 or above to qualify. Kamath's 'Good' score sat just a few points below the 'Excellent' threshold—ironically close, yet far enough to be excluded from a platform meant to reward the most credit-worthy. The Kunal Shah Callback Not one to miss a moment, CRED founder Kunal Shah swiftly replied with mock customer service flair: 'I'll call you and help you fix it. Glad you're caring about scores and increasing awareness. More people need to do this :)' Shah wrote, adding to the already buzzing conversation. What followed was a mix of humor, surprise, and serious reflection across social media. You Might Also Like: Nithin Kamath's son steals the show with his mrudanga playing skills at concert. Zerodha founder beams with pride in viral video — kunalb11 (@kunalb11) Netizens Chime In: 'I Beat You, Nithin!' Users wasted no time turning the revelation into a friendly competition. Several people posted screenshots of their own credit scores with captions like 'I beat you' and '747 is practically a jumbo score, Nithin—just needs a smoother landing on the CRED runway.' Others, less forgiving, theorized why Kamath's number wasn't higher. 'Maybe you took a loan and missed a payment,' one user speculated, while another cheekily suggested he 'consult Instagram finance influencers.' Some even criticized the rating system itself, calling CIBIL 'a total scam' and lamenting the difficulties of correcting even the smallest errors. Credit Awareness in the Spotlight While the exchange was humorous, the post did draw attention to a larger issue: credit score literacy in India. Kamath's casual reveal may have sparked jokes, but it also became a conversation starter about the importance of maintaining a good score—and the pitfalls of a system that often feels arbitrary. You Might Also Like: Did Zerodha's Nithin Kamath gift 'BMWs, Audis, Mercedes' to top employees as bonuses? His post, intentionally or not, helped drive home the need for financial education , particularly around creditworthiness, digital lending, and consumer rights. In a world where your financial reputation is often reduced to a three-digit number, even billionaires are at the mercy of the algorithm. As Kamath's post humorously proves, wealth might buy yachts—but not necessarily CRED points.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Lavish life of Love Island 'Barbie' unmasked as 'brains' behind £53m drug cartel
The sentencing of glamorous Magdalena Sadlo, a former Love Island star known as 'Barbie', brought an end to her lavish lifestyle as she was handed 14 years in prison A Love Island star known as "Barbie" played a critical role in a £53m drugs cartel stretching across swathes of Northern England, a court has heard. Magdalena Sadlo, famed for her stint on the Polish version of Love Island 2021, was the 'business brain' behind an elaborate drug-smuggling operation and led a lavish lifestyle before being handed a 14-year prison sentence. Earlier this month, the court heard that the 30-year-old, from Ringwood in Bracknell, Berkshire, acted as a key link between British criminals and international cartel members. Using her management skills, Sadlo prepared criminal accounts for crime bosses based in the Middle East. Her underworld nickname "Barbie" was aptly reflected in one of her brazen texts, which read: "The devil works hard, but Barbie works harder." Cartel members based in Dubai had plotted a conspiracy to ship staggering sums of cocaine into the UK, and Sadlo was brought on to help. Carlisle Crown Court heard how the gang operated a sophisticated import and sales infrastructure. Detectives from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit detained Sadlo when she landed in the UK in February of last year. Living it large, the convicted felon arrived via a first class Emirates flight from Dubai, laden with lavish trinkets including a £130,000 rose gold Patek Phillipe watch, a £30,000 Rolex and Cartier jewellery - all funded through illicit means. She even carried a CV touting her business skills. As a courier for the gang, Sadlo was responsible for collecting huge amounts of cocaine as it arrived at Harwich port. A police drug expert estimated she could have trafficked nearly 300kg of cocaine over seven trips, including a 33kg haul to Manchester. For months, she ferried the drugs across England in BMWs during "whistle-stop" tours, initially storing the cocaine in safe houses before distributing it nationwide through a network of reliable drivers to supply addicts. As the gang's financial director, Sadlo meticulously recorded millions of pounds worth of drug deals in spreadsheets, the Liverpool Echo reports. Tim Evans, prosecuting, told the court: "She not only manages the profits, costs and expenses, but also manages the stock levels, the profit margins organised crime group at this level could operate or function without Magdalena Sadlo, or an equivalent, performing this role." In court, it was also revealed that Sadlso was "enthusiastically, relentlessly efficient in her accounting," even chastising top players for not meeting her exacting standards. Police seized mobiles and laptops containing spreadsheets that revealed the gang also dealt in ketamine and cannabis. After Sadlo surrendered her PINs, officers discovered a trove of encrypted group chat messages where she and other senior criminals discussed large sums of money related to drug trafficking. On one phone, searches like "50kg cocaine June news UK" and "which countries have the death penalty for drugs" were found. Mr Evans stated: "She clearly knew the scale and seriousness of the trade she was engaging in." Sadlo also handled encrypted communications with high-ranking cartel members and kept detailed spreadsheets tracking stock levels, customer payments, expenses, and profits. Recovered messages included one stating: "Having a good month, done 95895 in profit so far from orders." Defence barrister Peter Corrigan said Sadlo disputed elements of the prosecution case. She had played a lesser criminal role than alleged, said Mr Corrigan, against the background of drug addiction. In a letter, Sadlo expressed remorse after falling on hard times. She was highly regarded by friends and family, the court heard. Sadlo, from Ringwood in Bracknell, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine, cannabis, and ketamine, as well as conspiracy to launder money. She received a 14-year prison sentence. Judge Nicholas Barker determined that Sadlo, as a courier, played a "central" role in collecting and distributing drugs. "I conclude there was gain and reward and in some way considerable to you," Judge Barker said. "You are an intelligent woman and well understand risk and reward," he told the defendant. "I find you acted with real enthusiasm and sought to impress those at the top."
