RSSJanuary, 2013 | San Francisco Travel Blog - Part 2 Archive
Porsche Announces Smaller Version of Limousine
Legendary sports car manufacturer Porsche recently announced that it will be producing and marketing a smaller version of its Panamera limousine in the very near future. Porsche has been slow to release specifics about the smaller, more nimble version of the Panamera, but early reports suggest that it will be a five-door fastback design like the larger model and is poised to compete with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5-Series luxury sedans. Porsche says that the new Panamera limo is going to be a big part of the automaker’s plans to improve market share and sell 200,000 vehicles a year by 2018.
Porsche president Matthias Mueller told reporters that the new Panamera limo has been in development for several years and that prices will begin around $80,000. Mueller described this price point as “the magic limit,” meaning the lower limit that Porsche would consider selling one of its models so as not to undermine its reputation as a luxury automaker. Mueller also leaked news about another new model, a sleek roadster code-named the Porsche 960, which will be positioned to erode Ferrari’s share of the performance market.
In other news, Mueller also hinted at the resurrection of a classic Porsche, the Targa Drophead, a semi-convertible coupe with a removable roof section for open air on the open road.
"We could see ourselves reviving the Targa 964 just like we did 20 years ago," Mueller said.
If things proceed as planned, these new models, in addition to yet another new model, the compact Macan SUV, would add to Porsche’s current lineup of the classic 911, the Cayenne crossover SUV, the full-size Panamera and the Boxster/Cayman. Porsche is owned by Volkswagen and set a new sales record in November, with 128,978 units sold, a marked improvement of 8.5 percent over 2011’s sales.
We look forward to seeing the new Panamera limo, but we wonder if or how it will fit into its proposed niche of smaller performance limousines or if it will create an entirely new niche. Either way, color us intrigued, as any new limousine model from an automaker like Porsche is a reason for celebration! Speaking of celebrations, if you’re looking for a San Francisco limousine rental to help you celebrate an important event in your life, call us at NLS Limo today at 800-339-8936. No other Bay Area limousine service offers a better selection of limos and other luxury vehicles at affordable rates. Add in our legendary customer service, and you and your friends are guaranteed to have a wonderful time! Please browse the pages of our site to view your limo rental options and if you have any questions, we would love to hear from you!
Young Driver Who Damaged Rolls-Royce Faces Severe Financial Hardship
All of us have bad days every once in a while, but a recent day experienced by a young Chinese man puts most peoples’ bad days in perspective. The 21-year-old man was driving along a road near the Lukou International Airport near Nanjing when he swerved off the road slightly. Under normal circumstances, this small incident would be easily forgotten. However, this was not a normal day at all. The young man happened to swerve into a Rolls-Royce Phantom, which was parked along the side of the road and suffered around $158,000 in damage when the driver struck it with his car.
The Rolls had been parked there while the chauffeur waited for VIPs to arrive so it could transport them to their destinations. The police report states that the unfortunate driver struck the front left side of the Phantom, crushing the fender, grill, bumper, hood, headlamp assembly and support structure of the $1.9 million vehicle. If that wasn’t bad enough, the young driver admitted that the accident was his fault, which allowed his insurance company to deny paying for the damage. The driver, a chef by trade, has little in savings, certainly not enough to cover the $158,000 repair tab. He is planning to appeal directly to the Phantom’s owners to see if they can reach an accommodation on how the repair bill will be paid.
Yikes. That was a bad day. Hopefully, the driver and the owner will be able to figure out an arrangement that will work for both parties. On a much brighter note, if you’re looking for San Francisco Rolls-Royce rentals, you have come to the right place! We offer one of the widest selections of Rolls-Royce limousines from which to choose in the Bay Area. From classic Silver Wraiths to vintage Silver Cloud convertibles, no other Bay Area limousine service offers a better selection at affordable rates. Our beautiful Rolls-Royce limousines are perfect for the following:
- Birthdays
- Anniversaries
- Weddings
- Sightseeing tours
- Gift ideas
- Wine tours
- Employee rewards programs
- Many other special occasions
For images and information about the Bay Area Rolls-Royce rentals in our fleet, please browse the pages of our site. For answers to your questions and to reserve one of our Rolls-Royce limos for your special event, just give us a call at NLS Limo at 800-339-8936!
World’s Largest Custom Limousine Manufacturer Latest Victim of Economic Downturn
We received some bad news recently that does not affect our San Francisco limousine service directly but affects most limousines services across the country directly or indirectly. Krystal Koach, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of custom limousines, will halt production and close down in the near future. In a press release, Krystal officers reported that their company “doesn’t have the cash to purchase parts to continue manufacturing vehicles.” Ed Grech, Krystal’s founder and CEO, cited the global economic downturn as the reason that his company was closing its doors and reorganizing.
The company had recently moved into the burgeoning Chinese market and had invested heavily in developing its custom stretch Lincoln MKT limousine specifically for that market and other clients in Asia. The company currently has around 51 vehicles in various stages of completion. Grech has told creditors that if they give him time to finish these projects and sell them, along with liquidating some real estate holdings, he would be able to pay them in full with funds leftover to pay other outstanding debts.
When he recently announced the closure and reorganization of his company, Grech told reporters, “Unfortunately, operators are still hurting and demand has been tepid. During the first quarter of 2012, these projects were halted due to the current economic climate both domestically as well as in Asia. We will not be idle during this time. Rest assured that Krystal is still committed to developing the most innovative and cutting-edge vehicles you can buy for luxury ground transportation, and the excellent customer service you expect from us will never waver.”
Grech founded Krystal in 1982 and grew the company from a small Southern California body shop into a company posting annual revenues of $50 million with clients all over the world.
While we don’t conduct any business with Mr. Grech, as we do all our own customization work, we were certainly sorry to hear this news. We hope that he is able to finish and sell his remaining vehicles in production and reorganize to square his debts with his creditors and begin the long process of rebuilding his company.
The economic downturn has affected us all, but NLS Limo is still here, and we plan to keep on serving the Bay Area with custom limousines, party vans and other luxury vehicles for a long time to come. We believe that a big part of our success is our customer service, attention to detail and offering a superb San Francisco limo experience at an affordable price. If you are looking for Bay Area limousine rentals for an upcoming special event, please give us a call today at 800-339-8936 to find out for yourself why our customer service helps us stand out from the hyper-competitive San Francisco limo rental market.
Limousine Service Suspends Wedding Limo Service to Avoid Serving Same-Sex Couples
A limousine company in Annapolis, Maryland has stopped offering wedding limousine service altogether to avoid serving same-sex couples. Discover Annapolis Tours recently announced that they would discontinue this part of their business as of Jan. 1, 2013, when Maryland’s same-sex marriage law goes into effect. Matt Grubbs, owner of Discover Annapolis Tours, told reporters that he decided to stop offering wedding limousine services and would forego the $50,000 expected revenue from renting wedding limos. He told reporters that he preferred to stop renting wedding limos altogether instead of “compromising his Christian convictions when same-sex marriages become legal in Maryland in less than a week.”
From a legal standpoint, Grubbs is asking for larger problems than simply lost revenue. Limousine services in other markets that have refused wedding limo service to same-sex couples have been the targets of discrimination lawsuits and have lost. However, some legal experts say that Grubbs’ company will be somewhat shielded from discrimination suits, as they are avoiding providing limo services to all weddings.
Same-sex marriage is not yet legal in California, but it is very likely to become legal in the near future. Whether that day comes sooner or later, it won’t change our policy on providing San Francisco wedding limousines to happy couples. It is and always has been our great honor to help all couples celebrate this important milestone in their lives. Mr. Grubbs can elect to offer – or not offer – limousine services to weddings and other types of gatherings as he so chooses. It’s his company and his prerogative. However, we think that he will find that this decision will cost him a great deal more than $50,000 in lost revenue every year. After all, money is a pretty poor unit of measure for most things, particularly most of the things that have real value in life.
If you’re planning an upcoming wedding and you would like to reserve one or more of our San Francisco wedding limousines, party buses, classic cars, luxury coaches or other luxury vehicles, call us today at 800-339-8936. We offer the Bay Area’s best selection of luxury vehicles at the best rates and also offer special money-saving wedding packages! For more information about our wedding limo rental options, rates, availability and all other questions, please give us a call at NLS Limo today, and let one of our reservation specialists make this part of your wedding planning fast and simple!
Call 1-800-339-8936 for your free quote
Great customer service, great prices, and always a lot of fun.
I've used Nationwide 3 or 4 times now and have not once been disappointed. Great customer service, great prices, and always a lot of fun. Staff always helps me pick the best option for my group and our budget.